Maryland enters the 2026 Big Ten season with the preseason spotlight pointed elsewhere.
In the conference’s unofficial media poll released this week, the Terrapins were slotted 15th, ahead of only Michigan State, Rutgers and Purdue. Northwestern finished just three points ahead of Maryland at No. 14, while Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana were picked in that order at the top of the league.
The Terps also landed 15th in both the Cleveland.com poll and The Bill and Doug Show, reinforcing the same message from multiple corners of the league’s media landscape. Maryland was picked 16th a year ago and finished there, after being projected 11th in 2024.
The skepticism didn’t stop with the team standings. Maryland was left off both preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year lists in Cleveland.com’s results, even though senior linebacker Daniel Wingate had at least some buzz after being named a preseason fourth-team All American by Phil Steele. Wingate did receive one vote for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in The Bill and Doug Show, making him the lone Terp to show up in that voting.
That’s the backdrop as Mike Locksley heads into year eight leading the program. Maryland will open fall camp on Aug. 5, and for the first time in three years, there won’t be a quarterback battle at the top of the room. Malik Washington is set for year two in the program.
There’s also a reason Maryland can point to something beyond outside doubt. The Terps rank second among FBS teams in returning production at 71%, trailing only Notre Dame. That number reflects a roster that kept the bulk of its impact players from a young 2025 team.
Here’s how the Big Ten preseason standings shook out:
Ohio St (15) - 540
Oregon (11) - 527
Indiana (5) - 509
USC - 446
Michigan - 430
Penn State - 380
Washington - 366
Illinois - 364
Iowa - 361
Minnesota - 268
Nebraska - 246
Wisconsin - 207
UCLA - 199
Northwestern - 140
Maryland - 137
Michigan State - 99
Rutgers - 97
Purdue - 45
The preseason offensive race was dominated by Ohio State and Oregon, with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State earning 82 votes, including 21 first-place votes. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore followed with 62 votes and eight first-place votes, while Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin finished third with 25 votes and two first-place votes.
The rest of the offensive list included USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover, Indiana running back Turbo Richard, Washington quarterback Demond Williams, Indiana offensive lineman Carter Smith, Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey and Ohio State running back Bo Jackson, each drawing at least one vote.
On defense, Minnesota defensive lineman Anthony Smith led the way with 26 votes, though Oregon piled up the most overall presence on the list. Oregon cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. received 25 votes, while safety Koi Perich and defensive lineman Teitum Tuioti each got 22. Oregon defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington added 20 more.
Indiana was represented by defensive lineman Tyrqiue Tucker, linebacker Rolijah Hardy, cornerback Jamari Sharpe, safety Amare Ferrell and linebacker Isaiah Jones, while Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Nebraska also had players earn votes.
For Maryland, though, the headline remains the same: the Terps are once again being asked to prove people wrong.
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Maryland Faces A Familiar Nightmare As Columbus Trip Looms
Maryland heads to Columbus on Oct. 10 with the same problem that has shadowed this matchup for years: Ohio State is still the standard, and the Terrapins are still chasing a breakthrough that has never come. The Buckeyes enter this one with another loaded offense, led by quarterback Julian Sayin, wideout Jeremiah Smith and running back Bo Jackson, while Ryan Days program keeps operating with the kind of consistency that makes every trip to Ohio Stadium feel like a climb.
The challenge is not just the names on the other sideline, either. Ohio States defense has been as suffocating as ever under Day and Matt Patricia, ranking among the nations best in every major category that matters. For Maryland, the question is whether this is simply another familiar trip into a bad matchup, or the kind of October night that finally gives the Terrapins a chance to change the script. [Read more 🡒]