The path for Maryland football and coach Mike Locksley is set.
The Big Ten announced the Terps’ 2025 nine-game conference schedule Wednesday, starting with a road clash against Wisconsin and ending with a road game against Michigan State.
Maryland will meet the Badgers on Sept. 20 and then have a bye week before hosting back-to-back home games against Washington on Oct. 4 and Nebraska on Oct. 11. The game against the 2023 national runner-up Huskies will be the first regular-season meeting between the schools and just the second all-time following the 1982 Aloha Bowl.
The Terps will then head west Oct. 18 to take on UCLA in Pasadena, California, in the first meeting between the programs since 1955 and Maryland’s first game at the historic Rose Bowl.
After a second bye week, the Terps return to SECU Stadium to host Indiana on Nov. 1 before playing consecutive road games at Rutgers on Nov. 8 and at Illinois on Nov. 15.
Maryland will wrap up its regular-season home slate with a game against Michigan on Nov. 22 before playing at Michigan State on Nov. 29.
While Maryland hosts 2023 national champion Michigan and surprise College Football Playoff entrant Indiana, the Terps notably won’t play national powers Penn State and Ohio State for the first time since joining the conference in 2014. They also avoid Oregon, which enters the playoff as the nation’s top-ranked team after being the only FBS team to finish undefeated following a Big Ten championship game victory over the Nittany Lions.
Since entering the Big Ten, Maryland is a combined 3-26 against Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan. The Terps lost, 39-18, in their first meeting against the Ducks this past season.
“It’s about taking that next step,” Big Ten Network analyst and former Illinois fullback Howard Griffith said of the Terps’ schedule. “This is an opportunity once again, starting off with the Badgers, Washington, Nebraska, UCLA and Indiana, those are some games they can have a chance to be right in there because of the way they’ve been recruiting. But it comes down to execution with this Maryland team. They’ve got to make some things happen early in the season.”
The Terps’ nonconference schedule includes the season opener against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30, as well home games against Northern Illinois (Sept. 6) and in-state foe Towson (Sept. 13) of the Football Championship Subdivision.
Kickoff times and television networks will be announced at a later date. Some Saturday games might be adjusted to select Fridays and other special dates, including Labor Day Sunday and Black Friday.
Maryland is coming off a 4-8 season that included a 1-8 record in Big Ten play, its worst finish since Locksley’s debut campaign in 2019. The Terps started 3-1 but lost seven of their last eight games, with the only victory coming over visiting Southern California on Oct. 19. As a result, the team missed the chance to extend a program record after winning a bowl game in three consecutive seasons.
However, there is growing optimism for 2025 and beyond in College Park thanks to the addition of a 20-player recruiting class headlined by Spalding four-star quarterback Malik Washington. Last week, Maryland also landed a commitment from five-star St. Frances defensive end Zion Elee, who is ranked the No. 2 overall player in the 2026 class.
The new season also comes with a new season ticket model and wider lower-level seats at SECU Stadium. In July, the school announced that more than 17,000 lower bowl seats will be widened by 20% in the fall of 2025 while stating that “other initiatives to enhance game day atmosphere, comfort, and enjoyment are set to come online in the near future as well.”
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon.
2025 Maryland football schedule
Saturday, Aug. 30: vs. Florida Atlantic
Saturday, Sept. 6: vs. Northern Illinois
Saturday, Sept. 13: vs. Towson
Saturday, Sept 20: at Wisconsin
Saturday, Sept. 27: BYE
Saturday, Oct. 4: vs. Washington
Saturday, Oct. 11: vs. Nebraska
Saturday, Oct. 18: at UCLA
Saturday, Oct. 25: BYE
Saturday, Nov. 1: vs. Indiana
Saturday, Nov. 8: at Rutgers
Saturday, Nov. 15: at Illinois
Saturday, Nov. 22: vs. Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 29: at Michigan State