Maryland football gets a homecoming reset on Saturday, but the mood around the program hardly feels celebratory.
The Terps return to SECU Stadium at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten, facing Rutgers in a matchup of teams that have both stumbled out of the gate. On paper, this is the kind of game Maryland should welcome. In reality, the backdrop is much messier.
A four-game skid has drained the energy from the season, and the homecoming setting does little to change that. Maryland has won only one Big Ten home game in the last two seasons under Mike Locksley, and the fan base has grown used to waiting for a spark that never seems to last. Since 2024, the Terps are 2-19.
That stretch is a big reason the scrutiny around Locksley has only intensified. Maryland’s Athletic Director Jim Smith has supported him, and the belief is that Locksley will coach the rest of the season. His buyout is over $9 million, and his contract runs through the end of the 2028 season.
Still, the results have done little to calm the frustration. Maryland is 16-46 in Big Ten games since Locksley arrived in 2019. The Terps are 0-21 against ranked Big Ten opponents during his tenure, and the recent conference slide has made any optimism hard to find.
Locksley did deliver back-to-back 8-5 seasons in 2022 and 2023 with Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback, and both years ended with bowl victories over Power Four opponents. But that feel-good stretch has been buried by what has followed.
This season was supposed to carry fresh energy with Malik Washington under center. Washington entered 2026 with strong expectations after being one of the nation’s top freshman quarterbacks, and Maryland also had a chance to build momentum with a home matchup against Virginia Tech. Instead, Virginia Tech “dismantled” Maryland in its first season under former Penn State coach James Franklin, snapping the program’s nation-leading 20-game non-conference streak and landing another blow to DMV recruiting.
Washington, who was recruited by Locksley, has struggled since Big Ten play began. He has thrown for 460 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, while completing fewer than half his passes.
The latest low point came in a 45-16 loss to No. 5 Ohio State, a game that did nothing to lift the mood around the program. Now Maryland turns to a Rutgers team that is 1-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play, in a matchup that lacks much of the buzz homecoming usually brings.
When asked why he deserves more opportunities as head coach, Locksley kept his answer centered on the immediate task. “My focus is on Rutgers for next week.
It's not on anything other than that,” said Locksley. “I'll keep showing up tomorrow -- Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, with a plan to attack the issues that show up.”
Maryland did lose its homecoming game last season, falling 55-10 to the eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers. Under Locksley, the Terps are 6-3 in homecoming games.
The game against Rutgers is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at SECU Stadium, and for the first time since Week 2, Maryland will be favored.
In Other News...
Ohio State Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans Might Think
Maryland fans watching from the side may take comfort in the fact that Ohio State still has a little lineup uncertainty heading into its next Big Ten test. Ryan Day said the Buckeyes are expecting a good portion of the five starters it held out against Maryland to return for Indiana, a useful development as the schedule tightens and the opponent gets more demanding. Curt Cignetti, meanwhile, has already framed Indianas preparation around the challenge of matching Ohio States pace and physicality, with the Hoosiers getting ready for a game that will say plenty about where they stand.
Jeremiah Smith remains the matchup everyone circles first for Ohio State, but Indianas defensive readiness is part of what makes this feel more than a routine checkpoint. The Hoosiers are aiming to keep their own momentum rolling and have no intention of being intimidated by the setting or the stakes, which is why this game carries the feel of a bigger test than some around Columbus might want to admit. If Ohio State is indeed closer to full strength, this should still be one of the conference games that reveals the most about both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Got An Encouraging First Look At Buzz Williams' Team
Marylands first public look at Buzz Williams team offered plenty for fans to like in an 85-70 exhibition win over Georgia Tech at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. The Terps played with noticeable energy on the defensive end and on the glass, and the early returns suggested a roster that can lean on more depth than last seasons group. Payne was especially active, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds, while Kaden House added 14 points off the bench to give Maryland a useful boost beyond its starters.
The encouraging start also came with a reminder that exhibitions are as much about evaluation as results, especially with incoming pieces and the 2026 class still part of the bigger picture for this program. Maryland looked capable of defending and rebounding at a higher level, but the evening did not come without concern, as one of the Terps rotation pieces had to leave early with a leg issue that will bear watching as the schedule gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland May Have Found The Two Things That Change Everything
Pharrel Paynes return gave Maryland a jolt it has been missing for months, and the big man wasted little time making his presence felt in game action after the leg injury that ended his season in December. In just 20 minutes, he delivered 16 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists, while freshman Kaden House added 14 points and flashed the kind of defensive upside that can matter as the schedule tightens.
The bigger development, though, may have been the tone on that end of the floor. Maryland looked more aggressive, forcing 13 steals and turning those takeaways into 22 points off turnovers, a sign the Terps may finally have found some much-needed disruption. Still, the second half showed there is plenty to clean up, with the defense slipping enough to keep the performance from feeling like a full breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]