Michigan State and Maryland are set to face off in College Park on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the Big Ten Network, in the first Big Ten game in the new expanded conference for both schools.
Both schools are coming off Week One victories, as Michigan State squeaked by Florida Atlantic by a final score of 16-10 in a defensive struggle, and Maryland dominated Connecticut by a score of 50-7.
Michigan State leads the all-time series against the Terps with a record of 10-4, but Maryland has won the last two matchups versus the Spartans, including last year's 31-9 victory in East Lansing.
Let's get to know the Terrapins a little bit more
Head coach and playmakers on offense
Head Coach Mike Locksley leads the Terrapins in his sixth season with the program. Locksley has been around the college game for quite some time, most notably winning the Broyles Award in 2018 as the best assistant coach in the country as Alabama’s offensive coordinator.
Lockley has amassed a 30-33 record as Maryland's head coach, including his time serving as interim head coach for the program in 2015. He was also at the helm for New Mexico from 2009 until September of 2011. Lockley has an overall coaching record of 32-59
As for the players to watch on offense, Week One was a pleasant surprise for redshirt junior and first-year starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. Edwards, who is replacing the school’s all-time leading passer in Taulia Tagovailoa, totaled 350 yards and two touchdowns in the drubbing over Connecticut. Edwards is a threat with his legs as well.
The Terps had another breakout performance from redshirt freshman running back Nolan Ray, who is a Michigan native and went to Brother Rice High School. Ray had six carries for 60 yards, capped off by a 48-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter against Connecticut.
Locksley’s offensive system revolves around a physical zone running game, but in order for that style to thrive, the offensive line had to be addressed.
Coach Locksley dipped into the transfer portal and acquired three new starting offensive linemen, including center Josh Kaltenberger from Purdue, guard Aliou Bah from Georgia and tackle Alan Herron from Shorter University. The new look offensive line paved the way for 47 carries for 253 yards and 5.4 yards per carry.
Redshirt junior running back Roman Hemby led the charge in the ground game for the Terps, recording 14 carries for 66 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and a touchdown. Expect Hemby to be heavily involved versus the Spartans as well.
The Maryland receiving corps thrived off the run game versus the Huskies, which forced single coverage on the outside and produced explosive plays in the passing game for the Terps, including a 75-yard touchdown to No.1 wide receiver Tai Felton, who had seven catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Michigan State fans should also be aware of Kaden Prather, a former West Virginia transfer now in his second season with Maryland. Prather had six catches for 60 yards in the season opener.
Names to know on defense
Defensively, the Terps stifled Connecticut’s offense by only allowing seven points and generating three UConn turnovers.
The Terrapins are led by defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Brian Williams, who is entering his third season in College Park. Williams has been on the right side of two dominant defensive performances against the Spartans in 2022 and 2023 by allowing an average of 11 points in the two contests. Expect Williams to dial up pressures and test Michigan State’s offensive line, which was fairly strong in pass protection against FAU, but had some issues in the running game.
Williams is assisted by co-defensive coordinator/associate head coach for defense / cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, who is now in his second stint on Maryland's staff. He previously coached Maryland's defensive backs from 2016 through 2018 and returned to College Park in 2024.
As for the players who could make a difference for Maryland's defense, keep a close eye on linebackers Ruben Hyppolite II, Caleb Wheatland and Kellen Wyatt. In the defensive backfield, Dante Trader Jr. and Glen Miller are names to know. Up front on the defensive line, Quashon Fuller missed last week's game versus UConn, but returned to practice this week, while Tommy Akingbesote and Jordan Phillips look to make an impact from the interior.
Maryland will look to make a statement against the new look Spartans, as the Terps have been on the brink of elevating their program within the last few years, but tough close losses to Ohio State in 2022 and two one-score losses to Michigan in both 2022 and 2023, mixed in with some head-scratching defeats, have held Maryland back.
There’s certainly an influx of potential talent on this Maryland team in 2024, but the question is, will the Terps finally get over the hump? Time will tell, but Maryland is expected to be a tough challenge for Michigan State on the road.
