While we’ve known for weeks that Auburn would be heading to the postseason after the Tigers punched their ticket with their sixth win of the season on Nov. 11 against Arkansas, we’ve been left speculating where the Tigers might end up and who they’d be playing in their bowl game.

But now we know.

As announced Sunday afternoon, Auburn (6-6, 3-5 SEC) will head to Nashville on Dec. 30 to take on the Maryland Terrapins (7-5, 4-5 Big 10) in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.

“The entire Auburn football program is excited to accept an invitation to the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said. “Nashville is a great destination, and the TransPerfect Music City Bowl is a great way to end our first season at Auburn. We have the best fans in college football and can’t wait for the Auburn Family to travel to Nashville and take over Broadway. We are thrilled for our players to have another opportunity to compete against a very good Maryland opponent.”

The Tigers and Terrapins have met three times in the history of the two programs with Auburn holding a 2-1 advantage in the series.

Before Auburn and Maryland kickoff on Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. from Nissan Stadium, here are three things to know about the Terrapins.

Auburn will see another Tagovailoa at QB against Maryland

The last name “Tagovailoa” likely hasn’t been forgotten by Auburn fans as current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa piloted the Alabama offense from 2017-19.

Now, the Tigers will see the younger Tagovailoa brother in the Music City Bowl as the Maryland offense is led by senior quarterback Tualia Tagovailoa, who has passed for 3,377 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 66.4% passing this fall. Tagovailoa broke the Big 10 record for career passing yards earlier this season.

Tagovailoa and the Terrapins’ passing game — which ranks No. 1 in the Big 10 — is what Maryland’s offense has hinged on this season as the Terrapins’ running attack has been responsible for just 1,300 yards of offense this season with sophomore Roman Hemby leading the way with 663 yards and four touchdowns.

On the ground, Tagovailoa hasn’t racked up the most yardage, but is Maryland’s leading scorer on the ground with five rushing touchdowns.

After Maryland’s regular season finale against Rutgers, Tagovailoa said he intends on playing in the bowl game.

Fortunately for Auburn, the Tigers boast a veteran defensive backfield, which has been highlighted by guys like Nehemiah Pritchett, DJ James, Keionte Scott and Jaylin Simpson. The first three of that quartet have already received invites to the Senior Bowl, warranting the question of whether or not any of them will opt out of the bowl game.

Maryland’s defensive backfield is a stingy group

Maryland’s secondary ranks in the top 40 nationally in terms of fewest yards allowed, while also posing a true threat to tally takeaways.

In 12 games this season, the Terrapins have forced 15 interceptions — a mark that ties Notre Dame and Appalachian State for 11th in the country. In recent games, Maryland’s secondary has been on a tear, forcing at least one interception in each of its last three games, including a four-interception performance against Nebraska on Nov. 11.

Maryland’s secondary is highlighted by seniors Tarheeb Still and Beau Brade. While Still leads the Terrapins in interceptions with five on the year — a mark that puts him in an 11-way tie for fifth in the nation, Brade is the team’s sack leader with 72 on the season. Brade has also recorded an interception, forced fumble and six pass breakups this fall.

For the sake of comparison, Auburn’s secondary has come away with 11 interceptions this season with Jaylin Simpson leading the charge with four takeaways.

Assuming Auburn junior Payton Thorne will be the Tigers’ starter on Dec. 30, he and the Auburn offense will have their hands full in taking care of the football. Thorne has nine interceptions on the season, while Auburn’s quarterback room as a whole has committed 11.

Like Auburn, Maryland has held its own against some of the nation’s best

When looking at Auburn’s schedule and Maryland’s schedule, there are similarities.

Like the Tigers, the Terrapins also suffered a four-game losing streak at one point this season as they consecutively fell to Ohio State, Illinois, Northwestern and Penn State midway through the season.

Since then, Maryland has gone on to win two of their last three with the lone loss coming to No. 1 Michigan on Nov. 18.

With the exception of Ohio State, which was ranked No. 2 at the time it beat Michigan 30-24, Maryland played the top-ranked Wolverines closer than any other team this season in a 31-24 effort that saw the Terrapins put together strong second and third quarters to keep Michigan on the ropes.

Tagovailoa passed for more than 240 yards against the Wolverines that afternoon, but also tossed a pair of costly interceptions. Meanwhile, running back Billy Edwards turned in a four-touchdown performance to keep Maryland in the game.

And if there’s any team in the country who knows a thing or two about pushing the top teams in the country to the brink, it’s Auburn. In both of the Tigers’ games against then-top-ranked Georgia and then-eighth-ranked Alabama came down to the wire and were lost by one possession.