Maryland football secured its first Big Ten victory of the season on Saturday, upsetting USC 29-28 at home.
With just two minutes left and USC leading by six, it seemed the Terps were on their way to a 3-4 record. However, Donnell Brown breathed new life into SECU Stadium by blocking USC’s field goal attempt, which was then returned into USC territory. Maryland’s offense capitalized on the opportunity, with Billy Edwards Jr. scoring a 3-yard rushing touchdown to put the Terps ahead by one.
Here are three key takeaways from Saturday’s game
A pass-heavy game
Both Maryland and USC leaned heavily on their quarterbacks’ passing abilities on Saturday.
In head coach Michael Locksley’s second game as play caller, the Terps focused less on the run early in the game. It took over two drives and 10 plays before they called their first run, a 3-yard gain from Nolan Ray. In the first half, Maryland designed only four run plays—excluding quarterback sneaks—for a total of seven yards, and Roman Hemby did not have a single carry in that half.
“They played man coverage 90% of the time. That means they have an extra defender in the box,” Locksley explained. “I’d love to see us run the ball more efficiently, but today… we ran when necessary.”
However, Maryland’s rushing game improved in the second half, highlighted by a 33-yard run from Ray. By the end of the game, the Terps’ running backs had combined for 12 carries and 68 yards. In contrast, Billy Edwards Jr. completed 39 of 50 passes, amassing 373 yards and two touchdowns.
USC also followed a similar pattern, with its running backs carrying the ball eight times for 44 yards in the first half, later increasing to 20 carries for 88 yards by the end of the game.
Miller matched Edwards’ performance, throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns on 34 of 49 passing.
Both teams entered the game among the lower ranks in the Big Ten for rushing yards per game, and both ended up well below their season averages. Maryland tallied only 56 rushing yards, which is 65.1 yards short of its average, while USC finished with 82 yards, 63.4 yards below its average.
A balanced passing attack
While Tai Felton continues to lead the Big Ten in both receptions and receiving yards by a significant margin, Saturday’s game showcased a more balanced passing attack from the Terps.
Junior Octavian Smith Jr. had a standout performance, recording eight catches for 84 yards along with an impressive touchdown. His previous career highs were five receptions and 79 yards.
“He’s been struggling with a turf toe,” Locksley noted. “But he was healthy today. The bye week helped him recover. He made some critical plays, including that touchdown catch earlier… I keep talking about players maturing, and I believe Oct took a step in the right direction today
This catch stood after review. Smith has his first TD of the season.
We’re tied 7-7 with 11:07 left in the first half. https://t.co/ym2hinKbm9 pic.twitter.com/XXel3DGP19
— Testudo Times (@testudotimes) October 19, 2024
Kaden Prather was the standout player, recording a season-high 111 receiving yards on nine receptions. He also caught a crucial two-point conversion in the fourth quarter that helped put the Terps in a position to clinch the victory.
Felton also had a strong performance, making nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.
In addition to them, Hemby caught six passes for 52 yards and was frequently targeted with screen plays. Tight ends Dylan Wade and Preston Howard combined for 32 receiving yards on six catches, while Ray added one catch for 10 yards
Avoidable mistakes almost proved costly again
As has been a recurring issue for Maryland this season, preventable mistakes hurt the Terps.
In the first quarter, Maryland was penalized for an illegal substitution while the Trojans were lined up for a missed 52-yard field goal. The additional 5 yards allowed USC to attempt a fourth down, which they converted easily.
Instead of starting with good field position, the Terps found themselves trailing by seven early on, as USC took advantage of the penalty and scored a 22-yard touchdown pass.
In the second quarter, Maryland aimed to reduce USC’s lead from the Trojan 27-yard line with just 10 seconds left in the half. However, Edwards fumbled the snap, which was recovered by USC defensive end Solomon Tuliaupupu, thwarting the Terps’ chance to score.
Later, in the third quarter, Aliou Bah was flagged for a false start, pushing Maryland back to the USC 16-yard line. The drive then ended unsuccessfully on a fourth-down attempt from the USC 4-yard line.
Similar mistakes were observed in Maryland’s earlier loss to Michigan State. Jalen Huskey jumped offsides on a missed field goal attempt, allowing the Spartans to convert a shorter kick that ultimately decided the game in a 27-24 defeat.
Thankfully, thanks to Brown’s timely block, the Terps managed to overcome these errors and secure a victory.
“You have to let it go, man. You have to,” Locksley said. “This team has resilience
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