Maryland Football predicted to finish near bottom of Big Ten Conference in preseason media poll
According to the majority of the media, the Maryland Terrapins football program is not predicted to improve much this season after finishing 4-8 overall last season and 1-8 in the Big Ten conference. On3 Sports shared the Big Ten media poll today with the public. It has your typical top Big Ten teams occupying the top slots, such as Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon.
NEW: Big Ten Preseason Media Poll via @clevelanddotcom
— On3 (@On3sports) July 21, 2025
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Maryland's best Big Ten finish since joining in 2014 was in the 2016 season, when they finished third with a record of 11-3 overall and 6-3 in conference play. However, the Terps had back-to-back seasons where they finished fourth in the conference (2022 & 2023), seasons in which they won in their bowl game matchups. Entering 2025, Maryland will look to turn the page after a rough 2024 season.
Head coach Mike Locksley hired Prep Hamilton as the offensive coordinator and Ted Monachino as the defensive coordinator in the offseason. Both coordinators have one thing in common that will help this younger, new-look Maryland roster: NFL experience. They both combine for over 31 years of coaching in the NFL and 58 years of coaching football. The coordinators will be a key contributor to the roster change that saw the Terps welcome in 17 new transfers and will have players step into bigger roles than previously.
Only four starters will be returning: three on offense, Octavian Smith Jr. (WR), Aliou Bah (RG), and Alan Herron (RT), and the lone defensive player, Jalen Huskey (S). A key new addition that should provide some excitement for Terps fans is four-star true freshman hometown quarterback Malik Washington. Washington had a nice showing back in April in the spring game, displaying accuracy with his throws and patience to make reads and get the ball where it needed to be. Whether he starts out of the gate or Locksley turns to Justyn Martin (UCLA), his development should be a focus that they look to for the future. Also, Dorian Fleming, the tight-end transfer from Georgia State, will be an excellent weapon to target, hauling in 49 receptions, 566 yards, and six touchdowns last year.
With questions about overall skill talent, the offensive and defensive line improving after last year's struggles, or just the lack of overall experience within the depth of positions, Maryland seems to have a lot more questions than answers. However, the recruiting class for these years to come shows they are trying to build up the program and develop and mold guys into players who can perform. It's important that Maryland gets off to a good start with its nonconference start of the season through the first three games, before facing up against the middle of the pack and upper-class Big Ten foes. UCLA and Rutgers will be the better matchups as far as the Big Ten goes, maybe sneaking a win or two against Wisconsin and Michigan State in the final week.
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Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM. In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps. He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.