On the first drive of the second half on Saturday, as Minnesota quarterback Zack Annexstad’s pass fluttered toward the middle of the field, Maryland linebacker Tre Watson broke toward the ball.

The Golden Gophers had found success with a zone read play earlier in the game, so they decided to try it again. Annexstad faked a handoff to draw the defense to one side of the field, then threw to a receiver streaking over the middle.

But this time, the Terps wouldn’t be fooled. Watson, who had dropped back to cover the receiver’s route, grabbed the interception and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six was one of three turnovers Maryland forced Saturday en route to a 42-13 win.

Watson, who transferred from Illinois in the offseason, didn’t come to College Park to be a rotational player. He filled out a relatively inexperienced linebacker corps, playing a large role in Maryland’s early-season defensive dominance.

“I certainly came in expecting to make an impact. I didn’t come in to sit on the sideline,” Watson said. “That’s just not my mentality.”

[Read more: Anthony McFarland scores twice in Maryland football’s 42-13 bounceback win over Minnesota]

Through four games, the Terps are ranked the No. 20 defense in the country. While Maryland still has a full gauntlet of Big Ten opponents to navigate, its defense appears much improved from 2017, when it was No. 86 nationally.

Watson said he spoke with linebacker coach Matt Barnes as he secured his transfer to Maryland. Barnes laid out a role for Watson that the Tampa, Florida, native felt fit his skillset.

Watson’s performance at weakside linebacker, defending the run and the pass, has been impressive.

[Read more: Maryland football safety Darnell Savage leaves Minnesota game after big hit]

In Maryland’s season-opening win over then-No. 23 Texas, he recorded nine tackles and an interception, one of three late turnovers to secure the victory. He supplied a season-high 15 tackles last week against Temple, and chipped in 11 tackles and a sack along with his pick-six against Minnesota.

“If the ball is in the air, it’s got to be mine,” Watson said. “And there’s no better feeling than being in the end zone for the team.”

The Terps held Minnesota to 94 rushing yards on 40 attempts, and Annexstad completed just 44 percent of his passes. After averaging 31.7 points per game in nonconference play this year, the Gophers scored 13 on Saturday.

“They came downhill fast,” Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim said. “That was probably their biggest key.”

Late in the first quarter, safety Darnell Savage — arguably Maryland’s top defensive performer this year — rushed to meet wide receiver Rashod Bateman at the sticks and laid a big hit to prevent a third-down conversion. The hit rattled Savage, who walked to the locker room with trainer support and didn’t return.

Without Savage, the most experienced Terps starter, other players stepped up. In the fourth quarter, defensive back RaVon Davis intercepted Annexstad and defensive lineman Byron Cowart forced a fumble, ending two Minnesota drives deep in Maryland territory.

“Any time you can score on defense, it puts you in a great position,” interim head coach Matt Canada said. “The only negative then was that our defense had to play a lot. … I was really, really happy with our defense’s effort. Again, with the injuries we had guys stepping up, and that was a challenge.”

Last week, the Terps’ defense was forced to spend more time on the field because their offense couldn’t sustain drives. This time, Maryland’s defense got to protect a lead — one Watson helped create — as the team’s quick-strike offense built an early edge.

Minnesota entered the matchup as the No. 6-ranked defense in the country, having handled its non-Power Five opponents to begin the season. But it was Maryland’s defense that controlled the tempo Saturday, with Watson leading the charge.

“I came here wanting to help a football team win games and get to a place I haven’t been in a really long time,” Watson said. “So far, I’ve been able to help the team do that, and that’s what matters at the end of the day.”