Maryland routs Michigan State to improve to 4-0
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Maryland football team burst into boisterous song in its locker room shortly after thumping Michigan State, 31-9, on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium. It wasn’t just the program’s first road win here since 1950 that generated such cathartic exuberance.
Players learned late this week that the Terrapins had been tabbed as Michigan State’s homecoming opponent, a perceived slight they used as fuel for finally getting on track offensively in the early going for a comfortable lead. A swarming defense did the rest, forcing five turnovers and keeping the Spartans out of the end zone until late in the third quarter.
“That kind of added a little bit of juice to it,” said Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton, who had three catches for a team-high 67 yards, “and we ended up getting a ‘W’ today.”
Among the plays that allowed Maryland (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) to begin to exhale in its conference opener was safety Tarheeb Still stepping in front of an underthrown pass from backup quarterback Katin Houser with less than six minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
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Houser was in the game because of an injury to starter Noah Kim on Michigan State’s previous series, and Maryland was able to preserve a 24-9 lead after Still’s interception.
The Terrapins scored the game’s final points on the ensuing possession after quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa completed a short pass to Octavian Smith Jr. on fourth and one. The sophomore wide receiver did the rest in finishing a 31-yard scoring play with 3:18 remaining.
Tagovailoa accounted for four touchdowns — three through the air and one on the ground. The redshirt senior completed 21 of 36 passes for 223 yards with one interception and ran five times for 37 yards, with a long of 18 in the closing minutes that forced the Spartans (2-2, 0-1) to use their final timeout.
“Really proud of this team,” Terrapins Coach Michael Locksley said. “Proud of the way they responded to the coaching. We’ve talked the last couple of weeks about starting fast, and we were able to do that today. Anytime you’re able to win on the road in the Big Ten, that’s huge.”
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As they stretched their winning streak to six in a row dating from last season, the Terrapins collected three sacks and six tackles for losses. Maryland, which had 11 players with a reception and six with at least one rushing attempt, won despite finishing at a deficit in total offense (376 yards to 362) and time of possession (31:20 to 28:40).
Michigan State’s only touchdown came after Tagovailoa threw an interception in the third quarter in the back of the end zone on third and goal.
On the next possession, Kim connected on a nine-yard scoring throw to wide receiver Tyrell Henry with 3:44 remaining in the quarter, whittling the deficit to 21-9. Henry gained separation from Maryland safety Beau Brade (team-high 10 tackles) in the end zone for the routine catch, but a two-point conversion attempt failed after Still broke up a pass intended for Christian Fitzpatrick.
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“This week we made an emphasis on getting our hands on the ball, creating turnovers and creating more opportunities for the offense,” said Still, who had four tackles as part of a defense that has limited three of four opponents this season to 14 points or fewer.
Maryland scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second quarter to expand its lead to 21-3 by halftime.
The second of those drives required just five snaps, ending with Tagovailoa’s one-yard sneak, after the Terrapins took over in Michigan State territory courtesy of senior linebacker Sean Greeley jarring the ball loose from running back Nathan Carter. Maryland defensive lineman Donnell Brown recovered at the 32.
The Terrapins had bumped the lead to 14-0 with 11:28 to play in the first half on Tagovailoa’s 12-yard pass to wide receiver Tyrese Chambers between two Spartans defenders to the left boundary in the end zone. The touchdown capped an 11-play drive that covered 95 yards and had been set up when Maryland’s defense held on fourth and goal from the 1.
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Michigan State’s only points of the half came on Jonathan Kim’s 37-yard field goal with 3:39 to go in the second quarter. Kim had a second field goal try from 47 yards blocked before the end of the half, with defensive lineman Tommy Akingbesote redirecting the ball with his hand at the line of scrimmage.
Following consecutive games in which it fell behind by 14 points in the first quarter, Maryland arrived for its first road game this year intent on dictating the proceedings in the opening minutes. Brade ignited the Terrapins in that regard with an interception after Michigan State had marched inside the 50 on the first possession of the game.
A pass-heavy drive yielded a one-yard touchdown pass to Greeley, who lined up in the backfield and was uncovered in the end zone when the Spartans flowed toward a play-action fake from Tagovailoa to running back Antwain Littleton II. The sequence unfolded one play after Tagovailoa completed a 17-yard slant to Felton on third and eight.
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The quick strike to Greeley with 7:52 left in the first quarter also served to quiet the impact from Michigan State’s student section. Locksley referred to members of that group as “comedians” this week based on his last visit to Spartan Stadium two years ago, and he made certain to instruct his players to tune out unflattering remarks emanating from that portion of the stands.
Off the field, Michigan State continues to try to manage distractions. The school initiated the termination of Coach Mel Tucker’s contract for cause after Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor and activist, accused him of sexual harassment. Longtime assistant Harlon Barnett is serving as acting coach, and former coach Mark Dantonio rejoined the staff. Michigan State is 0-2 since Tucker was removed from the sideline.
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