They’ve got their offensive lines ready, and they’re ready to sack! But we’re not talking gridiron here, this is a game on another grid—chess.

Next month the Maryland Terrapins become the latest team to take the field for BlitzChamps, Chess.com’s college football crossover tournament.

Eight players will compete on March 13 in BlitzChamps: Maryland, a live-streamed, single-elimination bracket chess tournament.

Players will put team bonds aside to battle for the title of BlitzChamp! The time control is 5+0 with each round consisting of four games. Winners from the Quarter-finals will advance to the Semis and the Champions Final, while losers will have to fight it out in the consolation bracket.

Fighting it out for bragging rights will be:

• Billy Edwards Jr.
• Caleb Wheatland
• Chantz Harley
• Dante Trader Jr.
• Deandre Duffus
• Dillan Fontus
• Daniel Owens
• Tayvon Nelson

Chess.com’s thrilling football series first kicked off with the original BlitzChamps in 2022 for NFL stars. One of the greatest wide receivers of all time, Larry Fitzgerald Jr., was involved and the event was eventually won by Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie.

BlitzChamps II followed last year with Awuzie and Fitzgerald Jr. returning to fight for a $100,000 charitable prize fund. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill came out on top. Then, BlitzChamps expanded into college football.

The first outing was BlitzChamps: Michigan which took place in June last year and featured eight football players from the University of Michigan.

The event was won by Wolverines wide receiver Cornelius Johnson who swept offensive lineman Ladarius Henderson in the champions final with a score of 3-0. BlitzChamps: Stanford, won by wide receiver David Kasemervisz, followed in July, and in October BlitzChamps: Texas was won by Longhorns punter Ryan Sanborn.

Now it’s Maryland’s turn. So get ready for the latest instalment of college football’s own chess tournament. Expect plenty of sacks, Hail Marys, and perhaps the odd fumble as the Maryland Terrapins show off their skills on the board.

BlitzChamps: Maryland starts on Wednesday, March 13, at 12:30 p.m. PT / 15:30 ET. Watch the tournament live on Chess.com/TV or on our Twitch and YouTube channels with commentary by GM Robert Hess and IM Kassa Korley.