Fear the Turtle. This slogan may not appear daunting, but upon entering a packed Byrd Stadium on Saturdays in the fall, it becomes quickly clear why the turtle holds so much power. Built in 1950, Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium houses an authentic and classic college style. Constructed as a horseshoe with a triple deck on one side, the arena certainly holds the capacity to intimidate.
The Terrapin nation pays great respect to their state as evidenced by the myriad of ways that the four colors of the state flag are represented around the facility. Two enormous portions of the flag are unfurled covering the student section, and the uniforms feature a splattering of red, black, white, and yellow in various combinations. These colors, pageantry, and tailgating are spread throughout campus electrifying the atmosphere.
Team mascot, Testudo the Turtle, has been a Maryland icon since 1933 when university president Dr. Curley Byrd (also the stadiums former namesake) suggested the diamond back terrapin, a land turtle native to the area. Prior to this, Maryland had suffered through a mascot identity crisis changing three different times. The uniqueness of this name stuck and a tradition was born. The crown jewel of this stadium is the bronze statue of Testudo the Turtle that rests where the players enter the stadium. The team rubs the nose for good luck as they enter to the Mighty Sound of Maryland and to a wealth of pyrotechnics.
Many updates have been made to this facility, but the university has made sure to keep certain aspects of its charming simplicity intact making Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium a perfect fit for its home in the Big Ten.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW7HqrTF4qc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkRSev71Tbg