Maryland’s first game without its longtime coach lands on Halloween, which feels about right. Illinois vs Maryland is a Big Ten game that kicks off at noon ET at SECU Stadium in College Park, and the Illini are the favorites.
Illinois is looking for a third straight conference win. Maryland is trying to survive its first game without the coach who ran the program for years.
The game airs on FS1. As of Wednesday, Illinois (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) was a 3-point road favorite, per the Yahoo Sports game preview. The moneyline reads Illinois -135 and Maryland +114.
That’s a small number for a team that just upset Oregon. It tells you the oddsmakers still respect a Maryland team that is 2-5 and winless in the Big Ten.
Why this Illinois vs. Maryland game is so odd
Maryland fired head coach Mike Locksley during its bye week. Athletic director Jim Smith then named Aazaar Abdul-Rahim interim head coach on Oct. 21, according to Maryland Athletics. Abdul-Rahim had been the associate head coach for defense and co-defensive coordinator, so he knows the roster.
Today is his first game in charge.
His paycheck changed fast. A contract amendment obtained through a public records request shows his annual pay rose from $625,000 to $1.045 million, Yahoo Sports reports. There’s also a $100,000 bonus if Maryland wins at least three of its five remaining regular-season games.
That’s a very specific carrot. The Terps have lost their last 12 Big Ten games, according to the News-Gazette’s live blog.
Plenty of other ranked teams have stumbled lately, too. Ten ranked teams have lost in three weeks, so nobody should feel safe on Halloween.
The Illini are riding momentum into this Illini vs Terps clash
Illinois has won two straight conference games. That includes a 21-10 home win over Oregon on Oct. 24, per Illinois Athletics. That result put the bowl conversation back on the table in Champaign.
Receiver Collin Dixon has tied the Illinois single-season record with 10 receiving touchdowns, per the Yahoo preview. If the Illini score through the air today, he’s the guy to watch.
Both of Yahoo’s published picks have Illinois winning comfortably, 41-17 and 47-28.
Can Maryland stop Illinois at all?
That’s the problem. Maryland is tied for last among the 18 Big Ten teams in scoring defense at 33.3 points per game. It also ranks 15th in total yards allowed at 366.6, according to DMV Sports.
The results tell the story, and it’s a roller coaster. The Terps beat Hampton 62-0 and won 38-14 at UConn. Then they lost 35-26 to Virginia Tech and 54-3 to UCLA.
Still, Illinois isn’t airtight either. Fox Sports notes the Illini allow 248 passing yards per game. It adds that Maryland’s best shot at moving the ball runs through receiver Chris Durr Jr.
Early on, the Terps landed the first punch. The News-Gazette’s live blog had Maryland up 7-0 with 7:05 left in the first quarter. Washington scored on an 8-yard rush after Illinois was pinned at its own 1-yard line.
It’s early, and the final score will decide the story.
What’s at stake in Illinois at Maryland
Here’s the thing: this one matters beyond a single Saturday. A road win would give Illinois three straight conference victories and keep the bowl push on track. Iowa comes on Nov. 21, and a trip to Northwestern follows on Nov. 28.
Last year, Illinois beat Maryland 24-6 in Champaign on Nov. 15, 2025.
For Maryland, the math is brutal. The Terps need four more wins to become bowl-eligible, per DMV Sports. That would be their first bowl game in three years.
Abdul-Rahim, for his part, is looking ahead. “Really excited to move on to the next steps, the next season,” he said, according to the same report.
Kickoff conditions are friendly, with about 57 degrees and a 0% chance of rain. Maryland is also leaning into the holiday with “Oktoberfest in Terpsville.” The first 7,500 fans get Bavarian alpine hats.
Yes, hats. Nothing says fresh start like lederhosen vibes. Elsewhere, each playoff contender faces one scary game, and Georgia’s comes today against Florida.
So can Illinois win its third straight? On paper, yes, by a field goal or more. However, a team with a new coach, a brand new bonus clause and nothing to lose is exactly the kind of opponent that makes favorites sweat. Just ask Texas Tech, whose quarterback sued the NCAA to play and now starts against Arizona.
Noon ET, FS1, and a stadium full of alpine hats. Who’s checking the spread now?
