There are still a handful of major programs waiting to host College GameDay for the very first time. Schools like Illinois, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia, and SMU. But there is this one Power 4 program that could have hosted the crew this season if only they had defeated the 3-4 cruising UCLA Bruins. Maryland fans have been waiting forever to see College GameDay roll into College Park. Like other top-10 teams duking it out in fierce rivalries, or programs chasing playoff dreams. Maryland’s 4-3 record doesn’t give them much reason to host this season, and their recent three-game losing streak hasn’t helped either.

But if they could have defeated just that one team before they had hit their bye week, things would have been different. And that’s why, ESPN’s SVP and Stanford Steve are rubbing that reason hard on the Terrapins’ already existing wounds. “Maryland had leads in the fourth quarter against Washington, Nebraska, and UCLA,” SVP said on the podcast. “If Maryland held two of those leads and was six and one, game day would be there, wouldn’t it?” But wait, there’s a catch. “I think if you beat UCLA,” Steve added. “Five and two, you think?” SVP reconfirms, “Oh yeah,” Steve continued.

Maryland’s chances of hosting Gameday were blocked solely by its last matchup against the Bruins. Initially, Maryland football exceeded all expectations this season. Last season, the Terps struggled to move the chains, especially on the ground, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. This year, they’re not much higher at 3.3 per carry, but it’s happening while sack yardage counts less against them. The offense is running a high-tempo scheme where the quarterback gets the ball out quickly. But all this took a hit from the Nebraska game.

Against the Cornhuskers, it was a close loss at 31-34. For the second straight week, the Terps lost a fourth-quarter lead at home. Though Maryland’s defense forced three interceptions and turned two into points, they couldn’t get the final stops when it mattered most. Against Washington, it was the same 4-point gap, with a 20-24 loss. Washington scored 24 unanswered points, dominating the fourth quarter with 298 yards and flawless execution. However, the last straw was the 17-20 loss against the Bruins. The Terps fought hard, hanging onto a late fourth-quarter lead after Jamare Glasker’s pick-six and a strong defensive stand.

Terappins’ QB, Malik Washington, threw for 210 yards and a touchdown while also leading the team in rushing with 67 yards. But even with all that, the Bruins stepped up in the final minute. With just 40 seconds left on the clock, kicker Mateen Bhaghani nailed a clutch 24-yard field goal. On top of that, Maryland had a lot of missed opportunities. They drove down to UCLA’s 2-yard line late in the third quarter but couldn’t punch it in as a fourth-down pass was broken up. Penalties and stalled drives kept Maryland from fully capitalizing on field position.

Meanwhile, UCLA punished Maryland on the ground with Anthony Frias II’s explosive 55-yard touchdown run. All these factors were a general contributor to Maryland football not securing a 5-2 record and inviting the GameDay crew into College Park.

It’s the Hoosiers in week 10

Maryland football has gone through a wild ride this season. Sure, their initial momentum was definitely commendable. But the last three games’ losing streak narrates a different story. Now, when the momentum gets hit, questions will automatically arise about the coaching. That’s when Jim Smith is raising his voice in defense of his head coach. “The big difference & advantage I have that others don’t is I see his commitment & his passion & his belief & his strategy for Maryland football every day,” Smith said.

“We can debate play calls & end results all we want, but I believe that we’ve got the talent to head in the right direction.” However, with all this positivity, the bigger problem lies in what’s coming. The Terps are entering a week 10 clash against the 8-0 Indiana Hoosiers. And, boy, the Hoosiers are nothing short of a nightmare sitting at No.2 in the AP poll. Last year, the Terps defeated the Hoosiers 79-78 on January 26. But make no mistake, as this is not the same Hoosiers team.

ESPN gives Indiana an 87.9% chance to win based on current form. On offense, Maryland is led by freshman quarterback Malik Washington, who has thrown for 1,716 yards and 11 touchdowns, but their run game ranks near the bottom nationally, just 127th in FBS. They do lead all teams in interceptions with 14. On the other side, Indiana has Mendoza with 24 TDs, and star RB Roman Hemby has rushed for 513 yards. Indiana’s overall defensive numbers stand at just 242.8 yards allowed per game (8th FBS), with a stingy rush defense (7th FBS).