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University of Maryland Athletics

Malik Washington @ Illinois
6
Maryland UMD 4-5 , 1-5
24
Winner Illinois ILL 7-3 , 4-3
Maryland UMD
4-5 , 1-5
6
Final
24
Illinois ILL
7-3 , 4-3
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UMD Maryland 3 3 0 0 6
ILL Illinois 7 7 7 3 24

Game Recap: Football |

Maryland Drops 24-6 Decision At Illinois

Malik Washington moved up the Terps’ all-time ranks with his 238-yard passing performance.

CHAMPAIGN, IL – Maryland football suffered a 24-6 defeat at Illinois on Saturday at Gies Memorial Stadium. The Terps are now 4-6 overall and 1-6 in the Big Ten, while Illinois improved to 7-3 and 4-3 in the conference. 

Malik Washington threw for 238 yards on 25-of-46 passing. Shaleak Knotts led the Terps with four catches for 62 yards while DeJuan Williams Farooq added eight receptions for 50 yards.  The Terps' defense was led by Lavain Scruggs, who had a career-high 11 tackles in his second straight game with double-figure tackles. Jalen Huskey snagged his team-best fourth interception of the season to extend the Terps' streak with a pick to eight games, the second-longest streak in the nation. Maryland's 18 interceptions on the season are also the second-most in college football in 2025. 

The Terps held the Fighting Illini scoreless on their opening drive to push Maryland's nation-leading streak of scoreless opponent opening drives to 14 games. Sean O'Haire supplied the bulk of the offense as he drilled a pair of field goals to bring his Big Ten-leading season total to 19. How it Happened:
1st Quarter:
  • Illinois won the coin toss and deferred, sending Maryland on offense first. 
  • Washington and Jalil Farooq teamed up for a 3rd-and-1 completion to move the chains.
  • O'Haire hit a 29-yard field goal to put Maryland on the board early.
  • Octavian Smith Jr. pulled in a 16-yard completion for a Terps first down.
  • Illinois scored a 22-yard passing touchdown on the final play of the first quarter. 
2nd Quarter:
  • The Terps forced a punt deep in Illini territory, setting the offense up on Illinois' 46-yard line.
  • O'Haire drilled a 43-yard kick for his second field goal of the day.
  • Illinois punched in a late touchdown to take a 14-6 lead.
  • Washington connected with Kaleb Webb and Shaleak Knotts to get the Terps across midfield with under two minutes to play in the half. 
  • Illinois led 14-6 at halftime.
3rd Quarter:
  • Illinois connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the third quarter. 
  • Williams kept Maryland's first drive of the half alive with a nine-yard reception.
  • The Terps turned Illinois away with a goal-line stand late in the quarter.
  • Illinois took a 21-6 lead into the final quarter.
4th Quarter:
  • Knotts picked up 16 yards to put the Terps in Illinois territory early in the quarter.
  • The Fighting Illini drained the clock with a 12-play, 97-yard scoring drive to put the game away.
  • Illinois won the contest 24-6.
Malik's Freshman Success:
  • Washington's 2,294 passing yards through 10 career games rank second by true freshman Power Conference quarterbacks since 2020. Only Cal's Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has more (2,518 in 2025).
  • With 216 completions through 10 career games, Washington has the second-most by a Power Conference true freshman quarterback since 2020. Only Sagapolutele has more (224).
  • Washington's 13 passing touchdowns this season are tied with Sagapolutele for the most by a true freshman Power Conference quarterback since 2022.
  • Washington has thrown for 200+ yards in nine of his 10 games this season. 
  • With 25 completions on Saturday, Malik's season completion total moved to 216, the ninth-highest mark in program history. 
  • Washington now has the 20th-most passing yards in a single-season (2,294) in Maryland history with 238 on Saturday.
Numbers to Know:
  • 6: Zahir Mathis has recorded at least half a sack in six of the nine games he's played in this season.
  • 8: The Terps' +8 turnover margin is among the Big Ten and nation's best marks. 
  • 14: Maryland hasn't allowed points on opponents' opening drives in the Terps' last 14 contests. That streak is the longest active stretch in college football. 
  • 19: O'Haire leads the Big Ten in made field goals with 19 and is tied for second in FBS (Kansei Matsuzawa has 22 at Hawaii).
  • 216: Malik's season completion total moved to 216, the ninth-highest mark in program history. 
  • 330: DeJuan Williams went over 300 season receiving yards in the game, making him the fourth Terps' running back with 300-plus receiving yards in a season this century, joining Roman Hemby (2023), Tayon Fleet-Davis (2021) and Bruce Perry (2001). 
  • 2,294: Washington now has the 20th-most passing yards in a single-season (2,294) in Maryland history with 238 on Saturday.
Up Next: 
  • Maryland returns home to celebrate its Military Appreciation Game and Senior Day against Michigan on Nov. 22. The game time and channel are TBD.
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