Maryland is out of room for missteps, and Saturday’s meeting with UCLA lands right in the middle of that reality.
The Terrapins’ non-conference winning streak is gone, and now Big Ten play opens with Bob Chesney’s Bruins coming to town. Maryland has won only two conference games over the past two seasons, and this year still demands four more victories to reach bowl eligibility - a number that also hangs over Mike Locksley’s future.
That backdrop makes this one feel urgent. After last week’s loss to Virginia Tech, the noise around Locksley got louder than it has been since he took over the program in 2019. Maryland fans were especially vocal online, and with road trips to Nebraska and Ohio State coming next, this is the lone chance to avoid a potentially brutal slide.
The challenge is straightforward: UCLA can run the football, and it runs it well. The Bruins are averaging 286.7 rushing yards per game, good for fifth in the country, with Wayne Knight producing 115 rushing yards per game and Anthony Woods adding 76. UCLA also showed what that ground game can do in its Big Ten opener against Purdue, where it put up 7.7 yards per carry and finished with 14 overall touchdowns.
That’s the part of the matchup that should test Maryland’s defense most. The Terps have been excellent against the run so far, allowing just 69.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks 13th nationally. But they haven’t seen a ground attack like this one yet, and Nico Iamaleava adds another layer with his dual-threat ability.
The obvious answer for Maryland is to make Iamaleava uncomfortable. The Terps need their defensive line to get pressure, force bad throws, and create turnover chances. If UCLA gets to play on schedule, it can lean on the strength that has carried it early.
On the other side, Maryland has to work around a battered backfield. DeJuan Williams and Harry Dalton III are both confirmed out, and the source also notes six running backs are unavailable. That leaves the Terps needing production through the air, where Malik Washington has already helped power a passing game averaging 330 yards per contest, 10th nationally, while staying turnover-free through three games.
There is reason to believe Washington can have another big day. UCLA’s secondary was ripped apart by Purdue for 425 passing yards in its last game, and that kind of breakdown is not the sort of thing that gets cleaned up overnight. Maryland does not need a repeat of that number to capitalize, but another 300-yard outing from Washington is within reach.
Add in UCLA’s cross-country travel, and the edge in this one tilts a bit toward Maryland. The Terps’ passing game gives them the cleaner path to points, and at home, that may be enough in a game that looks tight from the start.
In Other News...
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Shawne Merriman is about to get another formal nod from the program that helped launch him, with Maryland set to induct the former standout into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 16. Merriman, who spent three years in College Park before moving on to an eight-season NFL career, was once the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and his path from Terps defender to pro honors is the kind of rsum that still resonates with Maryland fans.
The ceremony is shaping up as a personal one, too, with family members and coaches who supported Merriman along the way expected to attend. Merriman has long expressed gratitude for the people and backing he received throughout his journey, and this latest recognition gives Maryland a chance to celebrate not just what he accomplished, but how much of that ascent was built inside the programs orbit. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Reese Just Landed A Shot Maryland Fans Should Watch
Julian Reese has found another NBA opportunity, with the New Orleans Pelicans signing the former Maryland forward to fill an open two-way roster slot ahead of 2026 training camp. For Terps fans, it is another chance to track one of their own as he continues to work his way around the league after spending time with the Toronto Raptors G League affiliate and later getting into 13 games with the Washington Wizards last season.
The assignment gives Reese a real runway into preseason, where he will be trying to separate himself from several other frontcourt players competing for a roster spot. It is the kind of opportunity that can turn into something bigger if he makes his case early, and Maryland supporters will have a reason to keep an eye on how he handles the next step. [Read more 🡒]