With just below two minutes remaining and USC set to kick a game-sealing discipline purpose up six factors, the unthinkable occurred.
Maryland soccer linebacker Donnell Brown bought his fingers on the try, and the block was returned into USC territory by defensive again Glen Miller.
The Terps scored 5 performs, 47 yards and 48 seconds later to take an inconceivable lead with below a minute left. The benefit held for the rest of the competition — regardless of Maryland’s numerous miscues, errors and gaffes, it eked out a season-saving 29-28 victory at SECU Stadium on Saturday evening.
“Actually happy with the blokes, actually happy with the teaching employees [that] did a terrific job making ready these guys,” head coach Michael Locksley mentioned. “They stored dialing and determining how one can reply the issues that have been happening.”
The early motion was not characterised by stellar offensive performances, as each secondaries stepped up early. The Terps contained USC (3-4) properly on its first drive, however the Trojans equally stymied Maryland’s offense on its first two drives.
In his second recreation calling offensive performs, Locksley rejected the run, solely opting to go the ball on the group’s first two drives. Solely on the second play of the Terps’ third drive did they hand the ball off to Nolan Ray, for a 3-yard achieve.
As a substitute, the Terps’ offense was strewn with fast bubble screens and brief play-action throws. These didn’t produce explosive outcomes, as Maryland (4-3) scored simply seven factors within the opening half.
In the meantime, USC settled in properly after its second drive. It drove into Maryland territory earlier than being pressured right into a 52-yard discipline purpose that it missed. However an unlawful Terps substitution gave the Trojans a extra manageable fourth down, which it transformed.
The following sequence noticed Moss discover large receiver Kyron Hudson for a 22-yard landing, the sport’s first rating.
Related errors constructed up slowly over the course of the half — and the sport — because the Terps collected seven infractions for 60 yards on the evening.
After its first landing — a nook fade to Octavian Smith Jr. — Maryland had issue constructing on its momentum. A missed 52-yard discipline purpose from Jack Howes and a fourth-and-2 stuff on working again Roman Hemby left factors on the board.
The begin to the second half practically sealed the Terps’ demise, as they turned the ball over on downs after chewing over three minutes of clock. However Moss underthrew a go to Zachariah Department on the very subsequent drive, leading to a Lavain Scruggs interception and return that set Maryland up on the USC 18-yard line.
“We’ve created some depth the place these younger guys are pressured in there, and I gotta stay with among the errors,” Locksley mentioned. “However proper now, they’re doing all the pieces we’ve requested of them.”
The very subsequent play resulted in a Tai Felton receiving landing, bringing the Terps inside a rating.
“That’s the great thing about our system, is that now we have solutions,” Locksley mentioned. “If [USC is] going to play man and we’ve bought a bunch — Octavian Smith and Tai Felton and these tight ends must make these performs … they did at present once we wanted them to.”
But, Maryland did not take the lead till till very late. USC was pressured to punt on the subsequent drive, and the Terps had no hassle driving the size of the sphere. However crimson zone issues bought one of the best of Maryland as soon as once more, as Edwards threw an interception in the long run zone on fourth down.
The Terps clawed their manner again nonetheless, forcing USC right into a punt with 6:37 left to give itself one other likelihood. After one other botched fourth down play on the following drive, issues seemed hopeless for Maryland.
“It’s like slightly slugfest, Coach Locks may say, [a] little slugfest the place we’re simply taking punches [and] we’re giving them out,” linebacker Donnell Brown mentioned. “On the finish of the day, we stood up they usually stood down.”
However that’s when the magic occurred — and Maryland’s first Huge Ten win resulted in an emphatic Saturday evening storming of SECU Stadium.
Three issues to know
1. Late chaos passed off. After the Terps’ late rating with simply 53 seconds left, USC had a main alternative to drive down for a game-winning discipline purpose try. It bought all the best way right down to Maryland’s 40-yard line earlier than a 4th-and-2 incomplete go with 11 seconds left sealed the victory for the house group.
“I slammed my helmet on the sphere,” Brown mentioned. “I used to be simply so completely happy, as a result of that was the breakthrough that we’ve been ready for for a really very long time.”
2. A highlight-reel seize. USC large receiver Ja’Kobi Lane had one of the best catch of the day, bar none, as his 15-yard one-handed reception for the group’s second rating may be in competition for catch of the 12 months. He wildly contorted his physique round Maryland defensive again Perry Fisher earlier than reeling it in.
3. Smith sees elevated utilization. Apart from his first landing reception of the 2024 season, it was encouraging for Maryland followers to see the shifty junior produce properly. He completed the day with career-highs in each catches (8) and yards (84).
“I believe KP instructed me he had over 100 [yards], Tai had a bunch of touches,” Edwards mentioned. “Octavian Smith had a hell of a catch there within the first landing within the first half. So simply proceed to feed them the ball.”