Entering a new landscape of the Big Ten conference, Maryland will take on a variety of styles that this program has not seen in a while. Despite the confusion about who the new starting quarterback is, the Terps are excited to take on a vigorous schedule.
After having back-to-back eight-win seasons, Maryland hopes to show more improvement. In recent years, the team has gone on a 3-5 win streak but has suffered losing streaks against premiere teams that have crushed its hopes of ever being ranked in the AP top 25.
Despite not having Michigan or Ohio State on the schedule, ESPN ranked The Terps schedule the 25th toughest in the nation and ninth in the Big Ten. The team will face four teams ranked in the top 25 before the season. If the Terps win a fair share of these games, they might see themselves in the top 25 for the first since 2019.
Connecticut, Sat. Aug. 31
Maryland opens the season at home against Connecticut. The Huskies struggled since leaving the Big East Conference, and things have gone further south since the program became independent in 2020.
The Huskies went 3-9 in the FBS last season and are near the bottom of the FBS power rankings. Head Coach Jim Mora is looking to turn around the program, and the Huskies may be bowl-eligible with their schedule. However, the Terrapins appear to be superior to the Huskies.
Saturday will be the first time the Terps have played the Huskies since 2013. The two share a history with former head coach Randy Edsall. Nowadays, the two programs are going in separate directions. Maryland is a 20.5-point favorite.
Michigan State, Sat. Sept. 17
Maryland jumps into conference play in Week 2. The Terps will face Michigan State. The Terps beat the Spartans for their first conference win in the last two seasons.
Last year, Maryland torched Michigan State 31-9 behind quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa’s 233 yards and three touchdowns. Maryland has typically started conference play in Week 3 or later. However, they’ll be in Big Ten action in Week 2 this year. The last time the Terps opened conference play this early outside the COVID 2020 season was against Miami (FL) in Week One when Maryland played in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2011.
Quarterback Aiden Chiles leads the Spartans. Chiles is a former four-star recruit who transferred from Oregon State. Chiles has received high praise in the offseason after following his coach, Jonathan Smith, from Oregon State to Michigan State.
At Virginia, Sat. Sept. 14
The Terps get on the road for the first time in the season in Week 3 against their old ACC rivals, Virginia. This will be the Terps and Cavaliers’ second straight-year meeting. The Terps expect to be a heavy favorite for an easy win.
Last season, Virginia finished with a 3-9 record, including 2-6 in the ACC. Anthony Colandrea is Virginia’s starting quarterback, beating out Tony Muskett.
Colandrea threw three interceptions as a freshman against Maryland last year. The Terps rolled to a 42-14 win.
Villanova, Sat. Sept. 21
Maryland returns home the following Saturday to face Villanova at the FCS level. This year’s meeting will be the first time the teams played each other since 2007.
The Wildcats were one of the best FCS teams in the nation last year, reaching the FCS Quarterfinal before their season ended with a 10-3 record. Villanova enters this season ranked sixth in the FCS preseason coaches poll.
The Wildcats have a good, rugged defense and several returning players from the previous season. The most notable player is Coastal Athletic Association Player of the Year, quarterback Connor Watkins, who threw 20 touchdowns against ten interceptions in 2023.
While Maryland plays in a premiere Power 4 conference, Villanova won’t be an easy out. They could be the first look at good competition. If the Terps can shut down Villanova, Maryland will get a good win before tackling the rest of their conference slate.
At Indiana, Sat. Sept. 28
Indiana leads the all-time series 7-5. However, Maryland has beaten Indiana for three consecutive years. The Terps are looking to push that streak to four.
Last year, Tagovailoa threw a career-high five touchdowns while collecting 352 yards through the air in a 44-17 win, Maryland’s largest margin of victory over Indiana.
This year, however, Indiana enters a new era under legendary head coach Curt Cignetti. Cignetti took James Madison to prominence on the FBS level, winning Sun Belt Coach of the Year last year. He hopes to revamp a Hoosiers football program that finished 1-8 in the Big Ten last year.
