MORGANTOWN - If ever there were a college football game in which you'd drag out an octagon and place the special teams inside, Maryland at WVU is it.
Overall, the host Mountaineers are a heavy 17-point favorite. On paper, there isn't much intrigue.
Except, that is, in regard to special teams.
There, you can drag out a ring and prepare for a UFC-like battle on Saturday.
"Let's do it," said WVU punter Nick O'Toole with a smile.
There certainly are stars ready to shine within the kicking games. Once again. Last season, Terrapin kicker Brad Craddock knocked through field goals of 46, 41 and 30 yards against the Mountaineers in College Park, Maryland. Terrapins punt returner William Likely returned one 69 yards in the fourth quarter to knot the game at 37. And then West Virginia kicker Josh Lambert won the game with a 47-yard field goal as time expired.
All are back for what WVU coach Dana Holgorsen predicts will be an "electric" game Saturday.
The headliner is Maryland's Likely, the nation's No. 2 punt returner, averaging 28.1 yards. Against Richmond, he set a Big Ten record with 233 punt return yards. He has two TDs that way.
"We'll probably just kick the ball sideways out of bounds," said Holgorsen with a grin.
It wouldn't be a bad idea. Likely, also a junior cornerback, holds eight Maryland records and is the school's leader in career yards via punt return.
"Obviously, William Likely is a huge threat," said WVU special teams coordinator Mark Scott. "We had some issues with him last year. He returned one against us and has been exceptional this year. At the same time, we don't want to wave the white flag. We don't want to change the mentality of our team, special teams units. We're going to challenge our guys like we did last week - whether it's putting 12 or 13 guys out there to hold us up [in practice] or putting a dynamic guy back there to give us a good look. It's a huge challenge, but it's one we're going to take head-on."
All in WVU's facilities building Tuesday suggested the Mountaineers won't concede.
"I can't tell you what our game plan is," Holgorsen said, "but you can't play the game of football scared. I give [Likely] all the credit and respect in the world ... but we are going to face some pretty good ones all year long."
"I'm going to try and punt the ball in places [Likely is] uncomfortable," O'Toole said.
The strong-legged Mountaineer standout has not only been handling punts, but also kickoffs - where he'll once again see the 5-foot-7, 175-pound Likely.
"I was talking to Nick on Sunday," Scott said. "He'd just kicked one off about 9 yards deep [into the end zone]. I told him just to do that every time Saturday and we won't have to worry. You look at the Bowling Green film, though, and you'll see Likely with his heels on the end line and trying to catch the ball so he can return it.
"We're going to really challenge our guys. We had a huge emphasis on it last week and we'll do the same this week. I think they're ready for that challenge."
In regard to field goals, Terrapin kicker Craddock was the 2014 Lou Groza Award winner as the nation's best place-kicker. WVU's Lambert, meanwhile, was a Groza finalist and holds the NCAA record for most field goals made of 40 yards or more in a season (16).
This year? Both are 5 of 6 kicking so far. Forget mano a mano. This is kicker a kicker.
"You have to concentrate more on what you're going to do than the other guy though," O'Toole said. "Thinking about that can mess you up."
"We have another battle of two good kickers," Holgorsen said. "Hopefully, we win this one just like we did the last one."
The head coach was referring to Lambert's battle with Liberty's John Lunsford.
Where WVU has an edge is at punter with O'Toole over Maryland freshman Nicolas Pritchard. The former is averaging 46.6 yards a punt and the latter 42.4.
It'll be fun to watch. The Mountaineers should win going away, but there's this special teams game within the game. A showdown.
"Absolutely," Scott said. "Between their returners and Brad Craddock, who was the Groza winner. ... He does everything from field goals to kickoffs to pooch punts. He's a really talented guy. We're going to have our hands full. But I think we've done a great job so far locking in on special teams."
"It's going to play a big part in the game," O'Toole said. "You just have to be smart."
And come out swinging.