After all of the excitement surrounding Wednesday’s announcement of Big Ten Football returning, the conference released the regular season schedule for all 14 teams today. In a conventional schedule as a member of the Big Ten East, the Terps would normally face off against four Big Ten West opponents. However, in this year’s condensed schedule Maryland only faces off against two Big Ten West foes Northwestern and No. 19 Minnesota.
On Saturday Oct. 24, the Terps begin their regular season schedule taking on Northwestern, traveling to Evanston, Illinois for the first time in program history. Maryland has won ten consecutive season openers entering 2020, which marks one of the longest streaks in the country. The Wildcats pose a different Week One challenge, as the Terps don’t normally open up the season with a Power Five opponent.
The following week, the Terps host Minnesota in their home opener, which marks the beginning of a grueling stretch in the schedule for Maryland. Including Minnesota, the Terps face off against three consecutive preseason ranked Top 20 opponents. After hosting the Golden Gophers, Maryland travels to State College to take on No. 7 Penn State. The following week, Maryland faces arguably their toughest challenge of the season hosting No. 2 Ohio State, completing a daunting opening four games of the season.
Transitioning to the second half of the season on Nov. 21, the Terps host Michigan State concluding their only stretch of consecutive home games in the 2020 season. Following back-to-back home games, Maryland hits the road for two road games against Indiana and No.16 Michigan. To conclude the eight-game regular season, the Terps return home once again taking on Rutgers Dec. 12.
Given the unconventional circumstances of the 2020 season, each of the Big Ten’s 14 teams will play a nine-game season. For the ninth and final game of the year, the Terps will face off against a Big Ten West opponent. That opponent will be determined by which Big Ten West team’s seed is equivalent to Maryland.
