Maryland football dropped to 3-4 in SECU Stadium, 1-7 in conference play and 4-7 overall after suffering their fourth consecutive loss and falling 29-13 against Iowa on Senior Day.
Iowa amassed 273 rushing yards on Saturday, the most rushing yards that Maryland’s defense has allowed since Michigan RB Blake Corum ran for 243 yards back on Sept. 24, 2022. A pair of Iowa running backs eclipsed 100 rushing yards as Kaleb Johnson (154) and Khyree Moulton (101) led the way. Maryland’s offense, meanwhile, finished with a season-low 227 yards of total offense and 129 passing yards
Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson accounted for 42 rushing yards on the opening drive with the Terps’ struggling to wrap up, but the Terps’ defense would catch a break on consecutive plays. Linebacker Caleb Wheatland burst through the middle of the play for a ten-yard sack, then DB Jalen Huskey pounced on a fumble on the next play to end the Hawkeyes’ early scoring threat. It marked Maryland’s first takeaway since defeating USC back on Oct. 19.
But tackling was an issue for Maryland’s defense all day and as expected, Johnson made the Terps pay. The Hawkeyes wouldn’t be denied on their second redzone trip in as many drives, drilling a 27-yard field goal to open the game’s scoring. Johnson would punch in the game’s first touchdown midway through the second quarter while already eclipsing 100 rushing yards on the drive.
Maryland, meanwhile, would see a change under center after MJ Morris replaced Billy Edwards on the third offensive drive as Edwards received medical attention with an apparent injury to his throwing hand. The offense didn’t see much of a change in production though after punting on all four drives while amassing just 65 yards of total offense and three first downs through the first 30 minutes.
Iowa didn’t punt until its fourth drive of the game coming out of the two-minute stoppage, but a quick three-and-out by the Terps’ offense gave the Hawkeyes one final chance to tack on points – and they capitalized. A 53-yard field goal by the Hawkeyes in the final two minutes of the first half was enough to hand Maryland a 13-0 deficit at halftime.
Edwards returned under center to begin the second half, but the results remained unchanged on the opening drive after a quick three-and-out.
After a 50-yard field goal extended Iowa’s lead to 16-0, Maryland’s offense leaned on the ground game for seven of the 11 plays on the drive. The first carry for RB Nolan Ray of the day was enough to take the Terps’ offense into the redzone for the first time before a 13-yard run from Edwards pushed the Terps to the Iowa 2, taking another big hit that would sideline him for the remainder of the game. Three plays later, MJ Morris found WR Tai Felton for Morris’ third passing touchdown of his career and eighth receiving touchdown of the season. Maryland’s two-point attempt failed after Iowa’s front seven overwhelmed the Terps’ protection to take down Morris.
But like much of the season, Felton shined with another individual honor in the team’s loss after his second receiving touchdown pushed him in a three-way tie with Marcus Badgett and Jermaine Lewis after recording his ninth receiving touchdown of the season.
Another field goal, this time from 49-yards out, extended Iowa’s lead to 19-6 to close the third quarter, but Maryland would capitalize on the ensuing kickoff after WR Octavian Smith helped to force a Hawkeye kick out of bounds. One play later, Ray’s third carry of the day went for 25 yards to push the offense into Hawkeyes territory for just the second time. Maryland would cap off the drive with Morris’ second passing touchdown to Felton, cutting the deficit to 19-13, but Iowa responded less than two minutes later with a 68-yard run to push the Terps' deficit back to 13.
Maryland’s offense wasn’t able to muster any stops as the Hawkeyes controlled the final minutes of the game, cementing the sub-.500 finish at home for Maryland football in 2024.