The Maryland Terrapins had a great second half last week to beat Virginia on the road in a throwback game to their decades in the ACC. Now it is back in SECU Stadium with a non-conference game against Villanova. With Billy Edwards Jr. at QB1 for the Terps, he will try to create some more magic with his favorite target, Tai Felton, as the pair tries to get the Terps to 3-1 today.
Redshirt junior QB Billy Edwards Jr. is 5-1 as a starter at Maryland across three seasons, with wins over Northwestern, NC State, Auburn, UConn and Virginia. Edwards Jr., who graded out as a top-five Power Four QB in Week One per PFF has the ninth highest-graded quarterback rating in the nation, per PFF. With a 90.4 overall grade to his name, he is also the second-ranked among Big Ten QBs, only trailing USC’s Miller Moss. He has accounted for 20 total touchdowns (10 rushing and 10 passing) in 18 games as a Terp. Edwards Jr. is one of two FBS quarterbacks this season with a completion percentage of at least 70.0% on at least 100
passes while also not having multiple interceptions thrown. The other is Georgia Tech’s Haynes King.
Senior WR Tai Felton is the first player in Maryland program history to have 100+ receiving yards in each of his team’s first three games of a season. Additionally, he is one of just eight Big Ten players since 1996 to accomplish this feat and one of three FBS players to do so this season (Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Ole Miss’ Tre Harris). Felton sits inside the top-five nationally in several major statistical categories, ranking third in receiving yards (447), fourth in receptions (27) and tied for third in receiving touchdowns (four). All of those numbers rank first in the Big Ten. Felton scored his fourth touchdown of the season on a 19-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter against Virginia. With four touchdown receptions in three games, he has the most for a Terp in that span since D.J. Moore also had four in 2017. Felton’s name is getting known nationally.
Maryland’s six interceptions have come from Glendon Miller (two), Jalen Huskey (two), Dante Trader Jr. and Ruben Hyppolite II. That total ranks tied for third among FBS teams and tied for first in the Big Ten (Illinois). The six interceptions through three games are the most by a Maryland team since 2013.
Maryland returned five starters on the offensive side of the ball in 2024, including All-Big Ten selections in running back Roman Hemby and wide receivers Tai Felton and Kaden Prather. OL Kyle Long and TE Preston Howard also return. Howard caught his first career touchdown pass in Maryland’s win over Auburn in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.
Last week, Maryland’s defense held UConn to just 88 rushing yards and forced either a punt or turnover on 11 of 15 UConn drives. Seven starters returned for Maryland’s defense, including Third-Team All-Big Ten selection Ruben Hyppolite II and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection Quashon Fuller. Other returners include defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Tommy Akingbesote, linebacker Kellan Wyatt and defensive backs Dante Trader Jr. and Glendon Miller.
“We took it one play at a time. That was a tough and gritty win for us. … We built awareness of ourselves as a team.”
— head coach Michael Locksley said in his Tuesday presser
With the Terps’ win last week against Virginia in their non-conference game, it was the 14th-straight non-conference season opening win. Also that win extended the Terps’ non-conference win streak to 14. Coach Locksley so far is 15-1 in non-conference games.
Maryland has won eight games in back-to-back seasons, and that is a testament to the team’s consistency and improvement, especially given the historical context since their last such achievement was in 2002-03.
Maryland’s record: 2-1, 0-1 Big Ten
Virginia’s record: 3-0, 1-0 CAA
All-time series: Maryland leads 9-2 with 9 straight for Maryland. First head-to-head game was 1970
BetUS Sportsbook : Maryland are big favorites at -18.5, O/U 46.5
Kickoff: Saturday, Sept 21, Noon PM EDT
Stadium: SECU Stadium
TV: BTN Network, with Play-By-Play: Mark Followill, Analyst: Anthony Herron, Sideline: Dannie Rogers
Streaming TV: BTN
Radio: Audacy Radio App / SiriusXM 136; 105.7 FM (Balt.) / 980 AM (D.C.) — Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Steve Suter (analyst), LaMont Jordan (sideline)
