MADISON, WI — A 62-yard touchdown connection from
Malik Washington to
Shaleak Knotts in the fourth quarter sealed a dominant 27-10 win for the Terps (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) as they topped Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) on the road on Saturday.
Washington's historic start to his collegiate career continued with his 265-yard, two-touchdown day on 18/34 passing. With his 1,038 yards on the season, he has the most passing yards by a Power Conference true freshman through his first four games since 2020, the fourth-most since 2018 and fifth-most since 2015. Washington's total is the most since Jayden Daniels had 1,073 in 2019.
Just as it had in the previous three games, the Terps' defense and special teams provided an early spark. Zahir Mathis got his hands on a 38-yard field goal attempt on Wisconsin's opening drive to turn the Badgers away empty.
On the Badgers' following possession, Jalen Huskey picked off Danny O'Neil and returned it 46 yards to the Wisconsin 4-yard line, setting Washington up for his second rushing touchdown of the season to put Maryland up 7-0.
Messiah Delhomme blocked his second punt in his last two games in the final seconds of the first quarter, setting Maryland up on the Badgers' 28-yard line. Washington hit Knotts on 3rd down for a nine-yard touchdown to extend the Terps' lead to 14-0.
Sean O'Haire hit a pair of field goals in the second quarter — one from 49 yards and the other from 26 yards out — to put Maryland ahead 20-0, a lead the Terps would take into the half.
Their 20-point advantage was their largest shutout halftime mark in a road Big Ten game since joining the conference in 2014 and their largest halftime shutout mark in a road conference game since leading NC State 24-0 at the half in 2007.
The third quarter's only points came via a Wisconsin field goal, but Maryland took a 17-point lead into the final frame. The Terps' three points allowed in the first three quarters of a road conference game were their fewest allowed since joining the conference in 2014.
Cam Rice came up big on a 3rd down in the 4th quarter with a 19-yard sack to force a punt on a drive that at one point was down within the Terps' 20-yard line. Plays later, Washington found Knotts behind the Badgers' secondary for a 62-yard touchdown pass, icing one of Maryland's most dominant conference games in its Big Ten tenure.
How it Happened:
1st Quarter:
- Maryland won the toss and deferred. Wisconsin's opening drive resulted in a blocked field goal as Mathis batted down the 38-yard attempt.
- Washington's first completion of the day went to Octavian Smith Jr. for a 26-yard gain.
- Husky's interception set up a Washington rushing touchdown as Maryland jumped ahead, 1-0.
- A botched snap led to Delhomme's second blocked punt in as many weeks, setting the Terps up with the ball on Wisconsin's 28-yard line.
2nd Quarter:
- Washington found Knotts on 3rd down for a nine-yard touchdown strike as Maryland went up 14-0.
- Dylan Fontus tallied a nine-yard sack that led to another Wisconsin punt.
- Maryland's defense forced a Wisconsin 3-and-out deep in its own territory to give the Terps the ball back with 6:24 remaining in the half.
- Washington hit Smith Jr. for 19 yards to get to midfield.
- An 18-yard completion to Kaleb Webb on 3rd down extended the drive.
- O'Haire's 49-yard field goal put Maryland ahead 17-0.
- Maryland turned the Badgers over on downs in the half's final minute.
- Washington connected with Smith Jr. for 48 yards in the closing seconds.
- O'Haire hit a 26-yard field goal to give Maryland a 20-0 halftime lead.
3rd Quarter:
- Wisconsin made a 33-yard field goal on its first drive of the third quarter to get on the board.
- Maryland took a 20-3 lead into the final frame.
4th Quarter:
- Rice recorded a 19-yard sack on 3rd down, forcing a Badger punt on a drive where they were one down to the UMD 19-yard line.
- Washington hit Knotts in stride for a 62-yard touchdown over the Wisconsin defense to put the Terps ahead 27-3.
- Wisconsin missed a 51-yard field goal with 6:18 remaining in the contest.
- Wisconsin scored in the final minute to cut the Maryland lead to 27-10.
Washington's B1G Debut:
- Maryland's true freshman quarterback threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday.
- His offensive line continued to protect him, only allowing one sack.
- With his eight passing touchdowns through his first four games, Washington tied Dylan Raiola and Dante Moore for the most by a Power Conference True Freshman quarterback since 2020.
- Washington became the fifth Power Conference quarterback to start his career with four straight performances of throwing for 250+ yards.
Numbers to Know:
- 1: Maryland beat Wisconsin for the first time in program history on Saturday.
- 2: Maryland picked up its first-ever win over a team for the second time this season after beating Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30.
- 3: The Terps won their Big Ten opener for the third time in the past five years.
- 3: Maryland's three points allowed in the first three quarters on Saturday are the fewest allowed by Maryland in a road game against a Big Ten opponent since it joined the conference in 2014.
- 3: Maryland has three blocked field goals since Oct. 2024, tied with Western Kentucky and Georgia Tech for the most in FBS during that span.
