Who is favored in UCLA Bruins at Maryland Terrapins?

UCLA Bruins are favored on the moneyline.

UCLA Bruins at Maryland Terrapins

Sep 26, 2026·12:30 PM CT·College Park, MD

By JR·2 min read

UCLA(3-0)

MD(2-1)

AT

12:30 PM CT

TLDR: UCLA arrives in College Park still unbeaten and fresh off a Big Ten-era scoring record, while Maryland is still working through its first loss of the season — a defense that just found out what a Power Four offense looks like.

SAT SEP 26, 12:30 PM CT

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UCLA

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Maryland

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UCLA brings a 3-0 start and a Big Ten-era scoring record into College Park, while Maryland is coming off its first loss of the season, a 35-26 defeat to Virginia Tech that exposed its defense against the first real competition it has faced. The Terrapins are also down their starting running back and a starting linebacker for the year, while UCLA is nursing bumps of its own on the offensive line and in the secondary. Weather at SECU Stadium could matter for two offenses that have scored freely to open the season.

UCLA

3-0 to open the season, still unbeaten
Set a Big Ten-era record: 52 points, 645 yards
Defense allowed 38 points in its lone Big Ten test so far
Several defensive backs and O-linemen banged up entering this trip

Maryland

QB Malik Washington threw for 359 yards, 3 TDs vs Virginia Tech
Opened 2-0 with lopsided wins over Hampton and UConn
Lost its only Power Four test so far, 35-26 to Virginia Tech
Missing starting RB DeJuan Williams and LB Zahir Mathis

UCLA torched Purdue for 52 points and 645 total yards, both single-game highs of the program's Big Ten era, with quarterback Nico Iamaleava throwing for 276 yards and 3 touchdowns and running back Wayne Knight piling up 177 yards on the ground. Maryland's offense has shown flashes too — quarterback Malik Washington threw for 359 yards and 3 touchdowns in the loss to Virginia Tech — but the Terrapins' defense gave up touchdowns on 5 of the Hokies' first 6 possessions and fell behind 35-14 before a late rally made the final score respectable.

Both sides will be shorthanded here. UCLA's secondary and offensive line took hits before the Purdue trip — wide receiver Mikey Matthews and several defensive backs missed that game — while Maryland is already without running back DeJuan Williams, who scored twice in the opener before an undisclosed injury sidelined him and is expected to keep him out roughly a month, plus linebacker Zahir Mathis for the rest of the season. None of that stops the board from making UCLA the favorite heading east.

There's also the forecast to factor in: light drizzle and a steady 15 mph wind are calling for SECU Stadium on gameday, conditions that could matter more for two offenses that have combined for nearly 200 points through their first five games than for either defense.

The Virginia Tech loss is the more instructive data point of the two records here. Maryland's defense got run out of the building early against a program on the same tier as UCLA, conceding 35 before the offense clawed back. UCLA's lone blemish — allowing 38 to Purdue — came in a game the Bruins still won comfortably, with linebacker Sammy Omosigho forcing 2 fumbles along the way.

Both programs are still figuring out who they are a month into the season. Maryland gets a chance to show the Virginia Tech result was a one-off against a proven opponent; UCLA gets a chance to show the Purdue shootout was an aberration rather than a pattern for its defense.

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