Maryland football opens as heavy underdog against Michigan State

Oddsmakers don't love Maryland's chances at pulling off an upset against 12th-ranked Michigan State on Saturday night at Byrd Stadium. The Terrapins are a 10.5-point underdog in opening odds released by Vegas Insider.

Maryland (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten) last played on Nov. 1, when the Terps took a last-minute win from Penn State on Brad Craddock's 43-yard field goal. C.J. Brown and the Maryland offense were anemic for most of the game, but the defense and Craddock lifted the Terps up from a nine-point deficit late and into a one-point win. Coming off a bye, they will have had a full two weeks to prepare for this game by the time it arrives.

Michigan State (7-2, 4-1) lost at home on Saturday to Ohio State, 49-37, in what was thought to be the conference's premier matchup of the year. The Spartans' ordinarily stout defense couldn't stop J.T. Barrett and the Buckeye offense from racking up 568 yards of offense.

The Terrapins will be without wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who may or may not be healthy enough to play anyway but is serving a Big Ten-mandated suspension, ostensibly for face-washing an official during a pregame scrum against Penn State. The Terps' offense will have its hands full against the Spartans, as will the defense against quarterback Connor Cook and company.

Kickoff on Saturday is slated for 8 p.m., marking the first time the Terps have hosted a night game since 2011.