Maryland's revised 10-game, conference-only 2020 football schedule was released by the Big Ten on Wednesday morning.
The schedule includes five home games inside Maryland Stadium, with Michigan State, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Minnesota all set to travel to College Park. The Terps are set to kick off the season with a trip to Iowa Sept. 6, while also visiting Northwestern, Penn State, Indiana and Michigan.
Highlights of the revised schedule include the Terps' first trip to Evanston, Ill. to play Northwestern since joining the league and a home game versus cross-division foe Minnesota Nov. 21 to close out the regular season.
Maryland has scheduled byes for Week 6 and Week 11, but those dates will likely be fluid as the league navigates the current COVID-19 pandemic. The Big Ten Championship is tentatively slated to take place Week 14 on Dec. 5, but that date is fluid as well, with the weeks of Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 announced as open dates should games be pushed back due to the pandemic.
It was believed the league's schedule was initially to be released Tuesday, Aug. 5, but that seemingly was pushed back due to a large COVID-19 breakout at Rutgers.
Numerous Big Ten schools, including Maryland, have had to stop voluntary football workouts at some point this offseason due to positive COVID-19 tests on campus.
Along with the release of the football schedule, the Big Ten also announced medical protocols for student athletes which sets a minimum necessary requirement for participation in fall athletics to make sure all are safe.
From the Big Ten:
Working with the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (Task Force) and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee (Committee), the Big Ten Conference also released its medical policies and protocols for all sports on the specific topics of testing requirements, and quarantine and isolation. Testing will be managed by a third-party laboratory to ensure consistency across the Conference. Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the pandemic, the protocols will be updated regularly as new information becomes available and feedback from student-athletes is continuously evaluated. The protocols have been developed to guide institutions in the minimum necessary requirements needed to participate in athletics in the 2020-21 academic year. These protocols, which will go into effect at the start of the competitive season and complement local protocols already in place at the institutional level, serve to provide specific requirements, in addition to considerations that have previously been developed by the Task Force, the Autonomy 5 Medical Advisory Group and the NCAA.
Currently required testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as outlined in the testing protocol, is polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Testing frequency is based on the level of contact risk within each sport and is required for student-athletes, as well as coaches and staff depending upon exposure to the student-athletes. Sports that have a high risk of contact will have a minimum of two PCR surveillance tests per week during the competitive season. All other sports will have a minimum of one PCR surveillance test per week. Additional weekly testing requirements and alternative testing methods will be implemented and administered by the Conference or institutions this fall as sufficient data to support use develops.
“Our institutions are committed to taking the necessary measures to facilitate a safe return to campus for our students this fall,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have prioritized the health and safety of our students. Their welfare is paramount and remains at the forefront of all of our decisions. Today’s announcement, though subject to local, state and federal public health guidelines, provides a path forward for Big Ten student-athletes to return to competition based on comprehensive, conference-wide medical policies and protocols established by the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. We will continue to evaluate the best available information and advice from public health officials as we make decisions and necessary adjustments going forward.”
Maryland also announced it's updated attendance policy, which will not permit fans at games to start the season under guidance from the Prince George's County Health Department.
The school said that it does hope to welcome fans inside Maryland Stadium to cheer on the Terps at some point this season should health conditions permit, with some new established measures. Season ticket holders can read more on this year's ticket policy and attendance HERE.
Below is a look at the Terps' full 10-game schedule. All kickoff times and broadcast information will be released at a later date.
September 5: @ Iowa
September 12: Michigan State
September 19: Rutgers
September 26: @ Northwestern
October 3: Wisconsin
October 10: Bye
October 17: @ Penn State
October 24: @ Indiana
October 31: Ohio State
November 7: @ Michigan
November 14: Bye
November 21: Minnesota
