Maryland football faced a fourth-and-10 on Indiana’s 30-yard line. Down two touchdowns, the Terps needed a conversion with just over eight minutes remaining.
Tai Felton and Kaden Prather, Maryland’s leading receivers, were both out with injuries they suffered during the contest. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. fired an incomplete pass to redshirt freshman Ezekiel Avit. The Terps didn’t cross midfield again until the Hoosiers were up 21 points.
Maryland was inconsistent on both sides of the ball Saturday in Bloomington, Indiana. Its offense struggled to extend drives while the defense allowed a season-high in points despite securing four takeaways. The result was a 42-28 win for Indiana.
“It’s one game, that’s the message,” coach Michael Locksley said.
Maryland’s (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) defense has allowed the third-most yards-per-game among Big Ten schools, but entered the day tied for fifth in the nation in turnovers gained. That showed on the opening drive of the game.
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Indiana (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) converted a pair of third downs, including an 18-yard catch over the middle from Miles Cross on third-and-16. One play later, Kurtis Rourke overthrew Myles Price. Jalen Huskey corralled the pass in stride for his third interception of the year.
Rourke threw another interception on the next drive to Glen Miller on a crossing route. Rourke, last season’s Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year, didn’t record a turnover in any of the Hoosiers’ first four games this season.
Indiana protected the ball on its third possession. The result was a touchdown. Rourke led a 12-play, 83-yard drive that was capped off with a Price one-yard score on the first snap of the second quarter for a 7-0 lead.
“We got to keep the ball in front of us,” linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II said. “Just a couple mishaps coverage-wise.”
Both of Maryland’s first-quarter drives were three-and-outs. Edwards Jr. was sacked on each possession. The offensive line, which coach Michael Locksley called “a work in progress,” allowed just one sack in each of the Terps’ first four games this year. Indiana ended the day with five sacks.
The offensive line committed three straight penalties the next possession. But pass interference on second-and-31 extended the drive, resulting in a Prather 33-yard touchdown on a go-route down the sideline.
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Maryland totaled 81 yards on the drive. It combined for four yards in its six other first-half possessions.
The Hoosiers netted 252 yards in the first half. Their final drive before halftime lasted just 32 seconds as Rourke fired a beautiful back-shoulder pass to Omar Cooper Jr. for a 27-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead at the break despite three turnovers.
Two weeks ago, Maryland scored just one first-half touchdown against Virginia before scoring on its first drive of the second half. That happened again Saturday thanks to a pair of incredible catches.
Shaleak Knotts miraculously grabbed a 27-yard ball from Edwards on third-and-17, keeping enough of his lower half in bounds to continue the possession.
Dylan Wade snagged a six-yard touchdown four plays later. Edwards whipped a pass into the middle of a crowded end zone, Prather popping the ball up and to the side. Wade extended his left arm to tip the football to himself, diving to snatch it for a score.
Roman Hemby exploded for a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play of the Terps’ next possession to even the score. It tied the longest rush of Hemby’s career, his first over 40 yards in two seasons.
“We were able to have a little bit of success but we’re going to keep working to make it more successful down the stretch,” Hemby said.
But the Hoosiers scored a pair of their own touchdowns in the third quarter to lead 28-21 entering the final frame. Justice Ellison ran one in from 19 yards out and Elijah Sarratt snagged a 13-yard pass.
Indiana’s offense kept rolling, adding two more scores in the fourth quarter to handily defeat Maryland. The Terps lost their first two conference games for the first time under Locksley.
“We’ve got two weeks to sit in this,” Locksley said. “What I’ve got to do now is go back, take a look at everything we’re doing … and get it fixed in the next couple of weeks.”
