Maryland football’s post-bye week struggles aren’t looking any easier to conquer. Following its collapse against Washington, the Terps became 0-10 under head coach Michael Locksley after a week off. But
Saturday’s matchup at SECU Stadium isn’t on the same plane as the Huskies’ — it’s far more daunting, and for good reason.
No. 2 Indiana has passed every test thrown at it this season, and the program seems to continue improving as the weeks pass. While Maryland fell to UCLA, 20-17, prior to its bye, the Hoosiers demolished the Bruins by 50 points the following weekend, 56-6.
Saturday’s game will begin at 3:30 p.m. and air on CBS.
Indiana Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten)
2024 record: 11-2, 8-1 Big Ten
Head coach Curt Cignetti has completely revitalized the program since his arrival in late 2023. His 11 wins in 2024 marked a program high in a single season, and he had plenty of accolades to show for it, including being named Home Depot National Coach of the Year by ESPN. But what makes it so impressive is Cignetti did not inherit a spectacular team; the program saw an eight-game improvement from its 2023 season.
Cignetti had success at his previous stop, James Madison, going 52-9 in his five seasons at the helm. There, he became the first head coach to lead a team to an AP top-25 ranking in the program’s first year of transition from the FCS to FBS.
Cignetti’s team fell against Notre Dame, 27-17, in the first round of the College Football Playoff last season. This year, the Hoosiers looked even more primed to make a deep run.
Players to watch
Fernando Mendoza, redshirt junior quarterback, No. 15 — A transfer from Cal, Mendoza has loudly played himself into first round draft conversations, with some 2026 mock drafts even slotting him at the No. 1 overall pick. Statistically, he’s had a Heisman-caliber season thus far, throwing for 1,923 yards, a nation-leading 24 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He boasts prototypical size at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and coupled with his arm strength and mobility, he presents multiple issues for opposing defenses.
Roman Hemby, redshirt senior running back, No. 1 — Terps fans are familiar with Hemby’s ability. He’s currently the leading rusher on the Hoosiers, with 513 and four touchdowns on the ground, to go along with 131 yards receiving. A between-the-tackles, bruising back, Hemby can eat up plenty of carries in a single game. Against UCLA, he had 17 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
Elijah Sarratt, senior wide receiver, No. 13 — Sarratt is the team’s leading receiver, racking up 45 catches for 609 yards and 10 touchdowns so far. Like Mendoza, his draft stock has risen over the course of the season, and he currently projects as a day two selection. Sarratt’s 6-foot-2 frame allows him a large catch radius, and he’s a relatively fluid mover and route runner.
Sarratt also holds some impressive NCAA marks, including most straight games with a reception (43), and he leads the nation in career receiving touchdowns with 35.
Louis Moore, redshirt senior defensive back, No. 7 — Moore is a multifaceted defender, leading the Hoosiers in both tackles (54) and interceptions (4) on the year. Despite being just 5-foot-11, Moore has the versatility to line up deep, but has also demonstrated to be a force around or behind the line of scrimmage. This is Moore’s third season at Indiana, though he spent a season at Ole Miss in 2024.
Strength
Air attack. Indiana leads the Big Ten in passing touchdowns by a significant margin — it has 27, while the next closest team has 20. On top of that, it has the fourth-most yards per attempt in the conference (9.4), as well as the sixth-most passing yards per game (264). Look for Maryland’s defensive backs to be tested in a way they haven’t yet Saturday.
Weakness
Fourth downs. There’s so little to pick from in terms of what Indiana does poorly. However, the Hoosiers are just 5-of-13 on fourth downs this season — that 38.5% conversion rate is good for third-worst in the conference.
Three things to watch
1. Indiana’s pressure. The Hoosiers lead the Big Ten with 29 sacks and 73 tackles for loss — for reference, the next closest team in that department is Minnesota with 56. For a Maryland team that has struggled mightily to run the ball over the course of the season, Indiana forcing it into becoming a one-dimensional passing attack could also lead to disaster.
2. Big stage for Malik Washington. With the No. 2 team rolling into town and the game airing on CBS, plenty of eyes will be on SECU Stadium Saturday afternoon. It will also likely serve as a solid barometer for how Maryland’s presumptive future at the quarterback position will fare. And if the Terps want a chance of staying in the game for any prolonged period, it will need some wizardry from the freshman field general.
3. A clean game is necessary. Maryland will need to create advantages in any way possible to give itself a leg-up Saturday. The Terps currently rank second in the conference in both penalties and penalty yards per game, so they will need a stark turnaround to give themselves a significant boost.
