Maryland football faced a familiar pattern of a slow start for the second week in a row, trailing by two scores in the opening quarter against a supposedly weaker opponent. However, they turned the tide with an impressive 42 unanswered points, ultimately altering the narrative of the game.
As the fourth quarter began, Virginia was just one touchdown away from leveling the score, situated 12 yards from a potential tie. Yet, Tarheeb Still’s crucial interception shifted momentum back in favor of the Terps, who then exploded in the final quarter, securing a decisive victory.
In the 79th meeting between the Terps and their former ACC rivals, Maryland displayed resilience and wrapped up the non-conference segment of their schedule undefeated, winning 42-14 against the Cavaliers.
Tarheeb Still summarized their strategy for late-game success: creating turnovers and capitalizing on easy touchdown opportunities. After Still’s interception, Roman Hemby scored a touchdown, followed by an interception by Donnell Brown and Antwain Littleton II’s first season score. Tarheeb Still added his second takeaway of the quarter, setting up a Colby McDonald touchdown.
Wide receiver Jeshaun Jones emphasized the importance of complementary football, where the defense retrieves the ball, and the offense converts it into points.
While the strong finish pleased head coach Mike Locksley’s Terps, they had to overcome a sluggish start for the second consecutive week. In the previous game, they fell behind by two touchdowns early but eventually rallied to win by 18 points.
The first quarter of this game followed a similar script. After a quick three-and-out, Virginia efficiently advanced down the field in just three plays, establishing a 14-0 lead in front of their home crowd. Maryland desperately needed a spark, and it came from an unexpected source. Freshman Braeden Wisloski, handling kickoff returns for the first time, returned the ball from his own 2-yard line, sprinting untouched into the end zone and reinvigorating Maryland’s sideline.
Roman Hemby later scored a short-yardage touchdown to tie the game at halftime, and in the third quarter, Taulia Tagovailoa’s precision pass to Jeshaun Jones resulted in a 64-yard touchdown.
Tagovailoa finished the game with 342 passing yards and one touchdown.
Despite a brief push from Virginia, Maryland seized control and comfortably secured the victory, although it did not instill unwavering confidence as they prepare for challenging Big Ten matchups.
Coach Locksley expressed confidence in his team’s ability to overcome adversity but stressed the importance of avoiding early deficits, especially with the demanding Big Ten schedule looming.
Three Key Takeaways:
- Maryland’s recurring slow starts have become a concern, and they must address this issue as they approach Big Ten competition.
- The defense came alive with four turnovers in the fourth quarter, including two interceptions by Tarheeb Still.
- Maryland maintained its undefeated record against non-conference opponents, starting the season 3-0 for the third consecutive year, though challenging Big Ten games lie ahead.
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