Maryland (4-3, 1-3 B1G) at Minnesota (4-3, 2-2 B1G)
When: Saturday, October 26 | 3:30 PM
Where: Huntington Bank Stadium
Watch: FS1 - Connor Onion, Spencer Tillman
Listen: 105.7 FM (Balt) / 980 AM (DC) - Johnny Holliday, Steve Suter
Betting: Maryland +4.5 | O/U: 46.5
After pulling off the homecoming win vs. USC, Maryland football and head coach Mike Locksley will look to play spoiler in Minneapolis as Minnesota looks to win its second consecutive homecoming game
Maryland WRs vs Minnesota Secondary
Whether Maryland can generate the big plays through the air, or whether Minnesota can limit them, will likely tell the tale in Saturday’s game. It’s strength vs strength as the Big Ten’s top-ranked pass offense faces off against the nation’s fourth-best passing defense in the country. Both teams will go into this game looking to be at their best. For Maryland, it all starts with Billy Edwards, who has remained among the most efficient quarterbacks in the country as he sits top-ten in multiple passing categories.
Tai Felton and Kaden Prather have been option 1A and 1B for Maryland’s passing game all season. Prather’s coming off his first 100-yard game as a Terp and was on the receiving end of both of the team’s third-down conversions last week. Felton, meanwhile, continues to play like one of the best receivers in the nation and is closing in on the school record for most receptions in a single season. Octavian Smith is coming off his best performance in college and should be considered the X-factor heading into the game alongside Felton.
They will face their toughest challenge this week with seniors Ethan Robinson and Justin Walley. Robinson, a transfer from Bucknell, is tied with Kerry Brown for second on the team in interceptions with two. Walley, who missed his last two games before returning vs. USC, has been a starter since his freshman year and leads the team in passes defended. Walley was named a freshman All-American back in 2021 and has remained a mainstay in the Gophers’ secondary where he now leads the team with a team-high five pass breakups one season after leading the team in the same category.
6-foot-2 senior Jack Henderson is a big nickel which the Terps need to be aware of on blitzes as he has 2.5 on the season. Minnesota has plenty of safeties to give Terps headaches if they are not careful. Brown is fourth on the team in tackles, while star true freshman safety Koi Perich leads the Big Ten with four interceptions. One look Maryland could show a lot of to start the game is having both tight ends Preston Howard and Dylan Wade on the field and trying to attack the middle of the field.
While Maryland sits sixth nationally in passes at least ten yards or more (90), Minnesota has been among the nation’s best in stopping the pass as they sit tied for sixth in the country with 65 plays allowed. Minnesota has also allowed just eight completions of 20+ yards or more, leading the nation, while Maryland is tied at 58th nationally with 23 plays. Whether Edwards can connect with his speed guys on the road could be the difference in hopes of the second road win of the season.
Minnesota has also registered 13 interceptions this season, a Big Ten leading and tied for second-most nationally, as the Gophers sit tied for tenth nationally in turnover margin (+8) – just ahead of Maryland (+6).
Maryland’s front seven vs. Minny OL
While the offense for Minnesota doesn’t have the ‘wow’ factor, their offensive line is one of the best in college football. The Gophers worked through three different combinations on the right side of their line through the first three weeks due to injury, but they’re anchored by left tackle Aireontae Ersery, a 6-foot-7, 335-pound tackle drawing first round buzz in the 2025 NFL Draft while being named to the 2024 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List. Ersery isn’t alone with the rest of the settled offensive line at least 6-foot-6, while center Greg Johnson is the lone starter who isn’t a senior. The two have allowed just one combined sack in 244 snaps so far this season.
For a defensive line that entered the season with all the buzz, and off the heels of arguably their most productive game of the season, they’ll have their hands full as Tommy Akingbesote, Jordan Phillips and the rest of the defensive linemen look to win the trenches. This could also be the next chance for edge Donnell Brown to showcase his NFL potential against the Gophers’ bookend tackle, while Kellen Wyatt and Quashon Fuller will look. Donnell Brown is the player to look out for as he tries to validate himself as an NFL prospect. After blocking a field goal that led to the game-winning touchdown for Maryland last week, a few big plays from him could decide the game again. Maryland has to come into Minnesota and show they are not intimidated by the line’s size or physicality.
Other names to know:
QB Max Brosmer: the sixth-year New Hampshire transfer has led the way for a struggling Gopher offense, throwing for 1,456 yards and eight touchdowns to four interceptions on 143-of-210 passing. Brosmer sits sixth in the Big Ten in completion percentage while he posted three rushing touchdowns vs. USC, the first Gopher QB to do so in 11 years. Minnesota, though, sits in the bottom third of the conference in both points (25) and total yards (318.9) per game.
WR Daniel Jackson: when Brosmer has found success, it’s been to his veteran receiver as Jackson enters Saturday seventh in program history in career receiving yards. Jackson, who is on pace to lead the team in receiving for a third consecutive season, has headlined the Gophers’ passing attack as he leads the team in targets (61), targets per game (8.7), receptions (42), receiving yards (451) and receiving yards per game (64.4). WR Elijah Spencer has been the complementary weapon, drawing at least two targets in every game this season.
RB Darius Taylor: a do-it-all back, Taylor enters Saturday fourth nationally with his 4.8 catches per game this season while he leads the team with nearly 35 yards after the catch per game. Taylor also sits second on the team in receptions and receiving yards per game. He’s also proven a force in the run game, becoming the second-fastest player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career rushing yards, while he’s tallied a career-high six touchdowns and registered 432 rushing yards on 89 snaps this season. He isn’t alone in the room as former Marcus Major (Oklahoma), Sieh Bangura (Ohio) and Jaren Mangham (Colorado, USF, Michigan State) round out the rotation, though the Gophers enter Saturday with the second-worst rushing offense (105.9).
LB Cody Lindenberg: the Gophers’ leading solo and total tackler was also named to the preseason ‘Freaks List’ by The Athletic as Bruce Feldman noted “the 6-3, 240-pounder topped out at 21.46 mph; his pro shuttle time was 4.00 — no line- backer has moved that quick at the NFL combine since 2019.” Lindenberg tied his single-game career high in the season opening loss vs. UNC with 11 tackles, while he registered an interception in the road win vs. UCLA. Lindenberg was also named to multiple preseason watch lists and teams, including the Bednarik and Butkus Award.
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