UConn football is off and running after a 56-7 victory over Lafayette last Saturday. UConn rushed for 301 yards and had a program record for total yards in a game with 671. However, the Huskies take a massive step up in competition this weekend as the Maryland Terrapins of the Big 10 travel to East Hartford.
The last time these teams faced off was in 2024, when Maryland routed UConn 50-7 to open the season. The Terrapins are 2-1 all-time against the Huskies. This will be the Terps’ first time playing at Rentschler Field since 2013.
Maryland won its first four games in 2025 before losing its last eight to end a disappointing season.
Both squads are coming off blowout wins to start their 2026 campaigns. The Terrapins defeated Hampton 62-0 in Week 1 behind 365 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
DeJuan Williams scored twice on three carries, including a 94-yard house call. The sophomore rushed for over 500 yards last season. Iverson Howard also scored twice and received the bulk of the carries.
“They have some pretty good backs, their quarterback is able to use his legs so that’s a key factor,” UConn defensive lineman Anas Luqman said. “They’ve got some seniors up front.”
Malik Washington returns as the quarterback for the Terps after starting last season. He threw for 186 yards and had a touchdown against Hampton.
As a true freshman last year, Washington threw for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the final game against Michigan State last season, Washington threw 61 pass attempts for 459 yards and three touchdowns.
Maryland’s leading receiver last week was Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding. The Old Dominion transfer hauled in six catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. He had 667 receiving yards last season.
The Terrapins defense had three interceptions and five sacks last week against Hampton. Eyan Thomas and DD Holmes had two sacks a piece while Messiah Delhomme had two interceptions. Maryland held Hampton to only 85 total yards of offense.
Head coach Jason Candle is 1-7 all-time against power conference opponents. He beat Mississippi State in 2024 but lost to Big 10 foes Ohio State and Illinois during his tenure with Toledo.
“We haven’t been through any adversity yet,” Candle said. “What’s going to happen and who are we when we get hit in the mouth?”
Kalieb Osborne is expected to start after a phenomenal Week 1 performance. The junior threw for 265 yards, two touchdowns and one interception last week along with 90 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
“When you think about them on offense, it starts and ends with the quarterback,” Maryland head coach Mike Locksley said. “He’s a dual threat guy, does a great job of operating their RPO system.”
Osborne will look at Javon Brown as one of his top targets once again. Brown caught the first UConn touchdown of the season last week, and his final stat line was six catches for 92 yards.
“It takes what it takes to be a great player and to see the results that he (Brown) put out there on Saturday is probably a reflection of what you’ve done in the dark,” Candle said.
The Maryland rushing attack will test a UConn team which only allowed 64 yards on the ground last week. Look for John Lista, K’ Von Sherman and Luke Murphy to be run stuffers. The three defenders combined for four tackles for loss last week.
“The best player on defense is 0 (Sherman) in our opinion,” Locksley said. “He made a lot of good plays a week ago.”
Another player to look for is Esean Carter. The defensive tackle dealt with eligibility issues before being granted eligibility to play for UConn. He was away from the team until last Friday and is expected to play in some fashion against Maryland.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Rentschler Field on Saturday. Fans can tune into CBSSN or can listen to the Huskies play on FOX Sports 97.9 FM.