Wisconsin Badgers
Maryland
November 11, 2026 | Football
The Badgers are set to face the Terrapins at College Park for the first time since 2015
MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Badgers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) are set to battle Maryland (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) on Saturday, November 14, at SECU Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT on FS1.
True freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins made his first career start last Saturday in Wisconsin's win over Rutgers. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, completing 18-of-24 passes for 241 yards and three scores.
Maryland is coming off its first conference win of the season, beating Purdue 34-21 last weekend. QB Malik Washington threw for 253 yards on Saturday, bringing his season total to over 2,000 yards, which ranks fifth among Big Ten quarterbacks.
THROWING IT AROUND
Hopkins’ starting debut earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. His 241 passing yards were the third most for a Wisconsin freshman in their debut. The freshman’s three passing touchdowns and 200.6 passer rating were also the best totals for any freshman quarterback in the nation last week.
CAN'T STOP COOP
LB Cooper Catalano made 14 tackles against Rutgers, bringing his season total to 90. The sophomore currently leads the Big Ten in total tackles and is tied for seventh in the nation. On Monday, Catalano and LB Mason Posa were named to the prestigious Bednarik Award watch list, which recognizes the nation’s top defensive players.
SPREAD THE WEALTH
Hopkins found eight different receivers last Saturday, with Shamar Rigby hauling in a season-high 71 yards to lead the group. That tied Wisconsin’s season-high for number of pass-catchers in a game. QB Colton Joseph threw to eight different receivers in the Badgers’ comeback victory over No. 13 Penn State on Sept. 26.
SERIES HISTORY
Wisconsin is 4-1 in the all-time series against Maryland. The Badgers' only loss came last season when the Terrapins earned a 27-10 victory in Madison. The teams will meet in College Park for just the second time, with Wisconsin winning the first matchup 31-24 in 2015.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT - QB RYAN HOPKINS
Hopkins’ headline-grabbing start may have seemed like a sudden transition for Badger fans, but behind the scenes, the freshman has been preparing himself for this moment for a long time – both in Madison and at home.
“Coming from Southern California, there’s a lot of high-level competition and a lot of talent surrounding me so that definitely helped me prepare for the college level,” says Hopkins on his abilities. “Going back to spring and fall camp, I tried to go out and make as many plays as possible. I tried to just prove who I was and not worry about anything else.”
Alongside his own preparation, Hopkins says his teammates’ support on and off the field was crucial to Wisconsin’s success against Rutgers.
“It felt really good to be out there just having fun playing the game that I love, that I’ve always played,” he says. “My receivers and my tight ends were making plays for me. It all starts up front too and with the running backs making plays. It was complimentary football at its finest.”
He added the support of the Badgers’ quarterback room in particular helped him in the week leading up to the game.
“Colton [Joseph] was great all week,” he says. “He’s been very supportive and he’s been giving me advice on reads, throws and runs. With all those quarterbacks – it’s good to be in a room where all of them support you and have your back.”
Instilled with a new bout of confidence in both himself and his team, Hopkins is now looking ahead to the rest of the season.
“Being able to come out with a win at Camp Randall in my first start was an awesome feeling and we’re bowl eligible now,” says Hopkins. “But November is the part of the year when you want to play your best football. We have some good games coming up soon and it’s gonna be a tough ride so we gotta keep going.”
