JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- This is one sequel that could be better than the original.
No. 23 West Virginia and No. 24 Maryland meet for the second time this season when they collide in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day.
Bruce Perry powered a punishing ground game with 79 yards and two touchdowns as Maryland shut down West Virginia, 34-7, on September 20 for its third straight win in the series.
Maryland controlled the game from the start and limited West Virginia's Quincy Wilson to 71 rushing yards on 20 carries. Rasheed Marshall of the Mountaineers completed just 2-of-7 passes for 25 yards.
But the loss to Maryland was part of a 1-4 start for West Virginia (8-4). Fast forward a few months and the Mountaineers are one of the hottest teams in the country, winning their last seven games to earn a share of the Big East Conference title with Miami.
Leading the way is Wilson, who ran for 1,331 yards, including a 208-yard effort in a win over Pittsburgh.
Maryland (9-3) has been as impressive as West Virginia late in the year, winning nine of its last 10 games.
Perry, who will close his college career on New Year's Day, has endured an injury-plagued season and is averaging just 71.8 yards per game. But is one of the best running backs in the country when healthy and exploded for 237 yards in the regular-season finale against Wake Forest.
Maryland quarterback Scott McBrien is a transfer from West Virginia who has thrown 16 TD passes and just six interceptions this season.
The Gator Bowl marks the 42nd meeting between the schools and they have squared off every year since 1980. Maryland leads, 20-19-2, in the increasingly intense rivalry.
Maryland will be playing in the Gator Bowl for the fourth time and the first since 1975. The Terps have split a pair of bowl games under coach Ralph Friedgen, including an impressive 30-3 rout of Tennessee in the Peach Bowl last season.
West Virginia is 9-13 in bowl games and lost to Virginia, 48-22, in the Continental Tire Bowl last season. The Mountaineers are 1-3 on New Year's Day, winning only the 1949 Sun Bowl.
