Maryland heads to West Lafayette on Saturday still chasing that first Big Ten win under interim head coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, and the Terps are carrying plenty of urgency with them. After a painful 20-17 loss to Illinois in Abdul-Rahim’s first game, Maryland is trying to turn the page with the kind of edge the staff calls “VTE”-Violence, Technique, and Effort. The timing matters, too: the Terps are stuck in a 6-game losing streak and badly need something to break their way.
The offense has leaned hard on the passing game all season, and that won’t change much now. Malik Washington has thrown for 1,805 yards and 9 touchdowns, with Chris Durr Jr. serving as the main outlet and big-play threat.
Durr Jr. leads Maryland with 58 catches for 638 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he keeps moving closer to the school record books. On the ground, DeJuan Williams has been the top option with 338 rushing yards and 4 scores.
Purdue comes in at 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten after a 31-17 loss at Penn State, but the Boilermakers have their own explosive pieces. Ryan Browne has handled the passing attack and put up 1,964 yards and 11 touchdowns with just 5 interceptions. His top target, Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, leads the team with 652 receiving yards, while Frantzne Ijeboi has powered the run game with 588 rushing yards and a team-best 9 touchdowns.
This matchup has the feel of a shootout because both defenses have had trouble getting stops. Purdue is giving up 418.6 yards and 32.1 points per game, while Maryland has allowed 371.6 yards and 31.6 points per game. The team that can keep the other side from hitting explosives down the seam should have the upper hand.
For Maryland, the key is staying ahead of the chains. The Terps have struggled when early downs go sideways, and that puts more pressure on the passing game. If DeJuan Williams can help create manageable third downs, it takes some of the heat off the pocket and limits the impact of Purdue defensive lineman Cole Brevard.
Durr Jr. is the obvious centerpiece for Maryland’s attack, especially against a Purdue secondary that has allowed 243.6 passing yards per game. Expect Maryland to move him around, including into the slot, to create favorable matchups against linebackers and safeties.
The other side of the ball brings a clear priority for the Terps: stop Ijeboi. Maryland linebacker Dylan Wingate, who leads the team with 48 tackles, will be central to that effort, with the Terps needing him to help close off the A and B gaps before Ijeboi can get into the secondary.
Oddsmakers are expecting points in West Lafayette, with Purdue installed as a 6.5-point favorite and the over/under set at 57.5. The numbers point to a game where both offenses should have chances, and Maryland’s trip now stands as a major test for Abdul-Rahim’s interim run. If Washington takes care of the ball and Durr Jr. finds room to work, the Terps have enough firepower to make this one interesting late.
In Other News...
Maryland Returns To A Rivalry Stage That Could Test The Hype
Maryland heads into Saturday night with a familiar name on the schedule and a different kind of stage in front of it, facing Georgetown at Capital One Arena in a matchup that brings the old local rivalry back to Washington. It will be the first meeting in the city since 2016, and with the game set for Peacock and NBC Sports Network, plus radio coverage on the Maryland Sports Radio Network, it should feel like a showcase for a Terps team trying to turn early buzz into something more concrete.
Pharrel Payne is part of the reason the conversation around Maryland has been louder than usual, and Andre Mills added to that in the season opener with a strong showing of his own. Those are the kinds of pieces that can make a November game feel bigger than a routine nonconference date, especially when the opponent is Georgetown and the setting is one that asks a team to prove it can handle the moment as much as the matchup. [Read more 🡒]