Where Maryland Football Stands After Week 1
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While the Maryland Terrapins handily took care of business in their season opener against FCS Hampton, several other Big Ten programs had much less impressive performances.
Here's how those outcomes affect the Terps early in their quest for a bowl berth:
A Scarlet Knightmare
There was no greater upset in the country during the opening weekend than UMass's surprise takedown of Rutgers.
The Minutemen - who entered the new year on a 16-game losing streak - not only defeated the Scarlet Knights, they did so handily, taking a commanding 24-7 lead at halftime and running all over the home squad to the tune of 200 total ground yards.
While a Week 1 disappointment can be overcome, it's rare for a team to play as flat as Greg Schiano's squad did and recover quickly. Without some serious change in the coming weeks (possibly of the coach variety), Maryland suddenly looks like the clear favorite in their October 17 matchup.
MACtion is Coming
Only one other Big Ten program lost this past weekend, with Wisconsin falling to Notre Dame at Lambeau Field. But two of the conference's biggest names also had close calls with MAC programs in their opening contests.
First, Nebraska had a tough time putting away Ohio, with it being a one-score contest early in the fourth quarter. It was only at that point that the Husker defense finally bunkered down, forcing a three-and-out and a turnover on consecutive possessions to ice the game.
Still, heading up to Lincoln doesn't look quite as daunting as a week ago, and the chances of a Maryland upset are looking more reasonable on October 3.
The other case is one that many will argue should be a loss for the home squad. Michigan officially defeated Western Michigan 13-12 on a last second hail mary throw - a play that only happened because officials put one second back on the clock after the apparent final play.
Many people including the broadcast crew themselves were stunned by the call, and it's escalated to the point where the MAC is formally protesting the result of the game.
Official Statement Regarding Western Michigan - Michigan Football Game
— MACtion (@MACSports) September 8, 2026
🗒️: https://t.co/eYw49T9ABR pic.twitter.com/LKXQ0qm5s9
While this one doesn't directly affect Maryland - Michigan doesn't play them, nor do they face a Terps opponent a week prior - it does wildly shake up the Big Ten power structure. The Wolverines were kicked out of the AP Top 25 following the near debacle, and it leaves room for others to take advantage.
The Real Deals?
While there's no reason to dispute Ohio State’s No. 1 ranking - at least until after their upcoming matchup with Texas - two others had results on the opposite side of the spectrum from one another.
Penn State under new head coach Matt Campbell shut out Marshall 45-0, which on a casual glance may not seem significant. But in the last two years of the James Franklin era, the Nittany Lions nearly lost a buy game to Bowling Green and came out very sluggish against FIU.
Penn State travels to College Park for the regular season finale, and this early impression shows the Terps should not be counting on waiting until then to secure a sixth win.
Oregon meanwhile fell behind Boise State before rallying for a 34-27 win in Eugene. This may speak more to Boise State's status as a G6 playoff contender, but it also shows a potential crack in the current No. 6 team.
Other Notes:
- UConn also routed their FCS opponent of 2026, defeating Lafayette by a final score of 56-7. The Terps travel to East Hartford this Saturday, with a 3:30 kickoff on CBSSN.
- Virginia Tech likewise started off with a 73-3 thrashing of VMI in their season opener. They face Old Dominion Saturday at noon before heading to College Park for a primetime clash against the Terps in Week 3.
Maryland On SI will be looking at the state of the Big Ten and college football as a whole at the end of each week this season. Check back throughout the campaign for how the Terps fit into the sport's larger landscape.
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Mike joined Maryland On SI with over four years of sportswriting experience. He started off his career in Syracuse on the Orange football beat, where he was featured on CBS Sports' Cover 3 Podcast and local ESPN sports talk radio. After that, he had a brief stint reporting on Major League Baseball before returning to college sports.
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