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The Maryland Terrapins take on the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Purdue is favored by -6 points on the spread with a moneyline of -225. Maryland, meanwhile, enters as a +6 underdog and is +185 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 56.5 total points.
Here’s my Maryland vs. Purdue prediction and college football pick for Saturday, November 7.
Maryland vs Purdue Prediction
- Maryland vs. Purdue Pick: Purdue -6
My Purdue vs. Maryland best bet is on the Boilermakers to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page and be sure to download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
Maryland vs Purdue Odds
| Maryland Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6 -112 | 56.5 -115o / -105u | +185 |
| Purdue Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6 -108 | 56.5 -115o / -105u | -225 |
- Maryland vs Purdue point spread: Purdue -6 (-108), Maryland +6 (-112)
- Maryland vs Purdue over/under: 56.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Maryland vs Purdue moneyline: Maryland +185, Purdue -225
Maryland vs Purdue College Football Preview
Maryland Terrapins Betting Preview: Free Fall
It's hard to find a single program in the Big Ten trending in a worse direction than Maryland right now. The Terrapins enter Saturday at 2-6 overall, 0-5 in conference play, and riding a six-game losing streak.
Head coach Mike Locksley is also out, and the team has turned to interim head coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim for the rest of the season.
At this point, most of the attention in College Park has turned to the new hire, as well as the hardwood as basketball season begins.
To the Terps' credit, there was more fight last week in the 20-17 loss to Illinois than we had seen during a brutal stretch that included blowout losses to UCLA, Nebraska and Ohio State.
Still, close loss or blowout loss, this team simply hasn't found a way to win a conference game.
Offensively, quarterback Malik Washington has flashed some ability but hasn't been consistent enough. He has thrown for 1,805 yards and nine touchdowns, but that comes with seven interceptions, some of which have come at very costly moments in games.
Wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. has been the biggest bright spot, hauling in 58 passes for 638 yards and four touchdowns.
The issue is that Maryland hasn't been able to establish anything consistently around him, particularly on the ground. The Terps rank just 111th nationally in Rushing Success Rate, which is a key reason why they're averaging just 17.8 points per game in Big Ten play.
Defensively, there are even more reasons for concern.
Maryland ranks 116th nationally in Passing Success Rate allowed, which is a pretty troubling number heading into a matchup with a Purdue offense that has been at its best throwing the football.
There's also some attrition beginning to pile up. Maryland enters the week with multiple contributors either out, doubtful or questionable, including several key pieces like linebacker Trey Reddick and defensive lineman Jayvon Parker.
It was understandable that Maryland got up for its first game with a new coach, but after coming up short, will this team even get off the bus making the trip out to West Lafayette?
Purdue Boilermakers Betting Preview: Something's Cooking
The 3-5 record is not all that different from Maryland's, but I've seen enough from head coach Barry Odom's second Purdue team to believe this program is clearly moving in the right direction.
The Boilermakers have had to navigate one of the most difficult schedules in America, one that included nonconference games against both Notre Dame and upstart Wake Forest.
Despite some tough losses, they've provided some legitimate evidence of progress.
Purdue went into Illinois and won, 24-17, before returning home and absolutely hammering Minnesota, 41-13.
The Boilermakers followed those wins up with losses against Washington and Penn State, but this is still a far more competitive Purdue program than what we saw before Odom arrived, and the vibes in the locker room feel positive across the board.
Now the Boilermakers return to Ross-Ade Stadium for Homecoming in a spot where I expect them to come out ready to go.
Offensively, quarterback Ryan Browne has quietly put together a pretty good season. Browne has thrown for 1,964 yards, 11 touchdowns and only five interceptions, and Purdue has finally shown some legitimate explosiveness through the air.
Wide receiver Asaad Waseem leads the way with 652 receiving yards, while running back Fame Ijeboi has provided some balance with 588 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
I particularly like the matchup for Browne.
Purdue ranks 28th nationally in Passing Success Rate, and as mentioned previously, Maryland sits all the way down at 116th in Passing Success Rate allowed.
Browne will have plenty of opportunities to get the ball to his weapons down the field.
The concern, obviously, is Purdue's defense. There isn't much reason to sugarcoat it. The Boilermakers rank 127th nationally in Success Rate allowed and have been vulnerable both against the run and the pass.
The question for me is whether Maryland is actually capable of taking advantage.
Maryland will certainly move it from time to time, but this is an offense that has just made too many unforced errors. I expect Purdue to string together enough stops, whereas there won't be much resistance on the other side of the ball.
Maryland vs Purdue Pick, Betting Analysis
I'm comfortable laying it with Purdue under a touchdown in this spot. Last week was the Terps' week to play with their hair on fire, and they couldn't get it done against the Illini.
I don't think you'll see the same level of energy from them on the road, and this Purdue team will have plenty of motivation to continue to fight for bowl eligibility.
Beyond that, Browne has been the far more consistent quarterback of these teams, and I simply have more faith in the Boilermaker offense to be the unit that finishes drives with touchdowns in the red zone.
Give me Purdue to win and cover.
Pick: Purdue -6
Maryland vs Purdue Betting Trends
