Maryland walked into Lincoln with a first-half punch and left with another bruising reminder of how quickly a game can slip away.
The Terps built a 23-14 lead in the second quarter and had outplayed Nebraska for long stretches, but a string of costly errors opened the door. The Huskers slammed it shut with 34 straight points on the way to a 48-23 win Saturday, leaving Maryland at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play.
For a while, it looked like Maryland might finally cash in on one of its sharper offensive halves this season. The Terps moved the ball early, got a break on the opening series and turned it into their first opening-drive points of the year.
On the next snap, Malik Washington dropped a 36-yard pass into Chris Durr Jr.’s hands, and Durr kept rolling with a 20-yard jet sweep. Maryland settled for a field goal, but the tone was there.
Durr kept driving the offense later in the first quarter. The junior receiver caught a short slant, made one man miss and raced into the end zone on a 652-yard touchdown. By then, he had accounted for 121 of Maryland’s 155 yards.
But even that burst came with a warning sign. Nebraska had already blocked one punt, but a penalty on the play gave Maryland new life. The second time, the Huskers got the block clean, took over at the Terps’ 19-yard line and scored immediately on Mekhi Nelson’s touchdown run.
That was the pattern all afternoon: Maryland would make a play, then hand Nebraska a free one.
The Terps put together long drives after that, helped by a run game that looked much better than it has in recent weeks. Iverson Howard churned out tough yards and caught a swing pass he took to the goal line, only to have an illegal block in the back wipe it out. Later, Jamare Glasker stepped in front of a Nebraska throw, but Maryland still couldn’t turn the takeaway into a touchdown.
Nebraska kept surviving its own mistakes because Maryland kept piling up its own. Late in the first quarter, the Terps had Anthony Colandrea wrapped up for what should have been a 3rd-and-27.
Instead, Nahsir Taylor’s dive drew a late hit penalty and handed the Huskers an automatic first down. Nebraska scored after that fresh set of downs.
Maryland did answer in the second quarter with a jolt from DeJuan Williams, who was back after missing three games following minor knee surgery. On the first play of the drive, Williams ripped off a 56-yard run down the right sideline, then finished it off from three yards out. That pushed the Terps ahead 23-14.
The lead didn’t last long. Washington tried to hit Kaleb Webb, but Dwayne McDougle III jumped the route and returned the interception 81 yards for a touchdown. It was Washington’s sixth interception in six quarters, a rough stretch after he had avoided turnovers in his first three starts.
Maryland still went into halftime with the numbers on its side. The Terps outgained Nebraska 300-195, yet trailed 28-23 because the Huskers made the bigger plays off the mistakes.
The second half was a complete turn.
Maryland managed only 84 yards after the break and never found a response. Nebraska kept scoring, Maryland kept sputtering, and the game turned into a runaway. The Huskers piled up 34 unanswered points to turn a one-score game into a 48-23 final.
Nebraska’s offense leaned on Colandrea’s legs to do the damage. The senior quarterback ran for 108 yards, and Maryland had no answer once the Huskers started controlling the game on the ground and capitalizing on every opening.
In Other News...
Marylands Biggest Problem After Nebraska Loss Isnt What Fans Wanted
Mike Locksley didnt hide from the film after Marylands 48-23 loss to Nebraska, and he also didnt sound ready to blow up everything around it. The head coach pointed to effort as a positive, but said the Terrapins beat themselves too often with self-inflicted mistakes and execution breakdowns, the kind of issues that can turn a competitive afternoon into a lopsided final score before long.
Third down was part of the problem, as was the offenses overall rhythm, and Locksley also had to address the interceptions thrown by Malik Washington. Still, the message from the coach was not one of panic so much as persistence, with Locksley stressing that the group has to keep working and stay together if its going to correct the details that have been costing it. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Let This Game Slip Away In A Brutal Second Half
Maryland had the kind of start that can make a road trip feel manageable, grabbing an early lead in Lincoln before the game turned sharply against it. For a while, the Terrapins looked poised to leave Nebraska with a useful win, but the rhythm vanished as the night went on and the Cornhuskers kept building momentum.
Nebraskas pivotal interception return for a touchdown changed the entire feel of the game, and Maryland never found its footing after that. The Terrapins were undone by third-down struggles and penalties, and the second-half slide was severe enough to turn a competitive game into a 48-23 loss. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland's Promising Start Turned Into Another Frustrating Big Ten Loss
For a stretch, Maryland had enough offense to make its trip to Nebraska feel manageable, with Malik Washington throwing for 254 yards and a touchdown and Chris Durr Jr. turning in a career day. Durr finished with 149 receiving yards and a score, giving the Terps a bright spot on a night when they needed one, even as the game slowly started to tilt away from them.
Nebraska answered with a decisive second quarter, putting up 21 points before pulling away again in the fourth to hand Maryland a 48-23 Big Ten road loss. The result fit an all-too-familiar pattern for the Terps, who have shown enough promise in stretches to keep hope alive but still have not found a way to turn those moments into a conference win. [Read more 🡒]