COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Brandon Ross became just the fourth Terrapin to rush for 250 yards or more in a game, but Maryland lost its 2015 home finale to Indiana, 47-28, at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Ross joins LaMont Jordan (306 yards vs. Virginia, 1999), Bruce Perry (276 yards vs. Wake Forest, 2001) and Josh Allen (257 yards vs. Virginia, 2003) as the only Terps to rush for more than 250 yards in a game. The senior also scored three touchdowns in the game, making him the first player in Maryland history to have at least 250 yards rushing in a game with three or more touchdowns.

The 250-yard performance also vaulted Ross up the career rushing list for the Terps. He now has 2,375 career rushing yards, which places him ninth on the all time list, passing Willie Joyner (2,140 yards, 1980-83), Alvin Blount (2,158 yards, 1983-86) and Louis Carter (2,266 yards, 1972-74).

After the Hoosiers opened the game with a field goal, Maryland rattled off 21 straight points. On the Terps' second play from scrimmage, Ross raced 79 yards down the right sideline for the score to give Maryland a 7-3 lead. The 79-yard rush was the longest of the season for the Terrapins, surpassing Perry Hills' 75-yard rush at Ohio State.

Ross' 79-yarder was the longest TD run by a Terrapin since the 2010 Military Bowl when Da'Rel Scott had a 91-yard TD run vs. East Carolina on Dec. 28 at RFK Stadium.

After the Maryland defense forced a punt on the next IU possession, Ross gave the Terps a 14-3 lead with a 22-yard touchdown run down the right side. On the drive, junior QB Caleb Rowe went 4-of-6 passing for 50 yards.

A strip-sack by Yannick Ngakoue and a fumble recovery by Quinton Jefferson on the ensuing Indiana drive gave Maryland excellent field possession on the Hoosiers' 20-yard line. That led to a 14-yard TD pass from Rowe to Malcolm Culmer to make it a 21-3 lead for the Terps.

The sack by Ngakoue gave him the single-season record for the Terrapins with 13.5, surpassing the 13 put up by Bruce Palmer in 1978 and Mark Duda in 1982.

Indiana responded by scoring all 20 points in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 30-21 lead.

Ross wasted no time getting Maryland on the board in the third quarter. The senior took a handoff on the first play of the second half and sprinted 75 yards down the right sideline for his third long TD run of the game.

The scoring run was Ross' third of the day, setting a new single-game high for the senior in his final home game. The last time a Maryland player rushed for three scores in a game was Aug. 30, 2014 when C.J. Brown had three rushing TDs vs. James Madison.

The 75-yard run gave Ross 226 yards on 14 carries. The last time a Terp had 200+ yards on the ground was Dec. 29, 2010 when Da'Rel Scott had 201 yards on 13 carries vs. East Carolina in the Military Bowl.

Through three quarters Ross has racked up 228 yards on 17 carries. The 228 yards rushing are the most in a game by a Terp since 2003 when Bruce Perry had 237 yards vs. Wake Forest.

The third Ross touchdown was the final score of the game for the Terps, who played the entire second half without an injured Rowe.

Maryland will wrap up its 2015 season next Saturday at Rutgers. Kickoff from Piscataway, New Jersey is set for 12 noon and the game can be seen on the Big Ten Network.
 

-Maryland-