Wisconsin vs. Maryland 2025 Preview: Keys, Players, and Predictions

Week 4 and Big Ten play are upon us as Wisconsin welcomes Maryland to town on Saturday. The Badgers will be looking to turn the tide after getting blown out last weekend against Alabama. Will Wisconsin get back into the win column, or will the Terrapins send Badger fans home sad? It’s a Wisconsin vs. Maryland 2025 matchup, so let’s dive into the game preview.

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Maryland Terrapins: Series History

Wisconsin and Maryland have only faced off four times before Saturday’s matchup. The lack of contests is due to Maryland’s recent entry into the Big Ten in 2014. Wisconsin has won all four previous matchups, with the most recent meeting being a 23-10 Badger win in 2022. The Badgers must be 5-0 against the Terrapins come Saturday afternoon, as Saturday will pave the way for the rest of the season.

Wisconsin vs. Maryland 2025 Preview: Keys, Players and Predictions

Maryland Key Players

Now-Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. transferring out after the 2024 season create the path for true freshman Malik Washington to man the quarterback room for the Terrapins. Washington, at 6-foot-5, has a cannon for an arm and also has sneaky athleticism and elusiveness.

This year Washington has thrown for 773 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. Maryland fans and reporters have raved about his poise in the pocket and maturity. There is a major step up in competition and talent this week for Maryland, and Washington specifically. It will be interesting to see how Washington handles its first quality opponent and raucous road environment.

On the outside, the best player for Maryland has been Shaleak Knotts. A former top-100 recruit, he struggled to find playing time his first three years but has exploded onto the scene his senior year. Knotts has caught three touchdowns for 196 yards through the first three weeks of the season. Knotts is clearly Washington’s favorite target, but keep an eye out for Oklahoma transfer Jalil Farooq as well.

Just like last week, Wisconsin will be going against a premier left tackle in Rahtrell Perry. Perry comes into the week as the No. 1-rated pass blocker according to PFF. Perry must keep Washington upright if Maryland wants to have success offensively.

The Maryland defense has been playing better than the offense so far this year. The Terrapins lead the Big Ten in interceptions (7) and total tackles (137), albeit against lesser competition.

Daniel Wingate has been a monster at linebacker this year for the Terrapins with 17 solo tackles and an interception. Wingate is super physical, is great at diagnosing plays, and very well might be Maryland’s best player on the roster.

Two other key players on defense are safety Jalen Husky and edge rusher Sidney Stewart. Huksy, the leader in the secondary, has nine solo tackles so far this year. Stewart is the best pass-rusher for Maryland and comes into this week with three sacks and eight solo tackles. He can be a difference-maker on the edge for the Terrapins.

Wisconsin Key Players

On Thursday, starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. was still listed as a game-time decision. Rumor has it he is trending in the right direction and really wants to play against his former team. However, if Edwards is unable to go, Danny O’Neil will make his third straight start for the Badgers.

Regardless of whether it’s Edwards or O’Neil who gets the start, as always, the quarterback position for the Badgers is crucial. Maryland leads the Big Ten in interceptions coming into Saturday’s game and boasts a very opportunistic defense. Taking care of the ball and not putting it into harm’s way is a major focus of Wisconsin’s preparation this week. O’Neil is coming off two interceptions last week against Alabama, and Edwards struggled taking care of the ball while he was at Maryland. Wisconsin will need to come away with points when it gets onto the plus side of the field, and great quarterback play is key.

Wide receivers Jayden Ballard and Vinny Anthony need to be difference-makers on the outside for Wisconsin. Both Ballard and Anthony showed off their speed and what they are capable of last week, and need to do so again this week. Wisconsin’s downfield passing attack has been nonexistent this year so far. Part of it is due to O’Neil being thrust into the position, and Badger receivers being unable to win outside. However, some of the blame falls on the offensive line, which brings me to my next point.

Through three games this year, the offensive line has been very mediocre for the Badgers and at times has been downright horrible. Part of the Badgers’ inability to press the ball downfield has been because of the line. O’Neil and Edwards haven’t had the time necessary to wait for the receivers to run the longer routes and have been forced to check the ball down. Improved pass blocking and better push off the line of scrimmage for running backs Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree are keys to a Badgers’ win this week.

Defensively, edge rushers Sebastian Cheeks and Mason Reiger need to win against the Maryland tackles. Cheeks and Reiger were unable to win against the Alabama tackles, which allowed Ty Simpson all day to throw.

Maryland has a true freshman quarterback making his first start on the road. Putting pressure on him and forcing him to make quick reads instead of being able to calmly survey the field will be critical for the Badgers’ success. Also, the entire Badgers secondary needs to play better than last week after getting dominated, to be quite frank. Maryland struggles to run the ball, and with Wisconsin’s dominant front-seven, envision Maryland trying to throw the ball around the yard.

Improved backend play against a fairly talented WR group from Maryland is critical. The secondary and pass rushers can work in tandem this week. Improved pass rush will help the secondary, and improved play in the secondary will allow the pass rushers to get home.

2025 Game Preview: How Wisconsin Wins vs. Maryland in Week 4

Wisconsin opened as 7-point favorites, and interestingly enough, at one point the line moved all the way to 10.5 in favor of the Badgers. The health of Billy Edwards Jr. is the main thing heading into Saturday. All signs point to Edwards playing on Saturday, but he is a legit game-time decision.

Maryland struggles to run the ball, only averaging 3.5 yards per carry, and that was against lesser teams. The Badgers’ front-seven is this their strong suit, and will nullify any chance of Maryland having a ground game. With a true freshman signal caller for the Terrapins, expect the Badgers to dial up plenty of pressure and fluster Washington.

Maryland is vastly improved after a 4-8 season a year ago, but how good this team actually is is a toss-up. Wisconsin faced stiff competition last week, traveling to Tuscaloosa, so the Badgers have a leg up there. This will be a back-and-forth, low-scoring type of game. A couple of key plays here and there will change the course of the game, but in the end, the Badgers being at home is a major plus.

Look for Wisconsin to have improved line play and for Cheeks and Reiger to get home. The Badgers’ secondary can’t play any worse than they did last week, and they have a great linebacker tandem in Curtis and Alliegro. And whether it’s Edwards or O’Neil behind center, look for the Badgers to squeak out a close one and start Big Ten play 1-0.