Down 14 with 3:22 remaining on the game clock, Saturday’s game looked like just another disastrous Maryland football defeat. Instead, it ended up being far more heartbreaking than Terps fans would have imagined.
Facing fourth-and-3 on Rutgers’ 11-yard line with 16 seconds left on the clock, quarterback Malik Washington lofted a pass to tight end Dorian Fleming in the back-right corner of the endzone. But when he came down with the ball, his left foot landed just millimeters out of bounds.
Head coach Mike Locksley was a toe away from saving his season and changing the narrative of his program after four straight losses. A 23-13 Maryland halftime lead dissolved in the second half. The Terps gave up 24 consecutive points en route to their 12th straight conference loss, a 37-30 conquest by the Scarlet Knights.
Locksley and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano were each firmly on the hot seat heading into a do-or-die Saturday game. With the Terps in must-win territory, the playbook was opened, and an unlikely source benefited to open the scoring.
After a dynamic one-handed sideline grab from tight end Preston Howard, the Terps found themselves inches from the goal line midway through the first quarter. Washington handed the ball to freshman tight end Damon Hall Jr., who had one catch to his name, and he muscled into the end zone to draw first blood.
The battle between coaches was far from the only highly-contested bout Saturday. Maryland cornerback Jamare Glasker frequently matched up with star receiver KJ Duff and was in the thick of a string of highlight-reel moments.
With less than a minute to go in the opening frame, Duff reached up for an Odell Beckham Jr.-esque catch while well-covered by Glasker and dragged his foot for Rutgers’ first touchdown.
Scarlet Knights quarterback Dylan Lonergan completed his first six passing attempts, including the score, but the senior stumbled in the second quarter. Facing third and long, Lonergan threw a pass well behind his receiver straight into the welcoming arms of Glasker — his second interception in three weeks.
When Lonergan regained his composure, he continued to relentlessly target Duff. The 6-foot-6 jump ball threat slid past Glasker again with 4:18 left in the second quarter and easily claimed his second touchdown of the day. Duff finished the game with 113 receiving yards on 9 catches.
Glasker made up for the blown coverage moment just moments later, scooping and scoring an extra point block from Trey Reddick to preserve Maryland’s narrow lead.
The Terps needed time to spark offensively. Kaleb Webb nearly coughed up a fumble on the opening return, and Washington went 2-for-6 in the air on a scoreless drive. But the key to the Terps’ first half was the tight end room.
While the emphasis on tight ends may have been due to a lack of available skill players — wide receiver Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding didn’t play and Webb spent time in the medical tent — it helped Maryland present something unique for its second score of the game.
The Terps lined up on the three-yard line with tight ends Hall, AJ Szymanski and Fleming flanking the line and another in Howard at fullback. Washington took the snap and faked the handoff before firing a bullet to an uncovered Fleming to retake the lead.
Offensive coordinator Clint Trickett continued to throw the entire playbook at the Scarlet Knights. A double reverse 16 yards from paydirt — cleared on the edge with a hefty block by Washington — gave Durr a clear lane to the endzone to grow the lead to 10 heading into the locker room with less than a minute to go before halftime.
Coming out of the half, Maryland appeared to run out of gas. A short-range field goal from Rutgers on its first drive of the third quarter was followed by a left-post doink by kicker Sean O’Haire from 34 yards out.
From that moment on, Rutgers ran rampant. Maryland’s issue limiting big gains reared its ugly head through all four quarters, allowing a season-high 12 plays of 15 or more yards. Four of those plays — three of which were through the air — allowed the Scarlet Knights to waltz down the field on consecutive drives to take a 30-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Scarlet Knights scored their fifth touchdown on a two-yard touchdown run from Antwan Raymond, seemingly icing the game with just 3:22 remaining.
Washington responded with two deep darts and a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back DeJuan Williams. After forcing a Rutgers punt, Maryland regained control of its own destiny again.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Washington used his legs to lead a drive downfield and into the red zone with 50 seconds on the game clock. But with the heartbreaking final play, the Terps dropped to 2-5 on the season, with little hope in sight.
Three things to know
1. Elee elevates early. Zion Elee gave Lonergan a hearty welcome to SECU Stadium, popping the ball out of the gunslinger’s grasp on his first defensive snap of the day. The freshman defensive lineman has forced a fumble in three straight games.
2. Impatience in the pocket. While Washington was more productive and secure compared to previous weeks, his accuracy errors were hard to ignore against Rutgers. The sophomore eclipsed his 64-yard passing mark from the Ohio State loss in the first quarter but finished with a 50% completion rate and appeared adamant to force the ball to covered receivers on multiple occasions in the endzone.
3. A streak to forget. Maryland has played Rutgers every year since both teams joined the Big Ten in 2014. While the Terps maintain a 12-10 all-time record against the Scarlet Knights, Saturday’s loss was their first time losing three straight to the team history.