Welcome to the Gameday Guide.

Every weekend during the college lacrosse season, US Lacrosse Magazine staff will riff here on the juiciest matchups, trendiest topics, biggest storylines and hottest takes.

Has there ever been a quieter Hopkins-Maryland week?

The greatest rivalry in college lacrosse turns 120 on Saturday, but the advent of the Big Ten (and sometimes multiple matchups per season), Johns Hopkins’ recent decline (even though the Blue Jays have won three straight in the series) and now the COVID-19 pandemic have muted the fanfare surrounding the rivalry.

With the Big Ten moving to an exclusive home-and-home conference schedule, the Rivalry Trophy will be on the line twice this year.

Check out our TV Listings page for all games being broadcast or streamed.

GAMES TO WATCH
All times Eastern

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 19 Johns Hopkins at No. 2 Maryland

The Terps have rediscovered their identity on defense. His name is Nick Grill, who followed up a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week performance against Michigan with an even better showing against Penn State, limiting Mac O’Keefe to just one goal in Maryland’s 13-7 win.

Johns Hopkins’ John Grant Jr.-coached offense seemed to get its sea legs against Michigan, a 14-7 win in which Joey Epstein scored six goals. Will Grill draw Epstein, the versatile Connor DeSimone or the burdensome Brendan Grimes?

UPSET WATCH
No. 7 Army at Boston University

BU loves playing the role of Patriot League underdog and spoiler. What better way to open conference play than against the team now considered the frontrunner? It’s difficult to glean too much from wins over Merrimack and Division II Pace, other than knowing that an attack line comprised entirely of Long Island natives in Vince D’Alto (five goals, five assists), Timmy Ley (nine goals) and Louis Perfetto (two, seven assists) is operating at peak efficiency through two games. Goalie Matt Garber (17 saves against Merrimack) also has been a revelation. Army represents a steep step up in competition, however.

BEST GAME NO ONE’S TALKING ABOUT
Stony Brook at UMBC

The Retrievers have won five straight games dating back to last year, including an 8-7 overtime victory against Mount St. Mary’s last week. UMBC scored three goals in the final 2:58 of regulation to force overtime, then won it on short-stick defensive midfielder Mason Edwards’ first career goal. The Seawolves, meanwhile, have poured in 51 goals in three games, though their 17 against Hofstra were not enough in a 20-17 defeat. Like the Patriot League, the America East has a wide-openness about it that makes for very entertaining viewing. Both teams are receiving consideration in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men’s Top 20.

UNDER-THE-RADAR STARS

Michael McCormack, Vermont

The grad transfer attackman from Middlebury wore No. 0 for the Panthers, but now dons No. 97 for the Catamounts. McCormack, though, has continued his scoring ways. He's tallied eight goals through two games this season, including at six goal outing against UMASS Lowell earlier this week. Middlebury’s team MVP last spring also earned first team All-NESCAC honors in 2018 and holds the Massachusetts high school lacrosse record for points in one season (191 in 2014).

Reid Bowering, Drexel

The Coquitlam, British Columbia, product enters his fifth year for the Dragons with the second most goals in program history (122). The Vancouver Warriors selected Bowering with the second overall pick in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft.

Ashton Wood, Mercer

The face-off X has been a bright spot for the Bears despite their 2-3 start. Wood, a junior from St. Augustine (Fl.), has gone 82-of-117, good for a .701 win percentage that ranks 6th best in DI. He's also ranked fourth in the country in groundballs per game (10.00).

SMALL-SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 13 Lynchburg at No. 1 Salisbury

Salisbury scored at least 22 goals in four games last year as part of a scorching 7-0 start that also included a win over Lynchburg. Ten seniors chose to return for fifth years. The Sea Gulls are even more loaded than usual and looked the part in a scrimmage win over Division I Drexel. The Hornets had a similarly strong preseason showing against a Division I foe, outscoring Virginia in the first half of a scrimmage, and are 2-0 after blowout wins over Randolph and Southern Virginia. Imagine if they still had Kevin Rogers.