Maryland Collapses After Fast Start in 48-23 Loss to Nebraska
Maryland looked like it might deliver a major road victory for much of the first half Saturday afternoon. Instead, another promising start turned into another ugly Big Ten loss as Nebraska defeated the Terrapins 48-23 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Maryland led by nine points midway through the second quarter before Nebraska scored the final 34 points of the game.
The loss dropped Maryland to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play, while Nebraska remained undefeated at 5-0. The Terrapins have now lost three consecutive games after beginning the season 2-0. After getting embarrassed 54-3 by UCLA in their previous game, Maryland initially appeared ready to deliver the type of response head coach Mike Locksley desperately needed.
Maryland Starts Fast
Maryland opened the scoring when Sean O’Haire connected on a 26-yard field goal, giving the Terrapins an early 3-0 advantage. Nebraska responded after a blocked Maryland punt gave the Cornhuskers excellent field position, with Mekhi Nelson scoring on a 19-yard run. That special-teams mistake prevented Maryland from completely controlling an opening quarter in which the Terrapins otherwise dominated.
Malik Washington quickly answered by finding Chris Durr Jr. for a 65-yard touchdown that put Maryland back in front 10-7. O’Haire followed with field goals from 42 and 32 yards as the Terrapins finished the first quarter leading 16-7. Maryland outgained Nebraska 207-38 in the quarter, while Washington threw for 177 yards and Durr accumulated 135 receiving yards.
The only real disappointment was Maryland’s inability to turn more of those opportunities into touchdowns. Three possessions ended with field goals, allowing Nebraska to remain within striking distance despite being thoroughly outplayed. Against an undefeated Big Ten opponent on the road, Maryland needed to capitalize while it controlled the game.
Terps Build a Nine-Point Lead
Nebraska cut Maryland’s advantage to 16-14 early in the second quarter when Nelson scored his second rushing touchdown. Maryland responded when DeJuan Williams broke loose for a 56-yard run, giving the Terrapins another excellent scoring opportunity. Williams eventually finished the possession himself with a three-yard touchdown, extending Maryland’s lead to 23-14 with 8:54 remaining before halftime.
Williams provided an encouraging performance after returning to Maryland’s lineup. He finished with 78 rushing yards and a touchdown on only 10 carries, averaging 7.8 yards per attempt. At that point, Maryland appeared to have Nebraska in serious trouble.
The Terrapins had scored 23 points and moved the football consistently against an undefeated opponent. Maryland’s defense had also done enough to give the offense opportunities to build separation. Then one disastrous play completely changed the game.
Pick-Six Changes Everything
Washington attempted a pass while Maryland was still leading 23-14 late in the second quarter, but Nebraska defensive back Dwayne McDougle III intercepted it at the Cornhuskers’ 19-yard line. McDougle returned the interception 81 yards for a touchdown, instantly cutting Maryland’s advantage to 23-21. Instead of potentially extending its lead to two possessions, Maryland gave Nebraska seven points without its offense taking the field.
The turnover became even more damaging because Nebraska scored again before halftime. Anthony Colandrea led the Cornhuskers on an eight-play, 80-yard drive and connected with Luke Lindenmeyer for a one-yard touchdown with eight seconds remaining. Maryland went from holding a 23-14 advantage to trailing 28-23 at halftime.
That sequence completely changed the atmosphere of the game. Maryland had controlled much of the first half, but Nebraska entered the locker room with the lead and momentum. The Terrapins never recovered.
Penalties Continue to Hurt Maryland
Turnovers were only part of Maryland’s problem because the Terrapins also committed 12 penalties for 115 yards. Nebraska was actually penalized more frequently, finishing with 16 penalties for 132 yards, but Maryland repeatedly committed mistakes at damaging moments. The Terrapins continued giving an undefeated opponent additional opportunities instead of forcing Nebraska to earn everything.
One particularly frustrating sequence came after Maryland appeared to sack Colandrea and put Nebraska in a third-and-27 situation. Nahsir Taylor was assessed an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty after the play, allowing the Cornhuskers to escape a nearly impossible down-and-distance situation. Nebraska eventually turned the extended possession into points.
Those are the types of mistakes Maryland cannot continue making in Big Ten games. The margin between winning and losing against good conference opponents is already small. Maryland repeatedly makes that margin even smaller with penalties, turnovers and other self-inflicted mistakes.
Maryland’s Offense Disappears
Maryland accumulated approximately 300 yards of offense during the first half, but Nebraska made adjustments and completely changed the game after halftime. The Terrapins were held scoreless over the final two quarters and managed only 95 yards after halftime. An offense that had looked explosive during the opening quarter suddenly could not sustain drives.
Third down became another major problem, with Maryland finishing just 1-for-14 in those situations. That came one week after the Terrapins went 1-for-16 on third down against UCLA. Maryland has therefore converted only two of its last 30 third-down attempts.
That statistic is simply not good enough for a Big Ten offense. Third-down failures prevent the offense from sustaining possessions, put additional pressure on the defense and eventually allow opponents to control time of possession. Nebraska held the football for 34:24 compared with Maryland’s 25:36.
Nebraska Pulls Away
Neither team scored during the third quarter, meaning Maryland entered the final 15 minutes trailing only 28-23. Despite everything that had gone wrong, the Terrapins were still within one possession. Maryland needed one strong quarter to give itself a chance to steal the game.
