On the first play from scrimmage, Bazelak stepped back into the pocket and looked downfield. He launched a pass to his receiver, but a deflection fell into the hands of CB Tarheeb Still for an interception. Memorial Stadium fell quiet, knowing the Terps had come to play.
The Terps traveled to Bloomington this week to face the 3-3 Indiana Hoosiers, a team coming off three straight losses against Cincinnati, Nebraska, and Michigan. Maryland was favored going into the contest, but Indiana maintained a back-and-forth game.
Following the interception from QB Connor Bazelak on Indiana’s first play, QB Taulia Tagovailoa made quick work of his first drive with a 3-yard rush into the endzone.
Maryland is the only team in the FBS that has scored on every opening drive.
On Indiana’s ensuing drive, Bazelak immediately redeemed himself, connecting a 40-yard pass to WR Emery Simmons, putting the Hoosiers just outside the red zone. A 38-yard field goal from Charles Campbell put points on the board for Indiana.
Following a bold decision from Tagovailoa to go for it on fourth down, Maryland started the second quarter on Indiana’s 18-yard line. An 18-yard touchdown pass to TE CJ Dippre put Maryland up by eleven.
Indiana struggled early in the game offensively. Bazelak’s shaky start only produced four receptions for 57 yards in the first quarter. Having to resort to the ground game, linebackers Fa’Najae Gotay and Ahmad McCullough left little opportunity for Indiana to succeed. They each finished the game with six solo tackles, tying for most in the game.
It wasn’t until Indiana’s second drive of the second quarter that Bazelak managed to turn things around. A 44-yard pass downfield to RB Josh Henderson gave Indiana its first touchdown, keeping the Hoosiers alive.
On an Indiana punt near the end of the first half, a defensive holding call on Maryland gave the Hoosiers a first down on Maryland’s 43-yard line. Then, a pass interference penalty three plays later gave Indiana a first down inside the thirty. A 3-yard dish off to WR Cam Camper resulted in a touchdown to put the Hoosiers up by three.
“We’re a good team, and good teams don’t beat themselves,” head coach Mike Locksley said in his post-game presser. “[The penalties] take away from our ability to celebrate a really tough, hard-fought game.”
On Maryland’s first drive of the second half, Tagovailoa connected a 17-yard pass to WR Dontay Demus Jr. in the endzone to give him his first touchdown of the season. The Terps took the lead, 21-17.
Indiana started its first drive of the half with another interception picked off by DB Deonte Banks that landed Maryland on its own 46-yard line. A successful fourth-down conversion got Maryland inside the red zone, and the drive finished with a field goal from Chad Ryland to put the Terps up by a score.
A series of crossing route plays put Indiana close to the goal line in the end of the third, but Maryland’s defense held to force another field goal from Campbell.
On Indiana’s next drive, Bazelak connected a 24-yard pass to Camper that put the Hoosiers on Maryland’s 6-yard line. Two plays later, Henderson ran in a 2-yard touchdown to give Indiana the lead once again.
Early in the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa suffered an injury to his knee that forced him to be carted off the field. QB Billy Edwards Jr. stepped in but initially failed to find success in the air.
“I obviously knew I was going on for at least one play,” Edwards said. “From there on, you kind of just ease into things, get relaxed, and play from there.”
However, on the following drive, Edwards rushed for 31-yards to put Maryland on the 3-yard line. RB Roman Hemby finished the drive with a 6-yard run into the endzone to give Maryland back the lead.
A fumble forced by Fa’Najae gave Maryland back the ball on its own 38-yard line. After the turnover, a 46-yard rush from Hemby put Maryland in the red zone. Several plays later, Edwards rushed for 3-yards to bring the score to 38-27.
Bazelak responded on the following drive with a series of passes to get Indiana on Maryland’s goal line. A touchdown pass to WR Aaron Steinfeldt brought the Hoosiers within five, but the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
“Maryland-Indiana has never been easy,” said Coach Locksley. “But it was great for our team, the way we faced the adversity.”
The final score was 38-33, Maryland.
