Three times this season, Maryland’s student section has cleared out by the third quarter of blowouts against overmatched opponents. Heading into the Terps’ first road game at Wisconsin, the question was how they would handle a hostile environment.
Instead, the second-half environment felt familiar — only this time it was Wisconsin’s fans chanting “Fire Luke Fickell” and filing out early with the game already decided.
In one of its most impressive showings of the Michael Locksley era, Maryland dominated the Badgers, 27-10, for its first Big Ten win of the season.
Here’s three takeaways from the Terps’ impressive victory.
Freshman edge rushers making an impact
“A dog doesn’t know your name when it’s chasing you.”
It’s hard to find a more confident player on Maryland’s roster than edge rusher Sidney Stewart. He nicknamed himself “the bull,” referred to Wisconsin quarterback Danny O’Neil as “nameless and faceless” and said before training camp that “whether you’re 25 or 18, you’re going to get this work.”
But when you’re setting freshman records, that confidence is easy to justify. After his first-quarter sack of O’Neil, Stewart became the first Football Bowl Subdivision freshman in 20 years to record a sack in the first four games of his career.
Stewart and his fellow freshman edge rusher Zion Mathis made two impact plays in the first quarter. Stewart split a double-team to record his fourth sack of the season, driving Wisconsin’s already limited offense back. Mathis blocked a Badgers field goal attempt to hold them scoreless.
Mathis limped off the field in the first half with a lower body injury but later returned to action.
After last season’s disastrous defensive showing, the Terps’ defense is off to an excellent start. Maryland’s young defenders — Mathis, Stewart and others — have blended with veterans and transfers to form a much faster, physical and well-coached defense.
New defensive coordinator Ted Marchiano’s unit forced Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1) into 85 yards worth of negative plays. The Terps held the Badgers to less than 25 yards of offense on their final six drives of the first half.
Maryland’s 16 team sacks lead the FBS. It’s a shocking figure for a team that starts two true freshman edge rushers.
The clear caveat is that Wisconsin’s offense looked abysmal without starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., the former Terp. But if Maryland’s defense and Stewart and Mathis can maintain its level of play, it could be one of the top pass defenses in the Big Ten.
Washington’s poise stands out
It was obvious that the Terps (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) were going to need to rely on their freshman quarterback to win this game. Wisconsin’s rush defense entered Saturday as one of the best in the country and Maryland’s ground game had been abysmal.
Locksley said that there was no way to simulate the environment Washington was walking into for his first road start. But the coach was confident that his freshman quarterback would remain poised.
“But what I’ve learned about Malik Washington pretty early is that I haven’t ever seen [the moment] be too big,” Locksley said.
His words proved prudent, as Washington looked in control for the entirety of Saturday’s contest. He went 18-for-34 for 265 yards and three total touchdowns, including one on the ground. His 62-yard strike to senior wide receiver Shaleak Knotts in the fourth quarter iced the game and was the crowning moment from an excellent day.
The former Spalding star stayed calm in the pocket and used his legs for the first time this season. Washington led an excellent drive with under a minute remaining in the first half to put three points on the board, punctuated by an excellent pass to Octavian Smith Jr.
Alabama threw the ball over Wisconsin last week. But that was at home, with a junior quarterback at the helm. This was a true freshman in his first road start against a team desperate for a win.
Washington just keeps checking off boxes through his first four games.
Special teams changing the narrative
Maryland has committed so many special teams mistakes over the years in big games. Blocked punts, missed field goals and key penalties have doomed any hopes of an upset.
Instead, it was Wisconsin — the 10 1/2-point favorites — whose special teams unit made several errors. Maryland blocked a field goal and punt in the first half and won the field position battle all game.
It was the first time since 2017 that the Terps blocked two kicks in a game. Freshman Messiah Delhomme blocked his second punt in as many weeks, leading to Washington’s first touchdown pass to Knotts.
Kicker Sean O’Haire drilled two field goal attempts, including a 49-yarder. Locksley said that the redshirt freshman from Richmond was Maryland’s best transfer portal addition and he’s looked like a massive upgrade over what the Terps had the previous two seasons.
The game wasn’t won on special teams; Maryland’s offensive and defensive lines controlled the contest. But it’s complementary play contributed to the dominant 17-point win.