Maryland (3-1, 0-1) at Indiana (4-0, 1-0)
When & Where: Sept. 28 • Noon • Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN
TV: BTN • Jeff Levering • Jake Butt • Brooke Fletcher
Radio: 105.7 FM (Balt.) • 980 AM (DC) • Sirius XM 372
Betting: Maryland +7 • O/U: 52 (DraftKings)
Maryland football makes its long-awaited return to Big Ten play as they look to win their fifth consecutive game away from College Park in hopes of picking up their fourth consecutive win vs. Indiana. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, have been arguably the biggest surprise in the conference so far as Curt Cignetti became the first Indiana head coach to open his tenure 4-0. Indiana has remained a one touchdown favorite through the week, but what does Maryland need to look out for to pull out the win in Bloomington? We take a look at three keys to a win.
Limiting the big plays through the air
Kurtis Rourke and Terps quarterback Billy Edwards have had very similar seasons to open 2024 and enter week five among the most efficient in the country.
The only difference is that Edwards has thrown two interceptions – both tipped passes – while Rourke has yet to turn the ball over. The Ohio transfer is second in the conference in QB rating, trailing only Penn State’s Drew Allar. Rourke has done everything right, not putting the ball in danger and giving his receivers a chance for big plays. Maryland will have to find a way to make him uncomfortable throughout the game. It won’t come easy, though, as Indiana quarterbacks have only been sacked three times all season.
“When I said it's a combination of those, like, he's a little bit of the Colandrea kid at Virginia that thing, that moxie I talked about Villanova's quarterback a week ago,” Head Coach Mike Locksley said of the quarterback. “Then even the Michigan State big arm, Aiden kid from Michigan [State]. He's kind of a mixture, and that's why the way our season is set up and the past three games have prepared us for this first road trip in the Big Ten. I'm looking forward to see how we respond as I continue to evaluate us as a program, as the season goes along, and this team has continued to impress me. Our team.”
On the outside, Indiana has as many targets to get the ball to as they do running backs with a deep room at Mike Shanahan’s disposal. Three of their top four targets have come via the transfer portal, a common theme for the Hoosiers this offseason. James Madison transfer and all-Sun Belt WR Elijah Sarratt, who played at St. Frances (MD), leads the team in receptions and yards to give Indiana its big-bodied threat. He’s also been consistent about his production with at least one catch in 29 consecutive games heading into Saturday. Weeks after giving up the big plays, Maryland corner Jalen Huskey should have a chance at redemption as the Terps look to take away the deep ball.
Omar Cooper is the only top target who wasn’t a transfer as he and Sarratt eclipsed 100-plus receiving yards in week two. Texas Tech transfer Myles Price may be small, but he’s a shifty weapon that adds versatility to the room. Safeties Glendon Miller and Dante Trader could be covering him throughout the game, along with experienced and productive tight end Zach Horton who Locksley said is “the guy that makes them go.”
“And if you look at them on a stat sheet, you'd be like maybe doesn't have a bunch of stats, but he is the glue for them on offense, and this guy is really talented in the run game, and that's where sometimes, we get enamored with catches and production there. But as a coach, when you look at things as I think of them on offense, it's that tight end is the heart and soul of it, and he's effective in the run game and he plays – we call it style of play. His style of play is what you like when you respect the opponent, I respect the way he plays.”
Surprisingly, none of them lead the Hoosiers in touchdown catches as that belongs to Wake Forest transfer Ke’Shawn Williams – proof that the Hoosiers have multiple weapons they can turn to.
Maryland enters week five ranked 103rd nationally and last in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed per game (247) and as Locksley noted in the past, teams will continue to hit the weaknesses that show up on film. For Maryland, the big plays through the air have been the biggest weakness with a young cornerback room gaining experience through the season and after Sarratt, Price and Cooper proved capable of doing so, the Terps’ secondary will have a chance to take a big step forward on Saturday.
While both have been exceptional at taking care of the football, the quarterback who does the best job of doing so on Saturday is likely the one to come out victorious. Maryland and Indiana sit tied for third nationally in turnover margin, and as the Hoosiers have yet to commit a turnover in 2024, the turnover battle looms largest as the Terps look for the road win.
Front Seven vs. Indiana’s running backs
There may not be a school that has used more running backs than Indiana and for good reason. The Hoosiers are fifth in the Big Ten in rushing and first in the nation with 18 touchdowns on the ground. Over the first four games, they’ve used several running backs, with three having at least 4 touchdowns. The top two in this unit are seniors Justice Ellison and Ty’son Lawton. Ellison, a Wake Forest transfer, leads the team in yards and averages 7.6 yards a carry. Lawton, who followed his head coach from James Madison, leads Indiana in touchdowns with 5 and is a tough one to bring down on first contact. Another James Madison transfer, Kaelon Black, has made the most of his limited touches, as has former North Carolina Tar Heel Elijah Green. Even freshman Khobie Martin has gotten action in games. Though the offensive line features just four upperclassmen, sixth-year senior Mike Katic leads the way with all three starters are in at least their third season as the Hoosiers have allowed just three sacks through four weeks.
However, Indiana has not faced a front seven like Maryland’s yet this season which will be a big test for them. And after allowing occasional chunk plays on the ground through the first three weeks, the Terps turned the tide against FCS opponent Villanova in week four as the front three look to maintain momentum into conference play. Veteran Tommy Akingbesote will be a challenge for young guards Bray Lynch and Drew Evans as neither started a game until this year. Even with potential help from Katic, that could leave a one-on-one situation with Taizse Johnson and Jordan Phillips. Maryland’s depth will need to loom large to take away the run against an offense that has shown the ability to be balanced.
WR Tai Felton vs. CB D’Angelo Ponds
Tai Felton has been the top receiver in the Big Ten by a wide margin in the first third of the season. He leads the conference in receiving yards, with the closest over 100 yards behind him. Felton has had over 100 receiving yards in every game and set the record for the most catches in a game with 14 against Villanova. His early season dominance prompted fans to start a “Taisman” campaign and is an early favorite to be a Biletnikoff finalist. This means Indiana corner D’Angelo Ponds will have to be at his best to have a chance at slowing him down. Indiana’s secondary has only allowed one receiver to go over 50 yards through four games. However the Hoosiers and, more specifically, Ponds have not faced off against a player as game-breaking as Felton, especially in the second half.
Suppose Indiana can stop a red-hot Felton – that leaves them open for someone else to step up at receiver. It’s an inevitable question for Maryland’s offense, and with Felton preparing to draw the Big Ten’s best week in and week out, that opens the door for Maryland’s other skill players as Locksley alluded to this week.
“And that's the chess match where we've got to continue to find a way to keep Tai involved, keep Kaden [Prather] involved. But I think some of these complementary players that maybe haven't had as big a roles, the Dylan Wade’s, the Octavian Smith’s, the Colby McDonald's, these are the types of games,” Locksley added. “Because you think two years ago when we went there, a guy named Billy Edwards, who's our starting quarterback now, came in and brought us from behind to win.”
With the deep ball a work-in-progress through the first month, WR Kaden Prather is always a threat to get open when covered one-on-one while tight ends Dylan Wade and Preston Howard could go off for big gains over the middle if left unchecked. Besides them, Maryland would like to see others take advantage of Tai having all the attention. Octavian Smith has the burst to generate big plays while Shaleak Knotts, who made a jaw-dropping one-handed catch during the open portion of Tuesday’s practice, looks to find his footing in the receiver room.
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