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After falling just short of bowl eligibility in back-to-back 5-7 seasons, Indiana is a team that returns 15 starters and is just as hungry for success as the Terps. Maryland has split its last two meetings with the Hoosiers, as both teams took care of business on their home turf.

Indiana head coach Tom Allen has yet to get the Hoosiers over their 27-year bowl win drought, but he is showing some signs of improvement, having just signed the program’s highest-ranked recruiting class ever—No. 38 nationally and No. 8 in the Big Ten.

That solid recruiting class will be joined by fellow newcomer Jack Tuttle, a redshirt freshman and former four-star quarterback who transferred from Utah after one season and was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA.

Tuttle will battle for the starting quarterback spot with incumbent Peyton Ramsey, who has started 16 games between the last two seasons, and Michael Penix Jr., who was on his way to surpassing Ramsey on the depth chart last year before suffering a knee injury against Penn State. Penix is a running quarterback with a stronger arm than Ramsey, but if Allen and new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer decide they want to go with a more pro-style approach, the competition could boil down to Tuttle versus Ramsey.

DeBoer has a history of airing the ball out, so whoever wins the quarterback competition will be asked to frequently get the ball to wide receivers Nick Westbrook, Donavan Hale, Whop Philyor, Miles Marshall and Ty Fryfogle as well as tight end Peyton Hendershot.

When the Hoosiers do decide to run the ball, they’ll be handing it to one of the best backs in the Big Ten—Stevie Scott. Scott rushed 1,137 yards last season, including a 204-yard performance in Week 2 against Virginia. Much like Maryland, Indiana has a multitude of talent in the backfield. Scott is joined by sophomore Ronnie Walker Jr. and freshman Sampson James, who decommitted from Ohio State.

The Hoosiers have some promising young talent on the offensive line, but they’ll need to replace three starters from last year.

Last season, Indiana allowed 423.8 yards per game, so improving the defense has been a major focus this offseason.

The Hoosiers have size on the interior of the defensive line and speed coming off the edge with defensive end James Head. Linebacker is perhaps Indiana’s deepest position on the defensive side of the ball, and hybrid safety Marcelino Ball will join the group in the box on occasion. The secondary is the most experienced defensive unit with three returning starters.

Bottom line: While the Hoosiers have a solid receiving corps and talented backfield, questions at quarterback and a defense that’s still coming into its own makes Indiana a beatable team, especially with the game residing in College Park. Maryland should be able to move the ball against IU, but the Terps offense will have to show up in this one to keep pace. If the Hoosiers can get a quarterback to settle in, they’ll be a much more dangerous team.

Series: 5-2, Indiana

Last Maryland win: 2017, 42-39 at Maryland

Last Indiana win: 2018, 34-32 at Indiana