Maryland walks into week one of the 2026 season carrying a streak that says plenty about how the program wants to open September: 18 straight non-conference wins, the longest such run in the country. With Hampton coming to SECU Stadium at 8 p.m. Saturday, the Terps have a chance to push that number to 19 before the real grind even begins.
That backdrop makes last year’s opener worth revisiting. It was Malik Washington’s much-anticipated debut, and the freshman from Archbishop Spalding arrived with plenty of attention after choosing to stay home despite national interest. Even then, his starting job wasn’t locked in until a couple of hours before kickoff, after a summer and fall camp battle with Khristian Martin and Justyn Martin.
Once the ball was kicked, Maryland’s defense set the tone fast. The Terps slammed the door on Florida Atlantic at the two-yard line on the opening drive, then struck first with Daniel Wingate’s 20-yard pick-six later in the first quarter. FAU answered to tie the game before the quarter ended, but that was about as comfortable as the Owls would ever get.
From there, Maryland took over. The defense forced another turnover and a safety in the second quarter, turning that sequence into five quick points and a 12-7 lead.
Then Washington and the offense caught fire. He threw three touchdown passes before halftime - a 29-yarder to Shaleak Knotts at 7:51, another 29-yard strike to Kaleb Webb at 3:17, and a 9-yard touchdown to Dorian Fleming with 37 seconds left in the half.
That last one was a milestone moment for Fleming, and it helped send Maryland to the locker room with a 33-7 advantage. The Terps never let Florida Atlantic back into the game. Two more field goals in the third quarter pushed the final margin to 36-7, and neither side scored in the fourth.
The box score had a few odd wrinkles, but the result was never really in doubt. Florida Atlantic actually finished with more first downs, 23-22, and more passing yards, 277-268.
The Owls also committed fewer penalties, 7 to Maryland’s 14. None of it changed the shape of the game, because FAU couldn’t get to 100 rushing yards and coughed the ball up six times, all on interceptions.
Maryland’s takeaway party was spread around. Ricardo Cooper Jr., La'khi Roland, Dontay Joyner, Braydon Lee, Lavain Scruggs, and Wingate all recorded interceptions.
Washington’s debut also landed him in the record book. He set marks for the most touchdown passes thrown by a true freshman in his debut in the Big Ten since 2009, the most by a true freshman in the Power Four since 2018, and the most by a true freshman in a debut against an FBS school since 2015.
Now the Terps get another opening-night stage at home, and the expectation is simple: start fast, keep the streak alive, and leave Saturday in the win column.
In Other News...
Maryland Special Teams Looks Strong Again But Two Questions Still Loom
Marylands special teams entered the offseason with one of the programs more stable-looking units, thanks largely to the return of kicker Sean OHaire and punter Bryce McFerson. Both were All-Big Ten selections in 2025, and their presence gives the Terrapins a reliable foundation as they turn toward the 2026 season. Even with the usual turnover that comes each year, that kind of continuity in the kicking game matters, especially for a team that wants every hidden-yardage edge it can get.
The bigger questions sit around them. Maryland now has to replace long snapper Ethan Gough, with redshirt freshman Luke OHare and freshman Rory Knipp in the mix for that job, while freshmen Eli Fulcher and Daniel Leahy are expected to help on kickoffs. The return game is another area to watch after a quiet 2025, and if the Terps can find more there, this unit could look even stronger than it already does on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Opens With One Immediate Test For Mike Locksleys New-Look Team
Maryland heads into its 2026 season opener against Hampton with a roster that is still young, but no longer being treated like a group in need of time. Mike Locksley has framed the early part of camp around consistency and execution, stressing that the Terps want a dependable run game, cleaner offense and sharper tackling on defense as they try to turn talent into something steadier on Saturdays.
The leadership picture is already taking shape around second-year quarterback Malik Washington, with Daniel Wingate and Bryce McFerson serving as captains in a locker room that Locksley says is being built on cohesion, regional recruiting and continuity in the coaching staff. For Maryland, the opener is not just a first game but an immediate checkpoint on whether a new-look team can start looking like a connected one. [Read more 🡒]
How Fairmont Heights Is Keeping Coach Ralph Padens Legacy Alive
Carlos Prillman wanted Fairmont Heights football history to be more than something alumni remembered in passing, so in 2021 he founded the Fairmont Heights High School Football Hall of Fame to help preserve it. A former player at the school, Prillman built the organization around honoring the programs past while also giving back to the students and athletes still carrying it forward, with the effort tied closely to the legacy of the late coach Ralph C. Paden.
The nonprofit marked its sixth annual Hall of Fame ceremony on Aug. 1, recognizing former players, educators, community supporters and current student-athletes in a gathering that blended nostalgia with purpose. Beyond the celebration, the Hall of Fame continues to raise money for athletic and academic supplies, scholarships and other support for the Fairmont Heights community, keeping Padens influence alive in a way that reaches well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]