How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Maryland

SB Nation

It’s survival time for the Michigan Wolverines after two close wins against Northwestern and Purdue in the last month. Now, they have one more game before the big one at home. In a contest that is surely

a trap game on the road the week before The Game, the Wolverines head to Maryland to face a Terrapins’ squad looking to stay alive in their quest for bowl eligibility.

Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s contest.

No. 18 Michigan Wolverines vs Maryland Terrapins

Day: Saturday, Nov. 22 2025
TV: BTN
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: College Park, Maryland
Weather: 52 degrees, cloudy
Odds: MICH -13.5, O/U: 45.5

It’s a dual between two true freshman quarterbacks, as Bryce Underwood takes on Malik Washington. Stats-wise the two are pretty similar — Underwood has 1,951 passing and 302 rushing yards for 12 touchdowns and five interceptions, while Washington has 2,294 passing and 269 rushing yards for 17 total scores and seven picks.

The difference has been their efficiency. Underwood has 120 fewer attempts, a higher completion percentage and a much higher QBR, according to ESPN. He is 38th in the country in the quarterback scoring metric while Washington is 91st.

Both have shown flashes of what they could become for their hometown programs, but it’s clear the Wolverines have had the much better overall team this season. Top-25 ranked and 8-2 coming into this one while the Terps have lost six straight games. They won at Wisconsin, 27-10, in Week 4 for their only Big Ten win of the season. A week later, they suffered a home loss to Washington, 24-20, and Nebraska the following week at College Park, 34-31. The Wolverines beat those teams 24-10, 24-7, and 30-27, respectively.

Looking at those games at SECU Stadium, they’ve all been close. In fact, Maryland is 3-3 at home, and its 55-10 blowout loss to No. 2 Indiana was the only major blemish in College Park. So you might be asking: why are the Wolverines are nearly two-touchdown favorites the week before their largest game of the season?

The answer: Maryland’s run defense. It ranks 105th in the country by allowing 171.8 rushing yards per game. The Wolverines are 12th nationally, averaging 223 yards per contest. While Jordan Marshall may not play this week, former walk-on Bryson Kuzdzal kept the ball moving on the ground against Northwestern. Depending on Marshall’s health, Michigan may have to call upon freshman Jasper Parker as well.

What this game will likely come down to is who can take care of the football. Uncharacteristically, the Wolverines turned the ball over five times against Northwestern, becoming the first team in FBS history to trail 5-0 in the turnover column and win the game. Maryland is No. 12 in the country in turnover margin with a +8 mark. If Michigan is sloppy, the Terps will take advantage and likely not turnover the ball themselves.

On the betting slip, something is fishy about this game from Vegas. In some senses, it feels like a trap — Michigan is 1-5 in its last six games against the spread, and the books have them as a 13.5-point favorite the week before The Game. That means they either think Michigan is much better than what it has shown the last few weeks, or that Maryland stinks.

Instead of the line, I’ll play the over of 45.5 points. The total has gone over in nine of the Terps’ last 13 home game. I like that trend and the way the Michigan offense has developed over the last few weeks, so I think we could see points in College Park.

The play: 045.5 (-110)

Season Total: 24-27 (-3.14 units)

3:30 p.m. ET (CBS) – No. 17 USC Trojans vs No. 8 Oregon Ducks