The University of Maryland’s hot start to the 2023 football campaign and the subsequent bucket of cold water that’s been tossed onto the Terrapins’ season in the last month was probably predictable.
With the Terps having the likes of Towson and Charlotte on their schedule in September, along with struggling Virginia, Michigan State and Indiana, Maryland sprinted to a gaudy, if deceptive, 5-0 start. That no doubt got Terps fans, especially those who dabble in Maryland sports betting, excited.
Then, reality stepped in, in the form of Big 10 opponents Ohio State and Penn State. And just as quickly as the Terps had zoomed to a 5-0 start, they found themselves at 5-4. As result, they’re looking at what could be viewed as a mediocre 2023 campaign if they don’t get a win or two in November.
Head coach Mike Locksley leads Maryland in its final three regular-season games: at Nebraska (currently 5-4 overall) on Saturday; then at home against Michigan (9-0), and, finally, away at Rutgers (6-3).
Locksley has had Maryland heading up each season. Here is a look at his year-by-year results.
Mike Locksley’s Record at Maryland
Assessing Remainder of Schedule
For Saturday, Maryland is a 2.5-point and -135 moneyline favorite against Nebraska on BetMGM Maryland.
Meanwhile, ESPNBet has the Terps favored by two.
Keep an eye out for the ESPN Bet Maryland promo code.
Regardless of what happens against the Cornhuskers, the Terps will be huge underdogs against currently No. 2-ranked Michigan. In the finale, Maryland and Rutgers appear to be evenly matched.
A look into the crystal ball suggests that Maryland loses to Michigan and finishes, at best, 7-5; at worst, 5-7, with 6-6 a realistic final record. Of course, running the table to go 8-4 would be over-the-moon, but there’s no point in being delusional.
The previous two years, Maryland had winning campaigns and capped its seasons with bowl victories. Last season, the Terps finished 8-5 and won the Duke’s Mayo Bowl over North Carolina State. In 2021, Maryland finished 7-6 with a triumph in the Pinstripe Bowl over Virginia Tech.
For this season, beating Nebraska and Rutgers, or at least one of them, helps to legitimize the early season run to 5-0. Losing to both of those beatable opponents would cast the entire season in a poor light.
Should Maryland finish at 6-6, it would be “bowl eligible.” With 43 bowls needing 86 teams, starting with the Bahamas Bowl on Dec. 16, there would certainly be a landing spot for the Terps. In fact, even some 5-7 teams wind up getting bowl invitations.
However, for Maryland football to feel like it continues to make progress, a 6-6 season, at minimum, is what it needs. And for what you need regarding Maryland sports betting promos, keep it here at BetMaryland.com.