Despite Cignetti’s impeccable resume spans from the CAA and Sun Belt with James Madison, Maryland expects to beat Indiana for a fourth straight year.
Northwestern, Fri. Oct. 11
After a week off, Maryland returns to College Park to play Northwestern. The Friday night nationally televised game will be a Black-Out game for the Terps.
Last year, Maryland lost a close game in Evanston 33-27 following a Tagovailoa interception.
Northwestern is trying to move forward from a hazing scandal that cost long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald his job, as he was relieved of his coaching duties.
Now, the Wildcats enter a new era with new head coach David Braun. Braun is working to get the Wildcats back to success amid the hazing allegations.
Former linebacker Nathan Fox filed a lawsuit against the school and Fitzgerald in May. The situation is a dark cloud over the Wildcats. But Braun will roll out Mississippi State transfer Mike Wright at quarterback. Wright gets his first extended look behind center after four years in the SEC between the Bulldogs and Vanderbilt.
USC, Sat. Oct. 19
For the first time, Maryland will play USC in football. USC is one of four new teams from the old Pac-12 that joined the Big Ten in July.
The Trojans have significant changes from last year’s team. Yet, they’ll be Maryland’s first preseason Top-25 opponent. USC opens the season ranked No. 23.
USC lost a lot of notable names to the NFL, including No. 1 overall pick quarterback Caleb Williams, safety Calen Bullock, wide receiver Brenden Rice, and running back Marshawn Lloyd.
Redshirt junior Miller Moss will start at quarterback for USC, following in the footsteps of Williams. Moss accumulated 681 pass yards, seven touchdowns, and a QBR of 97.3. The anticipation is that Moss will have a stunning season.
Maryland could be favored throughout its schedule until they face USC. But if the Teprs can pull off the upset, they could gain buzz around the nation.
At Minnesota, Sat. Oct. 26
Maryland gets back on the road to face Minnesota. The two will meet for the first time since 2021. The Golden Gophers are coming off an 18-point win over the Terps in their last contest against each other.
Minnesota had a 6-7 record and were 3-6 in the conference. Their team ranked in the bottom half of the Big Ten in nearly every statistical category.
Minnesota acquired senior quarterback Max Brosmer from the transfer portal. Brosmer recently played at New Hampshire. He earned first-team All-CAA and first-team FC All-American honors. He threw for 3,459 yards and 29 touchdowns against six interceptions to get the Wildcats to a 6-5 record.
At Oregon, Sat. Nov. 9
Oregon is one of the four newest members of the Big Ten Conference. Maryland will play the Ducks for the first time when the two teams clash in Eugene at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon will be the Terrapins’ most daunting challenge of the season. The Ducks are ranked No. 3 in the preseason and are one of the favorites to win the FBS national championship under the new playoff format.
Oregon is also a heavy favorite for the Big Ten title. The Ducks feature the second-ranked transfer recruiting class in the nation this year, according to 247Sports.
The highlight of the transfer class is former Oklahoma and UCF star quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Texas A&M wide receiver Evan Stewart.
Last season, Gabriel led the Sooners to a 10-3 record and received first-team All-Big 12 honors. He threw for 3,660 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. Expectations are high for Oregon despite playing in a new conference.
Gabriel has a bunch of talent to throw the rock to, including Tez Johnson and Stewart. Johnson is coming off a 1,000-yard season.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley will have two weeks to prepare for the machine they will face at Oregon. If Maryland has an advantage, it’s upfront. The Terps have recruited well to build Big Ten–caliber offensive and defensive lines.
However, a win will take their best efforts if Maryland is to pull off the upset.
Rutgers, Sat. Nov. 16
Rutgers, who just like Maryland, is coming off a 7-6 record and a 3-6 conference record. Last year, Tagovailoa played his last regular season game against the Scarlet Knights, throwing for 361 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout 42-16 win.
Rutgers, like many of Maryland’s opponents, added a stud at quarterback via the transfer portal. The Scarlet Knights landed Athan Kaliakmanis from Minnesota.
