Maryland
Maryland’s Final Five Games Should Reveal Plenty About Terps’ Psyche and Future
Maryland’s football program is coming off its bye week after three dreadful and preventable losses. Now what? Turtle up, so to speak? Fight?
The answer to those questions will determine how the Terps finish the season but also take a glimpse into the future. The remaining five games will provide a good read on the program, the players and coach Mike Locksley, who has a 37-44 career record in his ninth year at Maryland.
The Terps are 4-3 and on a three-game losing streak. In all three losses, the Terps led in the fourth quarter. Such losses can be devastating, and not just in the win-loss column. Such losses can take their toll and they probably should.
If teams learn lessons from such hardship and trauma, the Terps are on the dean’s list.
There definitely is a good news/bad news vibe in the Terps’ season.
Good news: The Terps were good enough to win the first four games of the season, even though only one was a Big Ten game — 27-10 at Wisconsin.
Bad news: It’s probably difficult to lose three games after leading in the fourth quarter, especially three consecutive ones.
Good news: The Terps likely have their franchise quarterback in Malik Washington. He has provided stability to the current team and for the next two years. Down the road, he could help recruit his successor.
Bad news: Freshman quarterbacks can be inconsistent. That includes Washington, too.
Good news: The Terps’ rush defense (44th in the country going into the weekend) and scoring defense (20th in the country). Several players have been outstanding — freshman defensive lineman Sidney Steward and sophomore defensive back La’khi Roland.
Bad news: During the three-game losing streak, Maryland has scored 7 points in the fourth quarter while giving up 44 points.
Back at Big Ten Media Days in July, with the Terps coming off a 4-8 season, Locksley made this startling confession:
“I’ll tell you, a year ago Coach Locks lost his locker room.
“For me to stand in front of a group of media and tell you that I lost my locker room, and it wasn’t because I wasn’t a good coach, it wasn’t because they weren’t good players because we were better than a four-win team.
“What we had to do was we had haves and have-nots for the first time in our locker room, and the landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson.
“That valuable lesson is it’s important for me, even in the midst of this change, to continue to educate our players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about, and I can tell you that if I’ve got to put my desk in the locker room this year, I will.
“I expect our team to show up, play hard, and probably one of the most exciting things is if you ask me what kind of team we have, I don’t know yet. That’s a good thing. That’s a good thing because as a coach, sometimes we feel like we have to have that answer.”
Locksley challenged his team back in July and he challenged himself. The Terps have played hard and have been competitive in every game.
Locksley knows what didn’t work and he knows what has to improve. College football’s landscape changed dramatically during Locksley’s tenure at Maryland and it’s up to him to adjust and thrive.
New rules and norms dictate life in the sport. Coaches learn as they go, and adjust to a new world.
NIL money rules. Kids transfer and transfer again, making it difficult for team cohesion. Kids have long careers now, given the extra year granted for the Covid year.
“Last year was tough on me as a coach because for the first time those really strong relationships were questioned because I had to decide whether to pay a freshman coming in or take care of a veteran player that helped me go to three bowl games and have success and do something that hadn’t been done in 130 years in the history of Maryland football,” Locksley said at B1G Media Days.
“It was hard to do both, and so what I’ve decided now is if you come to Maryland and you look outside of our locker room, there’s a sign. That sign reads, ‘You can leave your Louis belts, your car keys, and your financial statements outside of this locker room,’ because when you enter those doors, we’ll all pay the same price for success or failure.
“That’s really important for me. That’s what last year was about for me, but that’s also why I’m excited about this year because I don’t know what kind of team I have just yet, but I know that they’re really talented.
“It’s a matter of them playing for something bigger than themselves, which we’re in the process of developing that type of culture.”
Developing culture and making adjustments are what Locksley has emphasized. It’s also something to monitor as the Terps’ season continues. Has Locksley lost the locker room? Is that noticeable in players’ interviews, especially after games? Will anyone in the program say it? Doubtful.
Two of Maryland’s remaining games are against ranked teams, starting Saturday at home against No. 2-ranked Indiana. Also on the docket is No. 21 Michigan on Nov. 22 at home.
The other three games are at Rutgers on Nov. 8, at Illinois on Nov. 15, and the season finale at Michigan State on Nov. 29.
Maryland needs two wins for bowl eligibility. When the Terps were sitting at 4-0, bowl eligibility might have been an afterthought. Reaching six wins was a given, right?
Obviously, the Indiana game will be tough sledding for the Terps. The road game against Illinois might be a tough one to win.
Maryland should do well against Rutgers and Michigan State. Michigan, in College Park, could be close to a tossup.
A tossup. That’s not a bad way to describe the Terps’ season so far.
Stay up to date with the Terrapins by bookmarking Maryland On SI.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
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The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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