As they get set for their first year in the Big Ten, the Oregon Ducks football team is gearing up to meet up with a team they’ve never faced before in an interesting Big Ten conference matchup. Dan Lanning and his Ducks will get to face off against the Maryland Terrapins, who will travel to Autzen Stadium all the way from the East Coast.
It’s pretty safe to say that, for many reasons, this season will be a huge year of change for the Ducks as they get settled into the Big Ten alongside the Washington Huskies, USC Trojans, and UCLA Bruins. All four former Pac-12 teams landed in the Big Ten in a move that reshaped the landscape of college football.
And as it turns out, Maryland actually knows that feeling pretty well. They moved into the Big Ten about a decade ago. And that’s part of what makes this game so interesting to me. Also, well, they’ve never faced each other before.
Game Details: When and Where
- Date: Saturday, November 9, 2024
- Kickoff: TBD
- Stadium: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
Meet the Maryland Terrapins
Mike Locksley is the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins and they’re entering the 2024 season looking to build upon their eight-win season from 2023. The Terps have shown steady improvement under Locksley's leadership and will have a chance to further develop as they move forward.
But, there are some new faces for Maryland and it’ll be interesting to see how the Terps’ offense adjusts without having Taulia Tagovailoa (who ran out of eligibility) running things for them. There’s a lot of interesting potential here, but it feels like this is a program that really has to focus on developing talent.
Three Maryland Players to Watch
- Tai Felton - wide receiver: A senior wideout, Felton is coming off a breakout 2023 season where he led the Terrapins with six receiving touchdowns.
- Ruben Hyppolite II - linebacker: Nestled right in the heart of Maryland's defense, Hyppolite finished second on the Terrapins’ defense with 66 tackles in 2023.
- Jordan Phillips - defensive lineman: He’s a little young, but he’s got plenty of talent. A redshirt sophomore, Phillips is an emerging force on Maryland's defensive line.
Preview and prediction
There is just too much of a talent differential at play here as the Oregon Ducks are a national title contender and Maryland isn’t in that sort of area just yet. The Terps are trying to get beyond eight wins at a regular level. Add that talent differential into the home field advantage of Autzen Stadium and you likely get a solid win for Oregon here.