:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50160791/usa-today-8958222.0.jpg)
Our preview of the Big Ten continues with a look at Maryland, who is also undergoing a regime change with DJ Durkin at the helm. As a former defensive coordinator at Michigan and Florida, this will be Durkin's first experience as a head coach. If you missed our last preview on Rutgers, click here.
****
Program Resume
Maryland endured some success in the ACC in the early 2000's under former head coach Ralph Friedgen with three straight 10-win seasons and an ACC championship in 2001. After getting off to a hot start, Friedgen's tenure soured over time as he posted a 44-42 record over the course of the next seven seasons. He was fired in 2011 after a 9-win season. Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, Maryland is 10-15 with a 5-12 record in conference play -- including a 3-9 (1-7) campaign last year.
Head-to-Head Matchups w/ Illinois
The Illini and Terrapins have never played, and the pair won't make their initial acquaintance until 2018. Maryland leads 6-5 all-time in men's basketball, though, since this section should probably be longer than one sentence.
2015 Schedule and Results
| Record: 3-9 | Adj. Record: 6-6 | Final F/+ Rk: 76 | Final S&P+ Rk: 65 | ||||||||
| Date | Opponent | Opp. F/+ Rk | Score | W-L | Percentile Performance |
Win Expectancy |
vs. S&P+ | Performance vs. Vegas |
| 5-Sep | Richmond | N/A | 50-21 | W | 92% | 100% | +15.1 | |
| 12-Sep | Bowling Green | 25 | 27-48 | L | 51% | 7% | -30.7 | -28.5 |
| 19-Sep | South Florida | 44 | 35-17 | W | 95% | 97% | +5.2 | +11.0 |
| 26-Sep | at West Virginia | 31 | 6-45 | L | 11% | 0% | -19.8 | -22.0 |
| 3-Oct | Michigan | 8 | 0-28 | L | 15% | 0% | -12.2 | -12.0 |
| 10-Oct | at Ohio State | 3 | 28-49 | L | 46% | 1% | -3.1 | +12.0 |
| 24-Oct | vs. Penn State | 47 | 30-31 | L | 68% | 45% | +13.8 | +5.5 |
| 31-Oct | at Iowa | 38 | 15-31 | L | 34% | 1% | +5.6 | +1.0 |
| 7-Nov | Wisconsin | 32 | 24-31 | L | 81% | 58% | +7.2 | +4.5 |
| 14-Nov | at Michigan State | 9 | 7-24 | L | 29% | 1% | -3.4 | -2.0 |
| 21-Nov | Indiana | 61 | 28-47 | L | 36% | 6% | -19.9 | -21.5 |
| 28-Nov | at Rutgers | 101 | 46-41 | W | 66% | 69% | -2.2 | +4.0 |
2016 Outlook
Despite winning just three games in a tumultuous 2015 campaign, the advanced statistics ranked Maryland as the 65th best team in the country -- ahead of Purdue and Rutgers, according to S&P. DJ Durkin is a guy that deserves a head coaching gig, with impressive stops on his record at Stanford, Florida, and Michigan. He should help a Maryland defense that was torched for 34.4 points per game last year. Maryland brought in the seventh-best recruiting class in the conference, according to 247. They'll need more consistent play from their quarterbacks, as Perry Hills and Caleb Rowe combined to cough up 28 interceptions last year. That's not ideal.
Their nonconference schedule features an opener against Howard, then on the road at Florida International (S/O Ron Turner) and at Central Florida, followed by a Big Ten opener against Purdue. Maryland will have to get off to a fast start if it wants to make a bowl game in 2016.
2016 Schedule |
||||
| Date | Opponent | Proj. S&P+ Rk | Proj. Margin | Win Probability |
| 3-Sep | Howard | NR | 49.7 | 100% |
| 9-Sep | at Florida International | 113 | 12.0 | 76% |
| 17-Sep | at Central Florida | 99 | 6.4 | 64% |
| 1-Oct | Purdue | 88 | 9.5 | 71% |
| 8-Oct | at Penn State | 28 | -11.8 | 25% |
| 15-Oct | Minnesota | 42 | -0.6 | 49% |
| 22-Oct | Michigan State | 22 | -7.1 | 34% |
| 29-Oct | at Indiana | 56 | -4.4 | 40% |
| 5-Nov | at Michigan | 6 | -19.9 | 13% |
| 12-Nov | Ohio State | 14 | -9.9 | 28% |
| 19-Nov | at Nebraska | 26 | -12.1 | 24% |
| 26-Nov | Rutgers | 87 | 9.5 | 71% |
| Projected wins: 5.9 |
||||