Their official colors are red, white, black, and gold. The series between the Terrapins and Nittany Lions has been dominated by Penn State University. In recent years, Penn State has drawn the ire of Maryland fans by successfully recruiting some greater Washington, D.C., area players, an area that had previously been successful for Maryland. The Terrapins and Cavaliers have met in football since 1913, but have met annually since 1957 although Virginia joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1954.

Maryland and Virginia are designated as permanent cross-division conference rivals, since the 2005 re-structuring of the ACC, and thus meet every year. As of December 2007, Maryland has the lead in the overall series, 41-30-2. Maryland and West Virginia share a competitive rivalry in football, and the series is the longest current continuous non-conference series for either school, the two teams having met each year since 1980. After the Terps won four straight against West Virginia from 2001-2004, the Mountaineers have bounced back, winning the last four.