Maryland’s move to the Big Ten in 2014 was supposed to open a new chapter. Instead, it has produced one stubborn, ugly number that hangs over the program every time a ranked conference opponent shows up: 0-39.
That’s the reality for the Terrapins against Big Ten teams ranked in the AP/CFP since they entered the league. No wins.
No breakthrough. Just a long trail of losses, some expected and some painfully close, that has turned every marquee matchup into another reminder of how far Maryland still has to go.
The frustration is even sharper because this program once lived in a very different world. Maryland spent 61 years as a founding member of the ACC after helping form the league in 1953, and during that stretch it finished 177-193 overall with nine ACC championships: 1953, 1955, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 2001.
The bowl record told a similar story of uneven results, with the Terps going 7-8 overall. Their last ACC bowl win came in the 2010 Military Bowl, a 51-20 rout of East Carolina.
The jump to the Big Ten brought a different level of weekly pressure, and for a while there was at least the sense that Maryland might be building something. Randy Edsall’s 2014 team went 7-6 and grabbed two program firsts in the same season: a road win at Penn State and a victory over Michigan.
But the momentum never really held. From 2015 to 2020, Maryland finished below .500, including the first two official seasons under Mike Locksley from 2019-present. The program’s best stretch under Locksley came in the 2020s, when Taulia Tagovailoa emerged as the centerpiece and helped lead three straight winning seasons from 2021-2023, along with bowl victories in the Pinstripe Bowl, Duke’s Mayo Bowl, and Music City Bowl.
That progress has given way to a rougher stretch lately. Maryland is coming off back-to-back 4-8 seasons, both marked by fast starts in September before the wheels came off. The inconsistency has shown up on both sides of the ball.
Against ranked Big Ten opponents, the pattern has been even harsher. Maryland has been criticized for not looking ready for those stages, with complaints about discipline, talent, execution, and coaching all surfacing again and again in those games. The result is the same every time: another loss, another missed chance.
There have been a few moments that hinted at something different. In 2018, Maryland nearly pulled off a stunning road upset at Ohio State before falling 52-51 in overtime. Former running back Tayon Fleet Davus scored on a one-yard run, but the two-point try failed when Tyrell Pigmore’s pass fell short.
The 2022 trip to Ohio State followed a similar script, at least for a while. Maryland led 13-10 at halftime against CJ Stroud and the Buckeyes, then watched Ohio State rip off 16 straight points in the third quarter to go up 27-13 heading into the fourth.
The Terps kept hanging around, including a one-yard touchdown catch by Jeshaun Jones that made it 33-30 with 9:49 left. But after Maryland forced a turnover on downs on the next Ohio State drive, the Buckeyes answered with a long closing march and a field goal with 36 seconds left.
That’s the story Maryland keeps running into: close enough to tease, not close enough to finish. Since joining the Big Ten, the Terps have been within one possession in only three games against ranked conference opponents. Too often, the offense hasn’t had enough punch to keep pace, which in turn leaves the defense with too much to carry.
The numbers under Locksley underline the gap. In his first 2021 season, Maryland went 0-5 against ranked conference foes despite winning seven games overall and taking home a bowl victory. In those five games, the Terps gave up 49.4 points per contest.
Now comes another test. Maryland heads to Columbus on a three-game losing streak to face No. 5 Ohio State, which has Heisman favorite wideout Jeremiah Smith.
The last time Maryland beat multiple ranked teams in the same season came all the way back in 2008, when it knocked off No. 23 California, No.
20 Clemson, No. 21 Wake Forest, and No.
17 North Carolina. Three of those wins came against conference opponents, back when the Terps were still in the ACC.
Since then, the breakthrough against a powerhouse in this kind of spot has never come. Saturday offers another chance to change that.
In Other News...
Maryland Fans Just Got The Full Road Map For A Must-Watch Season
Maryland mens basketball fans now have a clearer picture of what the 2026-27 season will look like on the air and at the arena. The program announced tipoff times and broadcast plans for the regular season, with 18 games set for BTN and FS1, while exhibition games will stream on B1G+. It is the kind of update that gives the schedule some shape long before opening night, and it also starts to set the tone for a season that already has a few marquee touches built in.
The calendar also includes special in-house moments, from honoring the 2002 national championship team to a Gary Williams bobblehead giveaway, both reminders of how much history still hangs over the program. Season tickets are on sale now, and single-game tickets plus mini-packs are scheduled to follow in early October, giving Terrapins fans plenty of ways to plan ahead as the full run-up to the season comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Faces A Brutal Test Against Ohio State's Passing Attack
Ohio States passing game is about to put Marylands defense under a bright spotlight, and the challenge starts with Jeremiah Smith. The No. 5 Buckeyes are heavy favorites, and Smith has become the kind of receiver who can change a game in a hurry, coming off two straight outings with more than 200 receiving yards. For Michael Locksleys group, this is less about slowing one star in isolation and more about surviving the full pace and precision of an offense built to stretch coverage every snap.
Locksley spent time discussing how Maryland intends to defend the pass, a timely subject given the Terps recent struggles. On the other side, Ryan Day pointed to the growth of cornerback Devin Sanchez, another reminder that Ohio State is not just overwhelming teams with offense but also developing young talent on defense. Maryland enters the matchup knowing the margin for error is thin, and the bigger question is whether the Terps can keep the game competitive long enough to test the Buckeyes in any meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Ohio State's Passing Attack
Ohio State comes to Maryland ranked No. 5 and carrying the kind of offense that can make even a promising defensive plan look fragile. The Buckeyes have leaned on wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, whose recent run has helped drive their attack, while Maryland enters the matchup trying to steady itself after recent losses and prove it can at least make the passing game uncomfortable.
Marylands best path is clear enough on paper: limit explosive throws, force Ohio State to earn everything, and avoid letting the game tilt early. Both coaching staffs have spent the week framing the matchup as a test of preparation and execution, and for the Terrapins, the larger question is whether that approach can hold up against a passing attack that has already punished plenty of opponents this season. [Read more 🡒]