In year six of Mike Locksley's Maryland tenure, Maryland Football has dropped two games to first-year head coaches at Michigan State, and now at Indiana. They are now 3-2, but winless in Big Ten play.
The Terps were able to force four turnovers, including two interceptions of Indiana quarterback Kaden Rourke in the first quarter, but the offense didn't score any points off of those turnovers. That resulted in a 42-28 loss to Indiana, snapping Maryland's three game winning streak over the Hoosiers. Indiana meanwhile, is now 5-0 for the first time since 1967.
"We've got to move on," said Maryland linebacker Ruben Hypolite II. "It's a long season, so we've got to take the coaching, make corrections, and move on.
The Terps also appeared to suffer several key injuries today. Star defensive back Dante Trader left the game in the first half and did not return. Both of Maryland's starting receivers, Tai Felton and Kaden Prather also appeared to be banged up. Felton was held well below his season average by the Hoosiers making just five receptions for 38 yards. Prather eventually returned to the game late in the fourth quarter.
"It's next man up, we just have to be ready to play," said running back Roman Hemby. "You hate to see your guys go down, but things happen so you have to be ready, prepared to step up and prepared to make plays."
"It's just one game", said Locksley following Saturday's loss. "Nobody told us it was going to be a direct route to the top. We'll use these two weeks to get healthy, and what I've got to do is go back and take a look at everything that we're doing.
He is right, it is just one game, but in order to compete for Big Ten championships as Locksley believes his team can do, both this game, and the Michigan State game are must-wins. The Terps now have to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole in Big Ten play, still with road games remaining against currently ranked top-ten opponents in Oregon and Penn State.
Maryland will have the first of two bye weeks next weekend before returning home to Secu Stadium for a Friday night date with Northwestern on October 11.
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