Maryland (0-0) vs UCONN (0-0)
Game Info: Saturday, August 31, 2024 at 12:00 pm (SECU Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Maryland -23.5 / UCONN +23.5 — Over/Under: 45.5
The UConn Huskies and the Maryland Terrapins meet Saturday in college football action from Byrd Stadium. Here’s a UConn vs Maryland prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best UConn vs Maryland pick. We will examine:
The UConn Huskies recent form and player performance
The Maryland Terrapins recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the UConn Huskies
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Maryland Terrapins
Recent betting trends in games played between UConn and Maryland
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the UConn vs Maryland game
UConn Huskies Betting Preview
Last year the Huskies had a pretty tough campaign. UConn went a rough 3-9 overall, which ranked them in last place (tied with UMass) among independents. The good news is that the Huskies were able to close out the season with a pair of victories over Sacred Heart and UMass.
With Jim Mora back on the sidelines for his third year, UConn will still look different in the playbook with a new OC and DC. The passing game was pretty dismal last season, even though the line allowed only 12 sacks. The Huskies averaged 326.9 total yards per game in 2023, with 190.3 of those coming through the air.
Maryland Terrapins Betting Preview
Over on the Maryland side, they had a pretty successful overall campaign a season ago—even though they struggled in a tough Big Ten. The Terrapins went 8-5 overall and 4-5 in the conference, ending the season with a dominant Music City Bowl victory over Auburn 31-13.
Maryland gets Mike Locksley back in the head coaching position for his sixth year. He’ll try to help the team repeat their success on offense, as they averaged 387.3 yards per game last season (278.9 via the pass). That mark ranked fourth in the Big Ten.
Why the Maryland Terrapins will win
- Maryland has won each of its last 10 games against non-conference opponents at SECU Stadium.
- Connecticut has lost 28 of its last 32 road games.
- Connecticut has failed to cover the spread in six of its last seven road openers as an underdog.
- Maryland has covered the spread in each of its last three games against non-AP-ranked teams.
Why the Connecticut Huskies will win
- Maryland has failed to cover the spread in three of its last four season openers as a favorite.
- Connecticut has covered the spread in three of its last four road games against non-AP-ranked teams.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of Connecticut’s last nine season openers have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of Maryland’s last six games at SECU Stadium have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Maryland ranked 18th among FBS teams for Q2 points allowed per game last season (5.2).
- Maryland ranked T19th among FBS teams for Q3 points allowed per game last season (3.9).
- Connecticut suffered the equal-most road losses by a margin of 35+ points of any FBS team last season (2).
UConn vs Maryland Prediction
I’ll stay with Maryland. The Terrapins should benefit from the lack of divisions in the Big Ten this season, which should be a net positive when it comes to playing the top-shelf schools every year. Scoring will once again be a vital emphasis for Maryland, as they were 7-0 last year when scoring 31 or more points (1-5 when they failed to hit that number). The good news is that the Terrapins have plenty of talent to fill in for departed QB Taulia Tagovailoa.
Beyond QB, Maryland has a good line built from the transfer portal. Deep threats Tai Felton and Kaden Prather should shine as well. The Terrapins should be able to impose their will on a still-rebuilding UConn team in this opener, and I think they’ll cover.