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Maryland rolls to best start in 2 decades with blowout of Indiana

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Maryland is cruising to begin the 2023 season, steamrolling past Indiana with a 44-17 win in Week 5. As a result, the Terrapins are now 5-0 on the season with the best start ever under head coach Mike Locksley.

That start is also the best for the program since all the way back in 2001. That season was the first for legendary head coach Ralph Friedgen. Maryland would start that season 7-0 and finish with a No. 11 ranking for the Terrapins and Orange Bowl appearance.

While it is Maryland’s best start since 2001, the program has not reached double-digit wins since the 2003 season under Friedgen. The former head coach also holds the program’s last 9-win season during the 2006 season.

After a 5-0 start, Maryland is already on the doorstep of the 3rd straight bowl appearance for Locksley. That would give the Terrapins their first stretch of 3 straight bowl games since 2006-08.

With the hot start behind them, the Terrapins are about to get their first glimpse of what this team’s true ceiling could be. Maryland will hit the road for a game against No. 4 Ohio State next Saturday, and it’s likely that game will turn into a top-25 showdown with Sunday’s new AP Poll.

Down the road, Maryland must still face Penn State and Michigan at home with a trio of current top-10 teams on the schedule. The Terrapins have struggled in those environments under Locksley, but we’ll soon find out if this team can rise to the occasion in elite matchups.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.