Baylor Football Replaces Canceled Oregon Series With New Big Ten Foe

After losing the Ducks in both 2027, 2028, the Bears have found a new Power Four opponent.

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

If you wanted to see Baylor take on Oregon in both 2027 and 2028, you were disappointed by the news of the Ducks and Bears mutually canceling their series. Oregon reunited with Oregon State and with how clunky the scheduling is right now, this was the series that fell through the cracks.

But Baylor didn't take long to find a new Power Four opponent. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the Bears will now play a different Big Ten foe.

Baylor will play the Maryland Terrapins in both 2027 and 2028. The plan will be for the Bears to travel to College Park in 2027 to face the Terps, and then in 2028, Maryland will return the favor and come to Waco to face Baylor.

Maryland host Baylor in College Park in 2027 and play at Baylor in 2028.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) May 29, 2026

Baylor has faced Maryland two times before. Both times came back in the 1950s. The series is split 1-1, both teams winning on the opponent's field. In 1955, Maryland won in Waco, and in '56, Baylor won in College Park.

Maryland has been a mid-level Big Ten program

Since moving from the ACC to play in the Big Ten, it hasn't worked out well for the Terrapins on the football field. Maryland is competing with the big boys of college football such as Michigan, Ohio State, and now the likes of Oregon, USC, and Indiana.

Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

In the last two seasons, under former Alabama OC Mike Locksley, the Terrapins have gone 4-8 in back-to-back seasons. However, Maryland went 8-5 in the two prior seasons to that. The Terps have had a good enough offense, but the defense has struggled to stop the opposition — sound familiar?

Locksley is squarely on the hot seat, and if Maryland doesn't see an improvement in 2026 under his guidance, it's possible Baylor sees a new head coach on the sideline when it travels to College Park next season.

The one thing going in Maryland's favor is its recently landed five-star edge rusher Zion Elee, and it has former four-star Malik Washington who had a good true freshman season in 2025.

Baylor's future schedule

With the news of Maryland playing Baylor in the next two seasons, it appears the 2027 non-conference schedule is set — barring any buyouts. In 2027, Baylor will take on UIW at home, and then play both Air Force and Maryland on the road.

Then in 2028, the Bears will get both North Texas and the Terrapins in Waco.