Maryland’s trip to UCLA turned into a nightmare fast, and by the time it was over, the Terps had sunk to a level that looked hard to imagine even after last week’s rough showing against Virginia Tech.
What unfolded Saturday in the 54-3 loss was more than a bad day. Maryland was battered on the ground, beaten through the air and left searching for answers on both sides of the ball as UCLA piled up 274 more total yards and 227 more rushing yards.
The Bruins came in with one of the nation’s most dangerous rushing attacks, sitting fifth nationally at 286.7 rushing yards per game and leading FBS with 14 rushing touchdowns. That reputation held up immediately.
Wayne Knight, tied for the national lead in rushing scores with eight, carved up Maryland in the first half with 116 scrimmage yards on nine touches. He broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, then followed it with a 33-yard burst up the left sideline less than three minutes later to set up another Bruins score.
Anthony Woods finished that drive with UCLA’s second rushing touchdown of the second quarter, and Jaivian Thomas added a third. By then, the contrast with Maryland’s offense was glaring. Knight alone had outgained the Terps, who managed just 88 yards through two quarters.
The problem started before the game even settled in. Maryland’s backfield was already stretched thin after totaling 189 rushing yards on 57 carries across its previous two games, and Saturday only made matters worse.
DeJuan Williams missed those contests because of injury, and he was inactive again along with Harry Dalton III and four other running backs. That left Maryland with a bare-bones group: Iverson Howard, Jianni Davis and Liam Willson.
Howard was the only proven running back in the bunch, and he finished with 12 carries for 34 yards. Davis had switched to running back this offseason after being recruited as an edge rusher, while Willson had joined the program earlier this season.
The lack of depth showed immediately, and the Terps even tried to spark the ground game with backup quarterback Cardell Williams. That didn’t help much either.
One of his carries went for a five-yard loss, and he ended up with four carries for three yards.
With the run game going nowhere, the burden landed squarely on Malik Washington, and the sophomore had one of the roughest outings of his young career. He finished 18 of 38 for 142 yards and four interceptions, with two of those picks going back for touchdowns.
The first pick-six came when Washington, pressured and throwing off his back foot, was intercepted by Ta’Shawn James. James had crept up from behind tight end Dorian Fleming and made the easy grab before blockers cleared the path to the end zone, stretching UCLA’s lead to 27-3.
The second one was even uglier. A miscommunication sent Washington into a quick throw to the flat when no pass-catchers were there. Scooter Jackson picked it off and raced 65 yards untouched for another touchdown.
Chris Durr Jr. was one of the few Maryland players who looked capable of creating anything at all. He led the Terps with seven catches for 56 yards, and every one of those yards came after the catch. Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, Maryland’s second-leading receiver, didn’t haul in a pass, and no other Maryland receiver got above 30 yards.
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Maryland Just Added A Recruiting Piece Terps Fans Will Notice
Maryland has added another piece to its Class of 2027, and this one stands out for where it comes from as much as what he might become. Franklin Richardson, a three-star athlete from Sumter, South Carolina, has verbally committed to the Terrapins after taking official visits to Duke, Virginia and Maryland, giving the program its 22nd pledge in the cycle and its first from the Carolinas.
Richardson has played quarterback in high school, but Maryland is projecting him as a running back at the next level, which makes him an intriguing fit to watch as the class takes shape. For a Terps recruiting group that has been steadily building, landing a player with that kind of flexibility and an out-of-region footprint is the sort of addition fans notice, even with a long way to go before anything becomes official. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Have Every Reason To Question What Comes Next
Mike Locksley did not try to dress up Marylands latest disappointment, and from a fans point of view, there was little reason to. After a lopsided loss, the head coach said the Terrapins fell short in every phase and gave credit to UCLA and its coaching staff for the way they played. For a program that had been trying to find steadier footing, it was the sort of postgame assessment that sounded more like a reset than an explanation.
Locksley said he remains committed to steering Maryland through the Big Ten schedule, but the bigger issue is what the team can actually clean up in the short term. He pointed to defensive problems, talked through Malik Washingtons showing, and said the staff will go back to the tape and make adjustments. The challenge now is whether those fixes can come fast enough to change the tone before the seasons frustrations start piling up even more. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Locksley Pressure Just Hit A New Level At Maryland
A rough night in Pasadena only deepened the frustration around Marylands football program, as the Terps were overwhelmed by UCLA and fell 54-3 on Sept. 26. It was the teams ninth straight Big Ten loss, another reminder of how quickly the season has slipped into damage-control mode for a coach trying to steady the program and keep the locker room from spiraling.
Michael Locksley acknowledged the struggles afterward and said he still believes the Terps can turn things around, even as criticism around his tenure grows louder. The performance only magnified the concerns, with Malik Washingtons four interceptions adding to a miserable offensive outing and turning what was already a lopsided defeat into one of those nights that can linger well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]