Kaliakmanis threw for 1,838, 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 12 games with the Gophers. His maturity and balance of throwing and running could make him one of the better QBs Rutgers has had in recent times.
Head coach Greg Schiano will also rely on running back Kyle Monangai. Coming off a brilliant sophomore season, Monangai rushed for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns with 5.2 yards per carry. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Maryland has toppled Rutgers in the last three meetings. The Terps seek to push their streak to four wins. Hopefully, the previous week’s result, win or lose, won’t affect their focus on a formidable opponent in Rutgers.
Iowa, Sat. Nov. 23
In the last home game of the season, Maryland will host Iowa. The last time the two teams met was in 2021 in which the Hawkeyes embarrassed Maryland 51-14. The Terps also lost star wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr.
Iowa is still formidable on defense. Last season they finished ranked No. 24, winning the Big Ten West before getting shut out by Michigan in the Big Ten Conference Championship and in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl by Tennessee.
Still, Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz will have his team reloaded. Iowa is ranked in the top 25 preseason polls. The Hawkeyes will lean on its physicality against Maryland.
According to Kaiden Karper of Saturday Blitz, Iowa has a top-3 defense. The defense is built around returning players. Star linebacker Nick Johnson was a third-team All-Big Ten player. Senior linebacker Deontae Craig was second on the team in sacks with 7.5 in 2022. Also, junior safety Xavier Nwankpa is coming off a strong sophomore season.
Iowa’s biggest weakness is its offense. However, with the hiring of Tim Lester as offensive coordinator fans seem optimistic about the offense getting better, and challenging for the Big Ten title.
at Penn State, Sat. Nov. 30
To wrap up their challenging schedule, Maryland will face another AP top 25 team, Penn State, ranked No. 8 in the preseason. With Penn State’s expectations, this could be the first time since 2018 that Maryland will end the season against a ranked team. Coincidentally, the last Maryland closed the regular season against a ranked team was Penn State, ranked No. 15, and Maryland lost 38-3.
Not only is Maryland up against a top-10 team, but they will also be playing on the home turf of the Nittany Lions.
Last year, the No. 13 Nittany Lions dominated Maryland 51-15 in a week 9 matchup. At that point, Maryland was on a four-game losing streak before they managed to defeat Nebraska 13-10 the following week.
Aside from a trip to Eugene, playing Penn State at Happy Valley could be the toughest for Maryland.
The Penn State offense is led by first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. He was the OC for Kansas State before joining Penn State. Under Kotelnicki’s guidance is junior quarterback Drew Allar, who led the Nittany Lions to a 10-3 record and a Peach Bowl appearance.
Allar threw for 2,631 yards, 25 touchdowns, and only two interceptions during his sophomore year. Despite these impressive stats, Allar got overlooked for any All-Big Ten honors. He enters this year with a chip on his shoulder, determined to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.
Allar tossed four touchdowns, completing 25-of-34 passes for 240 yards against Maryland last year.
On the defensive side, Penn State boasts a No. 6 ranked defense in the country, according to Kaiden Karper.
A bowl game is still obtainable for Maryland
Mike Locksley enters his sixth season as the Maryland head coach. He believes the team is ready to compete in the Big Ten. Maryland faces several tough opponents, especially closing the schedule, despite not having Ohio State or Michigan on their schedule.
Locksley has been mum about who will start at quarterback ahead of Saturday’s season opener. The QB battle is between redshirt junior Billy Edwards, redshirt sophomore MJ Morris, a transfer from NC State, and redshirt sophomore Cameron Edge.
Morris appeared in nine games over two years for the Wolfpack, throwing 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. Meanwhile, Edge appeared in two games for Maryland in 2023. He completed 6-of-9 passes with one touchdown and interceptions.
Edwards backed up Tagovailoa the past two years. He appeared in 15 games. Last season, Edwards completed 10-of-30 passes, but he added seven rushing touchdowns.
Despite the uncertainty at quarterback, a bowl game is the goal. Maryland could string several wins early on schedule before going through a gauntlet of Big Ten opponents.