Instead, Nebraska completely took over. Vincent Genatone scored on a one-yard run on the opening play of the fourth quarter, extending Nebraska’s advantage to 35-23. Colandrea later connected with Kwazi Gilmer for a five-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 42-23.
Nebraska added another Colandrea-to-Gilmer touchdown, this time from 30 yards, with 6:43 remaining. The Cornhuskers scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and 34 unanswered points after Maryland had taken its 23-14 lead. What had once looked like a potential Maryland upset ended as another lopsided loss.
Durr Shines Despite the Loss
Durr was easily one of Maryland’s biggest positives, finishing with seven receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. His 65-yard touchdown reception demonstrated the explosive ability that made Maryland’s passing attack so dangerous early in the afternoon. He averaged more than 21 yards per reception and gave Nebraska major problems during the opening quarter.
Nebraska eventually adjusted and limited Durr’s opportunities over the final three quarters. He accumulated 135 of his 149 receiving yards during the first quarter, meaning he produced only 14 yards afterward. Maryland struggled to find another consistent explosive option once the Cornhuskers slowed him down.
Kaleb Webb finished with four receptions for 53 yards, while Dorian Fleming caught five passes for 25 yards. Maryland had opportunities through the air, but the offense became increasingly inconsistent as Nebraska’s defense settled into the game. The Terrapins never scored again after Williams’ touchdown with 8:58 remaining in the second quarter.
Washington’s Turnovers Becoming a Serious Concern
Washington completed 23 of 44 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He showed his considerable talent during Maryland’s explosive opening quarter, but his turnovers again proved extremely costly. The 81-yard pick-six was the game’s biggest momentum-changing play.
The larger concern is that turnovers are becoming a pattern. Washington threw four interceptions against UCLA and followed that performance with two more against Nebraska. Maryland cannot expect its young quarterback to play perfectly, but six interceptions over two games puts enormous pressure on every other part of the team.
Washington still has significant upside and has shown why Maryland believes he can become an excellent Big Ten quarterback. The coaching staff now has to help him eliminate the catastrophic mistakes without taking away the aggressiveness that makes him dangerous. His development remains one of the most important factors for Maryland moving forward.
Maryland Cannot Contain Colandrea
Colandrea hurt Maryland with both his arm and his legs, completing 26 of 39 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 10 times for 108 yards, averaging 10.8 yards per carry. Maryland repeatedly struggled to contain him when passing plays broke down.
Gilmer became his primary receiving target and finished with 11 receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those scores came during Nebraska’s dominant fourth quarter. Maryland’s secondary simply could not slow him down when Nebraska needed explosive plays.
The Cornhuskers finished with 447 total yards compared with Maryland’s 395. Nebraska also rushed for 209 yards, giving the Cornhuskers the balance needed to control the second half. Maryland showed flashes defensively but could not maintain them for four quarters.
Maryland’s Season Is Heading in the Wrong Direction
Maryland started the season 2-0, but the situation has changed quickly. The Terrapins have now lost three consecutive games and remain winless in Big Ten competition. Even more concerning is the way the last two losses unfolded.
UCLA completely embarrassed Maryland in a 54-3 blowout, while Nebraska outscored the Terrapins 34-0 after Maryland established a 23-14 lead. Those are two very different types of losses, but both raise serious questions about Maryland’s ability to respond when games begin turning against it. The Terrapins cannot allow adversity to snowball into complete collapses.
Maryland clearly has talent on the roster. Durr looks capable of becoming one of the better receivers in the conference, Washington has considerable potential, and Williams provided an encouraging performance on the ground. Talent alone, however, does not overcome turnovers, penalties, third-down failures and inconsistent execution.
Up Next
Maryland now faces an even more difficult challenge with a road game against Ohio State. The Terrapins will travel to Columbus next Saturday needing to correct major problems on both sides of the football. Facing one of the nation’s best teams is hardly the ideal situation for a Maryland team searching for answers.
The Terrapins cannot afford another afternoon filled with self-inflicted mistakes. Maryland needs better quarterback decisions, significantly improved third-down execution and more disciplined football across the roster. Most importantly, the Terps need to prove they can respond when something goes wrong instead of allowing one mistake to become five.
MSB Take
This loss might be even more frustrating than the final score suggests because Maryland showed that it was capable of competing with Nebraska. The Terrapins dominated the first quarter, accumulated more than 200 yards and eventually built a 23-14 advantage. Maryland was not physically overwhelmed from the opening kickoff; it helped turn a winnable football game into a 25-point loss.
The McDougle pick-six was obviously the biggest turning point, but Maryland’s problems went far beyond one interception. Twelve penalties for 115 yards, a 1-for-14 performance on third down and another two-interception game from Washington created far too many obstacles. Nebraska is a good football team, and Maryland repeatedly made its job easier.
The most alarming statistic might be the 34 unanswered points after Maryland went ahead 23-14. Good teams respond when momentum changes, while struggling teams allow one mistake to become an avalanche. Maryland has done far too much of the latter over the past several seasons.
Locksley deserves credit for improving Maryland’s recruiting and raising the overall talent level of the program, but eventually the results have to match that talent. The Terps are now 0-2 in conference play, have lost three straight games and are coming off consecutive losses by 51 and 25 points. At some point, constantly discussing potential and progress is no longer enough.
Maryland needs wins, particularly in the Big Ten, and the pressure surrounding this program should continue to increase if those wins do not come. The first quarter Saturday showed what Maryland can be when everything is working. The final three quarters showed why the Terrapins remain so frustratingly far from becoming the program they believe they can be.
