
Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkTerrapins
The Maryland Terrapins have star freshman, Malik Washington, as their quarterback with his sixth career start in this game. Coming off of his first loss after the Terps blew a 20-0 lead, the freshman has to lead his Terps over Nebraska today.
The Terps are 4-1 to start the season and 1-1 in the Big Ten conference — the same record as Nebraska. Something will give today.
Maryland has won 18 straight non-conference games, which is the longest active streak in the FBS. In all 18 games, the Terps have allowed less than 30 points. That is the longest such streak by any Big Ten team over the last 45 years.
In the Locksley era (2019-pres.), the Terps are 20-1 in non-conference games.Maryland’s average of 40.1 points per game in non-conference play ranks seventh in the nation, only trailing Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, LSU and Ohio State. The Terps have scored 30+ points in 17-of-21 non-conference games under Locksley.
Malik Washington is one of just four Power Conference true freshman quarterbacks to throw for at least 200 yards in each of his first five career games. He joins Philip Rivers (NC State in 2000), Sam Ehlinger (Texas in 2017) and Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Cal in 2025). Washington has thrown for the most yards by a Power Conference true freshman in his first five games since 2018. Only Alan Bowman (1,680 with Texas Tech in 2018) and JT Daniels (1,257 with USC in 2018) have thrown for more since 2018. Going back to 2015, Washington has the fourth-most passing yards by a true freshman in his first five games with Bowman, Daniels and Texas’ Sam Ehlinger (1,419 in 2017) throwing for more. Next on the list over the last decade is Jayden Daniels with 1,247 yards in his first five games wat Arizona State in 2019.
Since 2019, no true freshman quarterback in the Power Conferences has thrown more touchdown passes than Washington has in his first five games. The last Power Conference true freshman quarterback with more touchdown passes in his first five games was Sam Howell (11 with North Carolina in 2019). Since 2019, Dontay Moore (UCLA in 2023) and Dylan Raiola (Nebraska in 2024) have also thrown nine touchdowns through their first nine games, equal to Washington. Since 2020, no true freshman quarterback in the Power Conferences has completed more passes in his first five games than Washington with 110. The last quarterback to complete more passes in his first five games in the Power Conferences was Will Rogers with Mississippi State in 2020. This season, Washington is joined by Cal’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele with 110 completions this season.
Washington has 12 total touchdowns this season, equaling the most by a true freshman in FBS, tying with BYU’s Bear Bachmeier. Washington has nine passing touchdowns and three rushing scores while Bachmeier has seven throwing TDs and five rushing scores. Washing- ton’s nine passing touchdowns are the most by a true freshman in the country this year, tied with Cal’s Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
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— head coach Michael Locksley said
Malik’s a little older than his years in the way he handles things, and best part about it is he’s only going to get better.
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Maryland welcomed their new athletic director, Jim Smith, ahead of the 2025 football season, signaling a new era for Terrapin Athletics. Smith was named Maryland’s Director of Athletics on May 15, 2025, and officially began duties on July 15. He joined from the Atlanta Braves, where he served as Senior Vice President of Business Strategy. Smith brings over 30 years of experience in college and professional sports, including leadership roles at Ohio State, the Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta United.
Maryland also hired three new coordinators heading into the 2025 season that includes Offensive Coordinator Pep Hamilton, Defensive Coordinator Ted Monachino, and Special Teams Coordinator Andre Powell.
Maryland’s record: 4-1, 1-1 Big Ten
Nebraska’s record: 4-1, 1-1 Big Ten
All-time series: Maryland is behind 2-1
BetUS Sportsbook : Maryland are underdogs at +7.0, O/U 47.0
Kickoff: Saturday, October 11, 2025, 3:30 ET
Stadium: SECU Stadium • College Park, Maryland
TV:BTN Play-By-Play: Guy Haberman
Analyst: Jake Butt
Sideline: Brooke Fletcher
Streaming TV: BTN
Radio: Audacy Radio App / SiriusXM 137; 105.7 FM (Balt.) / 980 AM (D.C.) — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Steve Suter (analyst), LaMont Jordan (sideline)