After the first quarter: outscored 41-7, outgained 188-409, and outcoached yet again.

Maryland football couldn’t finish games in 2025. It is significantly worse in 2026.

Despite leading 16-7 after the first quarter, Maryland’s streak of horrendous finishes extended to three games in a row in its 48-23 loss to Nebraska.

“All three phases had their opportunities. And what we’ve got to do is get these guys to make the plays when they’re there, and we’ve got to coach better, starting with me,” said Locksley.

Malik Washington’s play has become a recurring issue for Maryland. Saturday’s performance marked the third straight game where the opposing quarterback outplayed Washington.

Against Nebraska, Washington’s performance was more damaging than in Maryland’s previous losses. The Terps came out swinging. The Terps took an early 16-7 lead, completely shut down Nebraska’s run game, and moved the ball efficiently. That’s a formula for success.

The successful start didn’t last long.

Washington threw two interceptions directly into Nebraska’s defense, reviving a sleepwalking Cornhuskers team.

The first interception kept Maryland from driving to answer a Nebraska touchdown on the previous drive. Then Washington threw the second with fewer than three minutes to go in the half, up nine on the Nebraska 18.

There is no worse time to throw an interception, let alone a pick-six.

Nebraska stopped Maryland on the ensuing drive to take a 5-point lead into the break after trailing by multiple possessions just three minutes earlier.

After throwing for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter, Washington went the rest of the game 12 of 25 for 254 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Locksley said Washington made the wrong read when throwing his first interception of the game, throwing into double coverage instead of pivoting to a read later in the progression.

“I still think he made the right decision on one of the interceptions, we just gotta get there a little quicker,” Locksley said in reference to Washington’s pick-six.

In previous games, there were valid reasons to excuse Washington’s play. This time, the problems stood squarely on Washington.

Wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. elevated his already exceptional play. He finished the game with 7 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. Durr Jr. is the clear top option in Maryland’s offense, leading the way in catches by 24 and yards by 222. He looks like a surefire Sunday player.

DeJuan Williams returned for his first game since week one and instantly elevated the run game to its best performance since week one. Williams had averaged 7.8 yards per carry, 78 yards and a touchdown. Backup Iverson Howard had his most efficient game of the season, finishing with an 11.3 average on three carries.

Maryland’s pass-rush ratio was again poor, as it threw the ball 44 times and had 25 rush attempts despite an overall successful rushing attack. It became a bigger issue as the game went on, as Nebraska severely outgained the Terps in the second half.

“Once they started dropping coverage, and now we have to consistently run the ball, I don’t think we ever consistently ran it,” Locksley said.

Maryland went 1-for-13 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down on Saturday.

The other key factor on Saturday was the 28 total penalties, the most for Maryland this season. Maryland had 12 while Nebraska finished with 16.

Nebraska’s penalties came in crucial moments, as they bailed out Maryland on key third or fourth downs multiple times to keep drives alive.

“I thought they came and approached this game with the right mentality, but had way too many self-inflicted wounds,” head coach Mike Locksley said.

The Maryland defense needed to play impossibly well to sneak out the win in Lincoln.

A blocked punt gave the Cornhuskers a 19-yard drive for a touchdown, another seven points came from Washington’s arm, and Nebraska benefited from a questionable late hit call that gave them a fresh set of downs on what would have been a third-and-very-long.

After halftime, the defense gave up 20 points, but it’s hard to blame the unit when they couldn’t get help from anywhere.

The offensive ineptitude in the second half left the defense out to dry. The Cornhuskers outgained Maryland 252-95 in the second half. The offense started going for it deep in its own territory in the fourth quarter, giving the defense terrible field position and no rest towards the end of the game.

Maryland held a two-score lead multiple times on Saturday but still lost by 25. The questions about Locksley’s job security are well warranted. 

It is impossible to explain how or why Locksley has a job right now.