Maryland faced three AP top-ten teams in 2024, but few ranked opponents on 2025 schedule
- Ahmed Ghafir
- Jan 21
- 2 min read
Big Ten fans anxiously awaited to see how the new-look conference would ultimately play out through 2024, while also noting the chance to avoid facing some of the conference’s best teams each season. Maryland avoided both Ohio State and Michigan in 2024 while traveling to Oregon and Penn State and hosting USC, but in the end, change didn’t matter after the Terps still faced three AP top-ten teams.
With the final AP poll of the season unveiled one day after Ohio State won the national championship over Notre Dame, the Big Ten saw five teams land in the final AP poll in Ohio State (1), Oregon (3), Penn State (5), Indiana (10) and Illinois (16) while Michigan unofficially ranked 28th after drawing 36 votes. Maryland faced only three of the five ranked and six mentioned teams in 2024 and were outscored 125-53 in those games while grading as the 22nd-toughest schedule in the country and ninth-toughest among Big Ten teams, per ESPN.
Maryland will kick off the season on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic and face Northern Illinois and Towson in non-conference play before kicking off Big Ten play at Wisconsin on Sept. 20, a reunion for former Maryland and current Badger Billy Edwards Jr. With no Oregon, Ohio State or Michigan on next year’s schedule, only three teams – Indiana, Michigan, Illinois – on Maryland’s 2025 schedule received votes in Tuesday’s final AP ranking as head coach Mike Locksley looks to guide the program back to its fourth bowl game appearance during his tenure. After welcoming the early enrollees to campus on Monday and inking ten transfers heading into the second semester, Maryland restocked its quarterback, wide receiver and offensive line room while revamping a secondary that struggled mightily in the first season under assistant Aazaar Abdul Rahim. Maryland will now have to surpass preseason expectations after being tabbed as the second-worst Big Ten team in 2025, ahead of only Purdue.
Athlon: The Terrapins missed a bowl in ‘24 for the first time in a full year since ‘19. Getting back on track will require coach Mike Locksley’s team to find answers on both sides of the ball. Maryland allowed 36.1 points a game in Big Ten play last season, while the offense enters ‘25 with question marks at quarterback and along the offensive line. Also, No. 1 receiver Tai Felton (96 catches) is off to the NFL.
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