UConn vs Maryland Prediction, Odds & Picks – 8/31/2024

The UConn Huskies are set to take on the Maryland Terrapins in College Park on August 31, 2024, with the UConn Huskies as 20.5 point underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Early betting action shows 83% of spread bets favoring the Huskies, while the Terrapins have 17% of the support. The total stands at 45.5, with 75% of bets leaning towards the over. Don't miss out on this exciting matchup between these two college football teams with a lot to prove in their season opener.

Can UConn Find Traction Against a Respectable Opponent?

The UConn Huskies have been dominating the world of college basketball over the last couple of years. But things have been going poorly on the football field for UConn. They went 3-9 last season, with their wins coming against Rice, Sacred Heart, and UMass, which is not exactly a murderers row of quality opponents. Here, UConn looks to open their season with a much better win than they got at any point last year, though they are huge underdogs to get that win.

For UConn to have any chance in this game and this season, Joe Fagnano has to perform admirably from the quarterback position. He was out for most of last year with a shoulder injury, which has put him on this year's Comeback Player of the Year award watch list. But with last year's starting quarterback Ta'Quan Roberson transferring to Kansas State, it is going to be up to Fagnano to deliver early this year, starting with this game against the Terrapins.

Maryland Moving On From Taulia Tagovailoa

Maryland has had a Tagovailoa as its starting quarterback for a long time, even if that Tagovailoa was Taulia and not the superior Tua who is tearing up NFL defenses with the Miami Dolphins. But Tagovailoa is no longer a collegiate quarterback, which means a new day for the Terrapins offense starting with the first game of the 2024 season. Who gets the bulk of the work at quarterback in this game will be one of many storylines to monitor in this season opener for the Terps.

We could see Billy Edwards, MJ Morris, and Cameron Edge all play in this game for Maryland. But the question will be how effective any or all of them will be in the biggest spot of their careers so far. While UConn is far from a great defensive team, pressure can either create diamonds or burst pipes, and we will see which of those outcomes takes place for Maryland's quarterbacks in the opening week of their season.

UConn vs Maryland Best Bet

It is hard to justify playing either team in this UConn vs Maryland matchup to cover the spread on Saturday. Instead, we will look at the total, where the under is an appealing option. Quarterback changes on both sides, combined with the lack of offensive firepower in general from UConn, have us expecting this game to stay under its total of 45.5 points in what could be a defensive struggle in the state of Maryland.

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