This article was written by Gus Wilson and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.* * * * *
The University of Maryland is apparently willing to do just about anything to get fans to attend – and stay – for Saturday’s game against Illinois.
Including paying their tuition.
Maryland is raffling off free tuition for the Spring 2027 semester to one student who attends the game and stays through the fourth quarter.
Crazy stuff here with the Maryland football 4th quarter student raffle this week:
You can win free tuition for the spring semester if you stay through the 4th quarter and enter the raffle. Eligible up to in-state tuition rates. https://t.co/t2WiZgTFiC
— Faith Harris (@faithlharris) October 26, 2026
First reported by journalism student Faith Harris on X, eligible students must attend the game, scan a QR code displayed on the video board and remain through the fourth quarter for a chance to win.
The tuition credit is valued at approximately $8,000, equivalent to the university’s in-state tuition rate.
Maryland’s in-state tuition fees for a semester, for those curious: https://t.co/1q8EnYvJvE
— Faith Harris (@faithlharris) October 26, 2026
And apparently free tuition isn’t enough.
Maryland is also offering a buy-one-get-two-free ticket promotion for Saturday’s game.
Triple the Terps, triple the treat 🎃🐢
Buy one ticket, get TWO FREE for Maryland vs. Illinois this Saturday, Oct. 31, at noon!
🎟️ https://t.co/T6USVwqz7r https://t.co/BTvdhQnXUE
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) October 26, 2026
Call them desperate, but it’s not exactly difficult to understand why.
The Terrapins are 2-5 and winless in Big Ten play after losing five straight games. Maryland has also lost 12 consecutive conference games dating back to last season.
The struggles already cost head coach Michael Locksley his job. Maryland parted ways with Locksley last week in the middle of his eighth season as head coach. The Terrapins posted back-to-back four-win seasons in 2024 and 2025.
Now, interim head coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim gets his first home game in charge against Illinois, and Maryland is trying their best to make sure students have plenty of reasons to stick around for all four quarters.
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