Maryland did plenty enough early in Piscataway as they led by as many as 25 points in the second half before pulling out a 42-24 win, finishing the regular season 7-5 (4-5). With Maryland’s fifth win in six seasons against Rutgers, Maryland has now won seven games for the third straight season for the first time since 2001-03. Breaking down instant reactions from Saturday’s road win:
Maryland takes early control on opening possessions
Two one-play scoring drives helped Maryland take clear control on the road.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Tai Felton’s 34-yard catch-and-run ended the opening seven-play drive as the Terps scored just three minutes into the game. The next drive needed even less time after a 49-yard catch and run, this time to Jeshaun Jones, set the Terps’ offense up with a second scoring opportunity before Taulia Tagovailoa rushed for a six-yard TD.
A defensive holding and two Taulia completions put Maryland back in the redzone on the third possession before Roman Hemby broke free on a screen, going nearly untouched for a 17-yard score. The Terps’ fourth touchdown of the first half would be the second one-play score after Taulia found a wide-open Corey Dyches for a 44-yard touchdown, pushing the Terps’ lead to 28-3.
Taulia connected with seven different receivers as he opened the game with 196 yards after completing all but one of his first eleven passes, carving the Scarlet Knight’s defense through the first 30 minutes after nearly recording his third 300-yard passing game by halftime. Through the first 20 minutes, Maryland made it crystal clear who the better team was as the boos began to rain down on the Scarlet Knights into the second quarter.
Maryland’s defense was able to feed off the offense’s success in the first half, stopping Rutgers on 4th down on their opening possession after LB Ruben Hyppolite blew up the play and brought Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt down for a one-yard loss.
With Maryland ahead 28-3 just 18 minutes into the game, Rutgers would respond after a ten-play drive ended with a fourth-down completion to Aaron Young for a ten-yard touchdown. Maryland looked destined to respond, but after a 57-yard catch and run by Tai Felton took the Terps back into the redzone, a Colby McDonald fumble gave the ball right back.
It initially looked like Maryland would absorb the blow of the first turnover after holding Rutgers to a three-and-out, but one play after Gottlieb Ayedze went down and facing a 3rd-and-17, Taulia Tagovailoa threw his first interception to give Rutgers good field position.
Wimsatt made the most of it and wasted no time, connecting with Isaiah Washington for a 42-yard completion along the left sideline before Wimsatt punched in a one-yard touchdown for consecutive Rutgers touchdowns.
Tush push guides Maryland past Rutgers in the second half
After scoring on the opening possession of the first half, Maryland finished with 14 total yards on its next three possessions with Brenden Segovia staying active through the third. Luckily for Maryland, Rutgers didn’t fare much better after posting just 32 yards in the second quarter but a 14-play, 94-yard drive would cut into the Terps’ lead and make it a two-possession game.
But after seemingly sleepwalking through the first 23 minutes of the second half, the Terps were able to lean on its ground game for a game-sealing drive spanning over five minutes and punctuated by Billy Edwards Jr.’s second rushing touchdown of the day and fifth in two weeks.
Maryland’s defense largely limits Rutgers offensively
Despite consecutive touchdowns to cut into Maryland’s first-half lead, Maryland’s defense was able to limit Rutgers to just 142 yards in the second half including 52 passing yards through the second half.
Tommy Akingbesote would come down with the second of two fourth down stops, both plays bringing Gavin Wimsatt down behind the line of scrimmage. On the next possession, Glen Miller added a fourth quarter interception along the sideline, though the offense wasn’t able to take advantage of the field position.
Dante Trader Jr. led the way with eleven tackles while the Terps finished with a pair of sacks and five TFLs in the win.
Record day for Taulia Tagovailoa, one-year extension triggered for Mike Locksley
Maryland’s passing attack led the way through the first half once again as Taulia Tagovailoa completed ten of his first eleven passes before finishing with an 80% first-half completion percentage. The highlight came on a six-yard reception by WR Jeshaun Jones, giving Taulia Tagovailoa the Big Ten all-time passing record after posting 298 yards in the first half.
While Taulia takes the conference honors, he wasn’t the only Terp to make program history. WR Jeshaun Jones, who finished with four catches for 70 yards, became the eighth receiver in program history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards and sits eight yards behind Dontay Demus for seventh-most in program history.
Yet still, Jones wasn’t the only standout Terp on Saturday as Tai Felton set a new career high with 140 receiving yards and one touchdown on five catches and six targets.
All the success through the air helped the Terps leave Piscataway with their third road win of the season, but an added bonus for head coach Mike Locksley.
After Maryland announced restructured contract terms to Locksley’s contract back in late April, Maryland’s seventh win triggered an additional one-year extension with Locksley’s contract now set to run through 2028.
Notes
-Gottlieb Ayedze went down on the second-to-last drive of the second half with Conor Fagan replacing him at right tackle.
-After finishing with two catches for 64 yards, TE Corey Dyches extended his streak to 25 consecutive games with at least one reception
-LT DJ Glaze started his 29th consecutive game
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