Who is ready to score some points?!? That is what Maryland is banking on in 2022 to get them to a, wait for it, second straight bowl game! Yes, the Terp rebuild hit a huge marker last year with six victories to get to a bowl and then dominated Virginia Tech in a game in which UM had everything to play for and VT had zero to play for to notch a seventh win. It wasn’t a flawless campaign for sure. After a 4-0 start, Maryland was embarrassed at home by Iowa, 51-14. Back to back road trips to Ohio State (66-17) and Minnesota (34-16) demonstrate there is still a long way to go for UM. After slipping to 4-3, a narrow victory over Indiana got the Terps to five victories. Three more losses – none of them close (Penn State, at Michigan St, Michigan) – was capped off by dominating Rutgers in the finale and those Hokies in the bowl.
So why did I run through all of 2021? To highlight the simple fact that Maryland’s offense was good in wins and dreadful in losses. Their defense was consistently…present. For Maryland’s ideal season to come together the O needs to be more reliable and the D needs to improve. They will probably win a fair share of shootouts but only if the offense brings it and if they don’t, well, there’s a reason Maryland has some buzz but is not expected to win the east.
Let’s start with the unit generating all the buzz, the offense. Taulia Tagovailoa is the reason Maryland fans have some optimism after a record setting season. He rewrote the yards, completions, completion percentage, and touchdown marks for the program. Obviously he needs to play better against the best defenses in the league. His Iowa game for instance is a nightmare he wants to flush from his system. Helping out the standout QB are four starters back on the OL and a wide receiver room that is packed with talent. If UM has a weak point on this side of the ball it is a running back group that is a little untested. The talent is there for them to become a killer unit against the cream of the Big Ten crop they just need to put it all together.
The biggest boost for Maryland’s defense is some continuity…finally…at the DC position. Brian Williams is back for a second year which is critical after a lot of turnover at this post. The secondary is the strength of this side thanks to Deonte Banks and some other key starters. The issue is the front seven. Three key 2021 recruits all hit the portal leaving Maryland thinner than they were expecting there. If the folks there can stay healthy, I think Maryland can make it work, but injury issues along the line or LB group will spell disaster for the Terps.
For the specialists, Maryland has one of the key transfers coming in, Eastern Michigan kicker Chad Ryland. Ryland connected on 19 of 22 field goals a season ago and is riding a streak of 17 straight. Expect punting by committee again as Colton Spangler has the leg for flipping the field and Anthony Pecorella has the accuracy for pinning you deep.
2022 Schedule:
Buffalo:
- Best Case: Lance Leipold ain’t on that sideline for the Bulls anymore. 1-0
- Worst Case: I expect UB to be a little better this year after a disappointing 4-8 debut season in 2021 for Maurice Linguist but Maryland should still win this game. 1-0
- Prediction: UB’s defense was pretty good at keeping Buffalo in some games, but Maryland pulls away in the third. UM, 42-14, 1-0 (0-0)
At Charlotte:
- BC: Charlotte is still rebuilding as they come off a seven loss season. 2-0
- WC: Duke did lose to them last year…but then again Illinois beat them…2-0
- P: The 49ers were 5-4 before a three game losing skid kept them from bowling. They’ll be a factor in their league but too much firepower by Maryland. UM, 42-17, 2-0 (0-0)
SMU:
- BC: New coach, new system, Maryland feasts. 3-0
- WC: The Ponies won 8 games a season ago but their coach is gone and their roster is essentially brand new. 3-0
- P: SMU has one of the best uniforms in the nation. At least they’ll look good on TV in this one. UM, 38-17, 3-0 (0-0)
At Michigan:
- BC: MARYLAND IS FOR REAL!!! 4-0
- WC: Unfortunately the offense isn’t taking on UB, Charlotte, or SMU in this one. 3-1
- P: Terps scrap and fight and show a lot of heart but they don’t quite have enough chops on defense to steal this one. Michigan, 31-21, 3-1 (0-1)
Michigan State:
- BC: Ladies and gentlemen, your top 10 Maryland Terrapins. 5-0
- WC: MSU won this one 40-21 last year. If MSU ends up being as good as last year, they have the talent to blow the Terps out again. 3-2
- P: Honestly, MSU is one of the tougher teams for me because their 11-2 record came out of nowhere. Are they back? Lucky? Good? A mix? I do think that Mel Tucker is a pretty proven coach by this point so I’ll ride that bus here in August. MSU, 35-28, 3-2 (0-2)
Purdue:
- BC: These teams are the identical spiderman meme! 6-0
- WC: Not enough D and another shootout loss. 3-3
- P: Expect a lot of points. Other than that, I’ll trust the home team a tad more in the offseason. UM, 42-38, 4-2 (1-2)
At Indiana:
- BC: Simply put, Maryland is better on paper. 7-0
- WC: Not for nothing, Mike Locksley’s career record is abysmal. 3-4
- P: I expect the Hoosiers to be better, but not good enough yet to take down Maryland. Huge road win. UM, 31-28, 5-2 (2-2)
Northwestern:
- BC: This is the crossover game everyone wants this year. 8-0
- WC: Hate being a broken record, but what if Locksley just isn’t the main for the job? 3-5
- P: I have NU going winless in the Big Ten this year. This is a Big Ten game. Hmmm. UM, 42-38, 6-2 (3-2)
At Wisconsin:
- BC: Extra! Extra! Graham Mertz isn’t a good quarterback! 9-0
- WC: Wisconsin rushes for 387 yards as a team. 3-6
- P: The strength of the Badgers is going against the biggest weak point for Maryland. That’s a little unsettling to think about right now. UW, 35-21, 6-3 (3-3)
At Penn State:
- BC: Folks, the Lions have been a .500 club the last two years. What if they just aren’t that scary anymore? 10-0
- WC: On the other hand, Franklin’s recruiting classes are always scary. So is playing in Happy Valley. 3-7
- P: While I do think Maryland’s offense is, well, scary (okay last one) and could certainly win this game, Penn State’s on paper talent is a pinch a head and playing in that deafening stadium is still a huge perk. PSU, 31-28, 6-4 (3-4)
Ohio State:
- BC: In a battle of top five clubs, Maryland comes up just short in an overtime epic. 10-1
- WC: Down by 50 at half, Locksley’s mercilessly booed by the few fans that stayed. 3-8
- P: One of the best offenses in the nation going against a rather unknown and untested defense. Gee, I wonder who I am picking? OSU, 49-17, 6-5 (3-5)
Rutgers:
- BC: Well it ain’t a division title but holy cow, ELEVEN wins. Talk about a breakthrough season. 11-1
- WC: Maryland’s disgustingly disappointing season ends with a total overhaul of the coaching staff as everyone is sent packing. 3-9
- P: I like where UM’s rebuild is a little bit better right now than RU’s. UM, 35-28, 7-5 (4-5)
Wrap Up:
I know some Maryland diehards will be a little miffed at 7-5 and a losing record in conference but look at the big picture. A winning season. A second straight bowl. A clear identity on offense. An improving defense. To take the leap from 6-6 and suddenly be a contender is rare. That’s why predicting MSU is such a pain right now. Small, incremental steps are usually how these programs are built. The truth is with UM’s unknowns on defense, they could pull a massive upset against a Michigan or a Ohio State just as easily as they could stumble to an Indiana or a Rutgers, so a .500-ish record with a lot of toss-ups feels right. The off ramp from “rebuilding highway” is close, it just might not be this season.
Big Ten and Counting 