- 4: Daniel Wingate recorded 10+ tackles for the fourth time in career and third time this season.
- 4: With five sacks on Saturday, Maryland posted its fourth consecutive game with at least three sacks to begin this season, tying the 2015 season for the program's longest streak to start a season this century.
- 4: Knotts now has a receiving touchdown in all four games that Maryland has played this season. The only other players with a touchdown catch in Maryland's first four games in the last 30 seasons were Tai Felton last year and DJ Moore in 2017.5: Knotts is first in CFB with five touchdown receptions this season, tying behind Chris Brazzell II and Beau Sparks.
- 5: The Terps five sacks are their most in a conference game since having six against Illinois in 2021.
- 5: Washington became the fifth Power Conference quarterback to start his career with four straight performances of throwing for 250+ yards.
- 7: Huskey is the seventh different player to intercept a pass for Maryland this season. Maryland entered the day tied with Southern Mississippi for the most different defenders with at least one interception of any FBS team in 2025. The last time the Terps had at least seven different players with an INT was in 2023, when they had eight.
- 8: With his eight passing touchdowns through his first four games, Washington tied Dylan Raiola and Dante Moore for the most by a Power Conference True Freshman quarterback since 2020.
- 8: Maryland added to its nation-leading interception total with its eighth pick of the season.
- 8: Mailk now has eight touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in his first four games. He joins Arkansas State's Jaylen Raynor (2023) and UCF's McKenzie Milton (2016) as the only FBS true freshmen to reach those marks through four career games in the last 15 years.
- 10: O'Haire ranks second in CFB with 10 field goals this season, only behind Hawaii's Kansei Matsuzawa (11).
- 14: Maryland is unbeaten in its last 14 games when leading at halftime.
- 20: Maryland's 20 points are its most in a first half against a Big Ten opponent since scoring 28 in the first half at Rutgers on November 25, 2023.
- 20: The Terps' 20-0 halftime lead was their largest halftime shutout lead in a Big Ten road game since joining the conference in 2014.
- 46.2: Maryland held Wisconsin to a 46.2% (6/13) completion percentage in the first half - the lowest completion percentage allowed by Maryland against a Big Ten opponent in the first half (min. 10 attempts) since holding Wisconsin to 30.0% on November 5, 2022.
- 99: Maryland's last 99-yard drive was its first since December 27, 2013 vs. Marshall in the Military Bowl
- 128: Washington attempted 128 passes to start his collegiate career before taking a sack. He entered the day as the first Big Ten quarterback with no sacks taken and 100+ attempts through three games in a season since Drew Brees (Purdue) in 1999.
- 2007: Maryland's 20-0 halftime lead was its largest shutout mark at the half in a road conference game since leading NC State 24-0 on Nov. 24, 2007
- 2008: Maryland blocked both a field goal and a punt in the same game for the first time since at least 2008.
- 2014: Maryland scored 20+ points and skunked a conference opponent in the first half for just the third time since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The only other times Maryland shut out a conference opponent and scored 20+ points in a first half was in 2016 against Purdue (29-0) and 2018 in against Rutgers (24-0).
- 2020: Maryland is the first FBS team to block a field goal and a punt in the same quarter since Boise State accomplished the feat against Colorado State in 2020.
- 2024: Maryland's blocked field goal was the Terps' first since defeating USC in 2024.
Locksley's Talking Points:
- "We're super proud of this team. Big Ten road wins are not easy to come by. I really liked our physicality that we played with on defense. We made enough plays on offense and took advantage of some of the things that they gave us."
- "When we needed play-makers to make plays in critical situations, they showed up."
- "Our defense was once again very dominant for four quarters. Special teams really set the stage for us early."
- "I really like the heart of this team. I like the way we're growing. We're growing together. We still have a ton of room to grow."
- "I saw a bunch of guys really put in the work from Monday through Friday."
- "I saw us take a step forward today, but by no means are we a finished product."
- "I really like the way our offensive line played today"
Washington's First Road Win:
- "It was really fun. We stayed together. Overall, it was a fun experience."
- On his receivers: "They've been amazing. Sometimes, they're kind of like a safety blanket because I know at the end of the day, they're going to make a play when the ball's in the air."
- "I believed in us from the start. We put in so much work in the offseason and during camp. We just have to go out and show it and execute. The confidence in the team is rising."
Huskey's Defensive Keys:
- "It means a lot. We came into this game super confident and wanted to show everybody that this isn't the same old Maryland that we've been."
- "Going out there and grabbing that flag, that symbolizes that we have the whole state behind us. We love our supporters and we're so happy for the people that traveled and the people that watched at home."
- "We have an amazing pass rush, especially those young guys up there."
- On his interception: "I saw the ball in the air. When the ball's in the air, it's my ball."
Up Next:
- Maryland has a bye week before its next contest on Oct. 4, when the Terps take on the Washington Huskies. The game time and broadcasting information is yet to be determined.
