Maryland football extends its season-opening win streak to 13 games after the Terps took down UConn, 50-7, inside SECU Stadium.
After an offseason filled with speculation about who would replace Taulia Tagovailoa, it was Billy Edwards Jr. who took the field for the opening snap with an offensive line featuring (L-R) Andre Roye, Isaac Bunyun, Josh Kaltenberger, Aliou Bah and Alan Herron, as expected. The opening drive did feature a near mishap after Edwards Jr. fumbled as the Terps approached the redzone before replay overturned the call, leading the Terps’ new QB1 to connect with fellow Virginia native and veteran receiver Tai Felton on the next play. Not only did the first reception put the Terps on the board for their first touchdown of the season, but it’d be the start of a big day for Felton after recording his third career 100-yard receiving game. It would be the first of two accolades on the day for the veteran after his 75-yard catch-and-run in the closing seconds of the third quarter put the finishing touches on a breakout game as he finished with a career-high 178 receiving yards, the most since DJ Moore had 210 vs. Northwestern in 2017.
As for Edwards, it was an efficient day in his third career start after recording his first-career 300-yard passing game, ending his day 20-for-27 for 311 yards and two touchdowns.
Edwards wouldn’t be the only quarterback to play, though, as MJ Morris took the field to lead the offense for the fourth drive of the first half, then third drive of the second half, as both drives stalled to end in punts. Meanwhile, ten different receivers caught at least one pass in the win.
After emphasizing the need to find efficiency with its ground game in 2024, Maryland was able to do so consistently on Saturday after finishing the day averaging over seven yards per carry through the first three quarters. Roman Hemby, who finished with 66 yards on 14 carries, punched in the opening touchdown of the second half as he eclipsed 2,400 career all-purpose yards in the first quarter.
Nolan Ray, meanwhile, turned the Huskies’ defense silly after taking his first touch 48 yards to extend Maryland’s lead, 14-0, midway through the first quarter. The run helped the offense finish with 165 rushing yards in the first half, the most in a first half in the Locksley era.
Jack Howes, who was in a competition with former Oklahoma kicker Gavin Marshall through fall camp, took the field for the first field goal attempt as his 29-yard attempt extended Maryland’s lead to 17-0. It would be his first of three attempts in the first-half after also drilling a 33 and 23-yard field goal in the second quarter, helping the Terps take a 23-0 lead into halftime.
Howes’ final 23-yard field goal of the half was all made possible after the defense came away with the first takeaway of the season. With under a minute left in the first half, it would be Glen Miller who scooped up an interception thanks to an overthrow by UConn QB Nick Evers, eventually setting Maryland’s offense up in UConn territory with 36 seconds left. After Edwards connected with TE Dylan Wade on consecutive throws to set Maryland up inside the UConn 10, TE Leron Husbands nearly recorded his first career touchdown before the field goal unit closed out the first half.
Hemby’s rushing touchdown set the tone for the offense in the second half as Maryland
continued its momentum into the final 30 minutes. While it was likely that fans would see at least one quarterback on Saturday, Cam Edge would eventually replace MJ Morris after sustaining a late hit, proving to be the latest targeting call against the Huskies’ defense. Edge took the offense into scoring position before connecting with RB Josiah McLaurin, taking the pass 24 yards for his first career touchdown – on his first career touch. DeJuan Williams joined in on the action on the Terps’ final offensive drive of the game after punching his first career rushing touchdown on a nine-yard run with 77 seconds remaining.
It wasn’t all offense, though, as the Huskies were held under 100 total yards of offense until midway through the third quarter. UConn managed to break into Maryland territory after Joe Fagnano replaced Nick Evers under center midway through the third, taking the Huskies into the redzone, before LB Ruben Hyppolite came up big to record his first career INT on a bobbled catch off the hands of the Huskies’ wideout. Maryland forced four three-and-outs and held the Huskies to just two yards per carry through the first three quarters.
Maryland will host Michigan State next Saturday, Sept. 6 for a 3:30 PM kickoff.
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