baltimoresun
Exactly one year has passed since Maryland squandered a 20-point lead against Washington in its Big Ten home opener, falling 24-20. That defeat ignited an eight-game losing streak to close the season. Following Saturday's 48-23 drubbing at Nebraska, the question looms: What has actually changed since then? The answer, quite frankly, is not much.
Back then, the struggles of a young 2025 squad led by a freshman quarterback seemed understandable. Growing pains are a natural part of development. Then Nebraska came to town the following week. Maryland held a fourth-quarter lead and still lost, 34-31. Afterward, coach Michael Locksley boldly declared, 'Nobody can watch what we did today and feel like it's the Same Old Maryland. I don't see that.' One wonders what exactly he saw.
Fast forward a year. Maryland traveled to Lincoln and lost to the Cornhuskers in even more lopsided fashion. The Terps have not won a Big Ten football game in 379 days. Since Locksley's comments, Maryland has posted a 2-9 record, with its only victories coming against non-Power Four opponents Hampton and UConn. So, can people feel like it's the same old Maryland now? It certainly seems so.
Key Analysis
Locksley emphasized at the start of the season that the Terps would work more and talk less. 'Our work needs to be louder than our words,' he said at fall media day. That made sense. Maryland returned plenty of talent, including sophomore quarterback Malik Washington. The idea was to let results speak. Locksley exuded confidence entering the season, even if he wouldn't define success. 'I'll let you guys add it up at the end and answer those types of questions,' he said on Sept. 1. Well, five games in, it's not the end, but it's a decent sample size. Let's add it up. The inspection shows: extremely unsuccessful. So unsuccessful that whether Locksley even finishes the season has become a prevailing question.
It really has been the Same Old Maryland. Not because every loss looks identical. Maryland was overwhelmed by UCLA in a 51-point blowout last Saturday. It spent all of the Virginia Tech game chasing from behind. Against Nebraska, it played well enough early to build a nine-point lead. The mistakes change. The result usually doesn't.
Maryland nearly had a punt blocked on its opening possession Saturday, escaping as Nebraska was called for roughing the kicker. The warning changed nothing. The next time Bryce McFerson punted, Nebraska blocked it and scored a touchdown a play later. A third-and-27 that should have ended another Nebraska possession became a first down after a late penalty. On the Cornhuskers' final touchdown drive of the first half, Maryland was flagged four times. There's also the pick-six while the Terps were threatening to take a double-digit lead, a 1-for-14 performance on third down and another fourth quarter that slipped away.
That's what becomes difficult to excuse in Year 8. These are no longer isolated mistakes. Maryland is 2-for-29 on third down over the past two games. It hasn't won a fourth quarter in Big Ten play since Oct. 26, 2024. Washington, the centerpiece of the offense and one of the biggest reasons for optimism entering the season, has thrown six interceptions in two weeks, three returned for touchdowns. The recurring blunders are the characteristics of Locksley's undisciplined program.
And then came the coach's postgame promises Saturday. 'We're going to keep getting up. We just got to keep doubling down on the work. I'm gonna continue to show up and do the necessary work until the results catch up.' Locksley's words feel empty. Effort still matters, and there's nothing wrong with preaching resilience. But the same promises keep arriving after the same kinds of losses. Locksley entered the season saying the Terps' work would speak for itself. So far, it has. Just not in the way he intended.
Ohio State is next. Rutgers follows, then a bye week. Maybe Maryland finds something before then, but it's not likely in Columbus. Patience is getting harder to justify. And so is believing another promise that things will eventually look different.
Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at [email protected], 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes.
Maryland football lost to Nebraska, 48-23, on Saturday. The Terps gave up 34 unanswered points. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics).
Originally reported by baltimoresun.