Tagovailoa’s vision on Saturday was unmatched. Wide receiver Jacob Copeland took off downfield, turning to catch a 39-yarder in the endzone. Charlotte’s student section fell silent, as Maryland ignited the early fire.
Maryland’s offense was electric all day, and behind a masterful performance from QB Taulia Tagovailoa, the Terps trounced Charlotte, 56-21.
For Head Coach Mike Locksley, the improvement he wanted to see from his team this week was efficiency on offense.
“We can’t be what I call a big-little offense. I like us to be efficient. If you look at that opening drive; we had where we went down and scored, that’s the efficiency I feel we need to play with,” Locksley said in Tuesday’s press conference.
Sure enough, Maryland put on a dominant offensive performance. Tagovailoa drastically improved on last week’s stats with 391 passing yards and five total touchdowns.
Charlotte’s DB Davondre Robinson left the game with a leg injury 29 seconds into the first quarter. Going into the matchup, Robinson had the second-most tackles on the team (13).
Copeland capped off the Terps’ first drive with a 39-yard reception in the endzone.
Penalties from Maryland’s defense kept Charlotte alive in its first drive. QB Xavier Williams directed the offense on multiple fourth-down conversions and threw a touchdown pass to WR Grant Dubose, tying the game.
Charlotte displayed its aggressiveness in an onside kick attempt following the touchdown. It was unsuccessful, putting Maryland on Charlotte’s 31-yard line. In two plays, Tagovailoa connected with WR Jeshaun Jones for another touchdown.
RB Antwaine Littleton II gave Maryland its third touchdown with a 59-yard run on the ensuing drive. The Terps scored on every possession in the first quarter, demonstrating the efficiency that Coach Locksley hoped to achieve.
Charlotte stayed relentless, opening the second quarter with a touchdown. Xavier Williams connected with WR Victor Tucker for 19 yards, bringing the 49ers within a touchdown to tie.
Maryland wouldn’t let the 49ers draw closer.
Jacob Copeland darted into open space, catching his second touchdown in the endzone for 45 yards. Maryland now doubled Charlotte’s score, 28-14.
Maryland’s offense was gleaming with confidence. Tagovailoa threw for 219 yards in his first four drives. Against Buffalo, he had 290 in the entire game.
Tagovailoa earned his fourth touchdown pass in the second quarter, throwing a 16-yard dart to Jeshaun Jones. Unlike the week prior, touchdowns were happening in the air. Jones had two at the half, as well as Copeland.
“I didn’t know if we were going to throw the ball a lot today because they said it would be in-between,” Copeland said in his post-game presser. “All of a sudden they called my number and the plays were there.”
With just a minute left in the half, DB Comanche Francisco picked off a pass intended for WR Dontay Demus Jr. in the endzone. Charlotte tried to get its head above the water in one last two-minute drill, but to no avail.
The Terps led at the half, 35-14.
On Maryland’s first drive of the second half, Tagovailoa rushed for four yards to earn his fifth touchdown of the game. Following the play, he went down with an apparent leg injury, but he walked off of his own power. Backup QB Billy Edwards Jr. filled in until Tagovailoa returned later.
RB Colby McDonald put himself at the top of the rushing chart with a 49-yard run to the endzone.
“I do believe that we all can go,” McDonald said following the game. “Our running back corps is very deep. We got plenty of options, everyone has their own part in this win, and I feel like we put in good work.”
With two touchdowns in their first two drives of the second half, the Terps were not holding back on Charlotte.
Xavier Williams showed he had heart against an overwhelming Maryland defense, but the coverage made it too difficult to throw accurate passes. Williams finished with 19 completions on 35 attempts, totaling 191 yards and two touchdowns.
QB Trexler Ivey subbed in to finish out the fourth quarter.
Billy Edwards Jr. found WR Octavian Smith Jr. for a 17-yard catch in the endzone, bringing the Terps’ lead to 56-14.
With just under eight minutes left in the game, Trexler Ivey threw a 5-yard pass to Victor Tucker in the endzone.
An impressive defensive performance shut down any hopes for Charlotte to succeed.
DB Beau Brade led the team with six combined tackles, while DB Deonte Banks raked in four alone.
“For the number of plays our defense played, I thought they did a really good job of limiting the big plays,” Coach Locksley said. “Just need to get more pressure on the quarterback, no doubt about it.”
Under Brian Williams, the defense must continue to show out once the Big Ten comes knocking.
Maryland’s defense gets tested in the next two out-of-conference matchups against SMU and Michigan.
