Maryland football’s offense got off to an incredibly slow start against No. 2 Indiana, finally showing signs of life in the third quarter with a long DeJuan Williams touchdown. Needing to string together
consecutive scoring drives, quarterback Malik Washington took the ball himself on a third-and-1 zone read.
Nearly the entire defense was fooled. All Washington had to do to extend the drive was beat linebacker Devan Boykin charging off the line.
The freshman used his body well, leaning outside before cutting back to gain the inside leverage. But as he cut inside, Boykin easily swiped the ball out, taking the scoop-and-score 31 yards to kill off any hopes of a comeback.
The Terps were humiliated by one of the nation’s best programs on national television, losing to the Hoosiers, 55-10.
One of Maryland’s biggest problems entering the game was locking down Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, who entered the game with a nation-high 10 receiving touchdowns.
Cornerback Jamare Glasker was the immediate answer, spending the first quarter pressing Sarratt when he lined up outside. On the game-opening third down, quarterback Fernando Mendoza looked for a quick completion to the flat — but Glasker read the play, breaking early and jumping the route to record his third interception of the game.
But Maryland’s offense couldn’t convert the early defensive dominance. Glasker returned his pick inside the red zone, but the Terps settled for a field goal. And after creatively schemed pressure forced Indiana into a deep punt, Maryland went three-and-out from the Hoosiers’ 45-yard line.
When the defensive dam broke and Indiana put together consecutive scoring drives — even with Sarratt sidelined for most of the game — the Terps found themselves in a hole.
Needing a response, the Terps turned to Washington to get Maryland rolling. But on the first play of the second quarter, he forced a ball upfield under pressure and was picked off, ending a promising drive.
Two offensive plays later, Washington launched a deep shot towards receiver Kaleb Webb, but Indiana defensive back Louis Moore highpointed the ball before Webb could wrap it up.
Suddenly, the freshman quarterback had his first ever two-interception game. Minutes later, with Glasker getting torched on a double move by Omar Cooper Jr., the Terps faced their first two-touchdown deficit of the season.
Locksley admitted in a halftime interview with CBS that Washington looked unsettled for the first time this season. Maryland had no other option to get the offense moving, though — the Terps’ five first-half rushing plays produced a total of two yards.
But it was running back DeJuan Williams that got the Terps back in the game coming out of the half.
The redshirt freshman snagged a 16-yard reception to move the chains on third down. On the very next play, with the play breaking down and Washington facing three onrushing linebackers, Williams drifted deep and caught a floater. He peeled away, outran the safety and found paydirt on a 55-yard touchdown.
Indiana responded with a six-play touchdown drive, immediately putting the pressure back on the Terps. And when the ball squeaked free from Washington’s grasp, the blowout began.
Washington completed his next two passes, but on the second, Octavian Smith Jr. had the ball punched free. Former Terp Roman Hemby plunged into the end zone two plays later.
Maryland put together two garbage-time drives, including one that ended with a fourth-and-goal pass falling incomplete, but the Hoosiers held firm.
The ensuing drives grounded out the clock, putting an unceremonious end to the Terps’ homecoming. A formerly sold-out SECU Stadium, which had the packed student section erupt in “Fire Locksley” chants entering halftime, barely had enough fans remaining for the jeers to be heard as time expired.
Three things to know
1. Washington’s worst game yet. The Terps’ quarterback was thoroughly disappointing in the big time, finishing 16-for-31 with 242 passing yards, a touchdown, two interceptions and the fumble. Indiana hurried Washington just once and never got him on the ground. Despite having time, Washington went just 7-for-19 on passes thrown beyond the line of scrimmage.
2. Another abysmal rushing performance. Through three quarters against Indiana, Maryland averaged 0.9 yards per rush. The Terps’ longest run through 57 minutes was four yards. Indiana finished with 367 rushing yards, 330 more than the Terps. It’s the most rushing yards Maryland has allowed in a game since 2019.
3. Back to .500 — but still bowl chasing. Two-thirds of the way through Maryland’s season, the Terps are two-thirds of the way to bowl eligibility. Two winnable games — against Rutgers and Michigan State, who each have one in-conference victory — could get Maryland there.
The Terps remain close to extending their season thanks to the good of the first third, which feels like a distant memory at this point with the bad of the second. The Terps will need to find something at least in between for the last third, or it will get ugly.
