Maryland spent the offseason talking about finishing games. The message was simple, and Malik Washington made it clear at Big Ten Media Day: “Just want to finish a whole lot more. Yeah, we emphasized it before, but we really emphasized it this time, that fourth quarter finish,” QB Malik Washington told IBG at Big Ten Media Day.
That emphasis made sense after a freshman-heavy Maryland team watched three one-possession games swing the wrong way in 2025. But one year later, with pressure building around the program, the Terrapins have not delivered on that promise. The last three weeks have turned into a hard reminder of how far they still have to go.
The fourth quarter has been brutal. Maryland has been outscored 40-12 in its last three games and 62-12 in the second half over that same stretch. In conference play, it has been even uglier, with Maryland getting outscored 40-0 in the fourth quarter and 54-0 in the second half.
Some of that damage has come directly off turnovers. Two of the seven touchdowns Maryland has allowed in the second half have been pick-sixes, and two of Washington’s three pick-sixes over the last two weeks came in that span. As the team heads into its week six meeting with the Buckeyes, Washington is 12th in the Big Ten with a 62.6% completion rate despite leading the conference in pass attempts.
Mike Locksley said the mistakes have been coming against more advanced looks as Big Ten play has worn on, calling them “400 level reads.”
“Those are 400 level things that people are doing because of the talent he has at quarterback. His first [interception] was a seven up - seven guys lined up on the line of scrimmage and the defensive end drops out for what we call simulated pressures and those are the new things that he now can add to his toolbox.”
Washington’s interception total is also climbing. Only four FBS quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than he has in 2026. Still, the problems have not belonged to him alone.
Maryland’s rushing attack has made a real jump from where it was a year ago. Under Pep Hamilton, the Terps ranked 124th nationally and last in the Big Ten in rushing offense.
This season, they are 12th in the Big Ten and 86th nationally. In the two games DeJuan Williams has been available, Maryland has averaged 7.8 yards per carry, including 5.6 yards per carry in the week five loss to Nebraska.
That lack of balance has put extra stress on the offense, and the turnovers have only made things harder. On the other side of the ball, Maryland’s defense has been dealing with its own issues, especially when it comes to giving up explosive plays.
The Terps rank among the worst teams in the country in plays allowed over 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards. They entered the week tied with just four teams for the most plays allowed over 50 yards at three, and they were one of only three Power Four programs to give up an 80-yard play in 2026.
“You see the explosive runs, you see the explosive passes. To me, they start with tackling well.
I thought [we] tackled a little better two games ago,” Mike Locksley said this week. “[I] thought we got a little bit better this past game.
The alignment issues, the eye discipline on some of the long runs where we don’t have guys in gaps, those are fundamental things that we’ve been working to get fixed.”
The problem is that the fixes keep coming as the schedule keeps getting harder. Maryland is about to see one of the country’s most dangerous receivers in Jeremiah Smith, who leads the nation with 44 catches and 823 receiving yards and is tied with SFA product and Oregon St. freshman Jesse Legree for the national lead with nine receiving touchdowns through five games. The Terps will then have to deal with KJ Duff the following week, and he enters week six ranked third nationally with 628 receiving yards on 33 catches.
There may at least be a little help on the way for Maryland this weekend. Jamare Glasker and Dontay Joyner are both expected to be available, a notable development after the concern around Glasker earlier in the week following a concussion against Nebraska and with Joyner set to make his season debut. Whether that changes much against one of the nation’s top passing attacks remains the bigger question.
In Other News...
Marylands First Preseason Test Will Say A Lot About This Team
Maryland gets its first real chance to see where the pieces stand this month, when the Terps face Georgia Tech on Oct. 11 and then West Virginia on Oct. 18 in a pair of exhibition games that should offer an early read on a roster with a few important anchors. One of them is Pharrel Payne, who was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten team and gives Maryland a proven interior presence heading into his fifth year.
Andre Mills is another reason these early tuneups matter. After a breakout freshman season, he arrives with more expectations and more responsibility, and Maryland will be watching closely to see how his game translates into a bigger role. The exhibitions will not count in the standings, but they should tell a fair amount about how quickly the Terps can settle in and which players are ready to drive the next step. [Read more 🡒]