Maryland football vs. Purdue preview

Maryland football’s defense showed drastic improvements for the first 45 minutes of Saturday’s game against Illinois. The Terps — who had allowed 43.8 points per game during their losing streak, the second-most nationally — gave up 10 points in the opening three quarters.

But it all fell apart in the final period.

Maryland’s 14-10 fourth-quarter lead quickly disappeared on the first play. Javari Barnett exploited an opening and faced little resistance en route to a 64-yard rushing touchdown — he previously had just 11 carries in Big Ten play. After holding Illinois to 72 rushing yards through three quarters, the Illini erupted for 112 fourth-quarter rushing yards to fuel a 20-17 victory.

While the Terps’ defense collapsed in the final 15 minutes, the offense was inconsistent all game. Maryland totaled 122 first-quarter yards before running just eight plays in the second quarter. The Terps stalled out on a potential game-winning drive, allowing Illinois to drain the final six minutes of game clock.

Despite the loss, Maryland’s first game under interim head coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim was a step in the right direction. Malik Washington posted his highest completion percentage (66%) of Big Ten play and scrambled for a rushing touchdown. Still, Washington only recorded 190 passing yards.

Abdul-Rahim will look to snap the Terps’ six-game losing streak and log his first victory in charge as Maryland travels to Purdue on Saturday for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. The game will air on the Big Ten Network.

Purdue Boilermakers (3-5, 2-3 Big Ten)

2025 record: 2-10, 0-9 Big Ten

Purdue has been a bottom-feeder in the Big Ten in recent seasons, and that was no different during head coach Barry Odom’s first year at the helm. The Boilermakers finished without a conference win — they had lost 18 consecutive Big Ten games entering the 2026 season.

Odom secured a top 25 transfer portal class over the offseason, though, and those new additions have helped flip the program. While Purdue lost to No. 14 Wake Forest, No. 5 UCLA and No. 4 Notre Dame, it overcame a 1-3 start.

The Boilermakers began October by holding off Illinois for a 24-17 road victory, snapping the Big Ten’s longest active conference losing streak. Purdue followed that up with a dominant 28-point win over Minnesota. But the Boilermakers enter Saturday’s game fresh off a pair of two-possession losses to Washington and Penn State.

Players to watch

Ryan Browne, redshirt junior quarterback, No. 15 — While Browne barely saw the field during his first two seasons, he showed flashes as the full-time starter last season. The 6-foot-4 former three-star recruit threw for 2,153 yards and nine touchdowns, with four scores on the ground. However, Browne’s 10 interceptions were among the highest totals in the Big Ten.

Those turnover problems have been cleaned up this season; he has thrown just five interceptions on the year. Browne ranks third in the conference with 245.5 passing yards per game and has 13 total touchdowns.

Asaad Waseem, redshirt junior wide receiver, No. 19 — Maryland has faced three of the nation’s top wide receivers in recent games, and it doesn’t get any easier. Waseem, who posted 699 receiving yards and five touchdowns at Florida Atlantic last season, has looked the part during his first year with Purdue. He has the 28th-highest receiving yardage (652) in the country.

Fame Ijeboi, redshirt sophomore running back, No. 2 — Ijeboi was part of the Boilermakers’ highly-touted transfer portal class despite serving as the backup running back at Minnesota. He’s already exceeded his production from last season, with 588 rushing yards and nine touchdowns — the latter ranking tied for 16th nationally.

Strength

Special teams. While Purdue hasn’t needed much from redshirt sophomore punter Dylan Drennan, he’s delivered this season. The Buffalo transfer averages 45.2 yards per punt, one of the highest marks in the Big Ten. Freshman kicker Jacobo Echeverria Lozano has nailed 16 of his 17 field-goal attempts, with a long of 49 yards.

Weakness

Third-down defense. Maryland has converted just 34.9% of its third downs this season, but Saturday’s game presents the Terps with a chance to improve that metric. The Boilermakers have the 11th-highest third-down conversion rate allowed in the nation (47.3). If Maryland can keep Purdue’s electric offense off the field, it should lead to success.

Three things to watch

1. Can Maryland play clean football? While the Terps committed just one penalty on Saturday, they had a pair of costly turnovers. Williams fumbled just inches away from the end zone, erasing a first-quarter scoring drive. Washington forced a pass to Chris Durr Jr. across his body that was picked off inside the red zone later in the quarter. Those preventable miscues ultimately were the difference in the game.

2. Conference drought. Maryland currently holds a Big Ten record, and it’s not a positive one. The Terps have lost their last 13 conference games — the longest active streak in the Big Ten. With only four games remaining, including two against teams with winning records, Saturday’s game is one of the Terps’ last chances to snap a yearlong Big Ten victory drought.

3. Points galore. In a conference filled with talented defenses, Maryland and Purdue have two of the nation’s worst units. The Terps have conceded 31.6 points per game, while the Boilermakers give up just over 32 points. Both marks rank among the 20 highest averages for points allowed in the country.