EAST LANSING, MI -- No. 8 Michigan State handed Maryland a 40-21 defeat on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The loss dropped the Terps to 5-5 overall and 2-5 Big Ten while Michigan State moved to 9-1 and 6-1 in conference action.
Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa set a Maryland record with his sixth game this season with more than 300 passing yards as he threw for 350 on Saturday. He has 1,140 passing yards in his last three games (380 per game) as he became the third passer in Maryland history to throw for 3,000 yards in a single-season. Tagovailoa was 29-of-48 with a pair of 32-yard touchdown passes to
Chigoziem Okonkwo.
Rakim Jarrett set his career-high with 10 receptions for 105 yards, his third-career game with 100-plus receiving yards. Okonkwo had eight catches for a career-high 112 yards, the most by a Terps tight end since Vernon Davis in 2005.
In his return to his home state, Detroit native Peny Boone ran for a career-high 42 yards and scored the second touchdown of his career.
Jordan Mosley and Ami Finau, who set a career-high in tackles, led the Terps on defense, as each had 11 stops.
Maryland battled back after falling behind 27-7 as each of the touchdown passes from Tagovailoa to Okonkwo brought the Terps to within two scores as the Terps trailed 34-21 after the third quarter. The Terps continued to have opportunities to cut it to a one-score game, but couldn't convert in several situations.
The Terps got on the board late in the first quarter after converting a pair of third downs, on a 19-yard pass to Jarrett and a 45-yard run by Tagovailoa, before Boone scored on a 4-yard rush to cut Michigan State's lead to 13-7 after the first quarter. Michigan State led 27-14 at halftime.
Taulia's The Passer
- Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 350 passing yards on Saturday for his seventh career 300-yard passing game and a Maryland record-tying sixth this season.
- Tagovailoa continues to stand second to Scott Milanovich (1992-95) for most 300-yard passing games in a career as Milanovich posted 10 300-yard games for the program record.
- Six of Tagovailoa's six career 300-yard passing games have happened this season (previously with 419 vs. Indiana, 384 vs. Kent State, 371 vs. Penn State, 350 at Illinois and 332 vs. West Virginia), the most in the Big Ten this season and tying a new Maryland record for most in a season, surpassing Milanovich, who had six in 1993.
- Tagovailoa's updated season totals stand at 3,105 passing yards on 268 of 387 with 20 touchdowns.
- On the single-season charts, Tagovailoa is now third in passing yards as he became the third quarterback to surpass the 3,000-yard plateau. Next on the list at No. 2 is John Kaleo (1986) 3,392. Milanovich holds the single-season record with 3,499 in 1993.
- On the single-season charts, Tagovailoa is now third in completions. Next on the list at No. 2 is Milanovich with 279 in 1993. John Kaleo holds the single-season record with 286 in 1992.
- On the single-season charts, Tagovailoa is now tied for third with Scott Milanovich, who also had 20 touchdown passes in 1994. Milanovich set the single-season record with 26 in 1993. Danny O'Brien is second with 22 in 2010.
- In only 14 games as a Terp including last season, Tagovailoa already stands ninth all-time in career passing touchdowns with 27, only one behind Sam Hollenbach, (28 from 2003-06).
- Tagovailoa also moved up the career charts as he is now 11th in career yards with 4,116; ninth in career completions with 343.
- Tagaovailoa has now thrown a touchdown pass in 13 consecutive games..
Taulia The Runner
- In addition to his passing exploits, Tagovailoa had a career-long 45-yard rush in the first quarter to key a scoring drive. His previous long was 35 yards, also at Illinois.
Rakim Racking Up The Catches
- Rakim Jarrett had a career-high 10 receptions, surpassing his previous high of six, which he accomplished four times, most recently against Penn State (11/6/21) last week.
- With 105 receiving yards, Jarrett also had his third career 100-yard receiving game and second this season (122 yards vs. West Virginia, 9/4/21).
Getting Chiggy With It
- For the second week in a row, Chigoziem Okonkwo had a huge game. After setting career-highs with 12 catches and 85 receiving yards, he had eight catches and set a new career-high with 112 receiving yards.
- Okonkwo's 112 receiving yards are the most in a game by a Maryland tight end since Vernon Davis had 139 yards at North Carolina (11/12/05).
100-100
- Maryland had its second game this season with a pair of 100-yard receivers with Jarrett and Okonkwo hitting the mark.
- In the 2021 opener vs. West Virginia (9/4/21) both Dontay Demus Jr. (133 yards) and Jarrett (122 yards) had 100 receiving yards.
Booming Boone
- In his return to his home state, Michigan, back Peny Boone ran for a career-high 42 yards on five carries.
- He ripped off a career-long 28-yard rush in the first quarter. His previous long was an 18-yard run in his first college game at Northwestern (10/24/20).
More From Mosley
- For the second consecutive week, Jordan Mosley led the Terps in tackles and for the second week in a row, had had double-figure tackles, finishing with 11 stops.
- Had a career-high 13 vs. Penn State (11/6/21) last week.
- He had 10 tackles in the first half alone against the Spartans.
- It was his fourth career game with double-figure tackles.
Bennett's Break-Ups
- Jakorian Bennett added to his nation-leading pass breakup total with one against Michigan State as he now has 13 this season.
- In nine games played, Bennett has 11 pass breakups and two interceptions, for an average of 1.44 pass breakups per game.
- Bennett's 12 pass breakups through nine games were the most through that span by a Terp since Will Likely had 17 in 2014.
Still Island
- Tarheeb Still had a pass breakup, giving him 17 through his first 14 games as a Terp, the most by a Terp in a decade.
- Domonique Foxworth had 19 over the first 13 games of his career in 2001-02.
Intercepting Cross
- Nick Cross had an interception with a 45-yard return on the final play of the first half.
- It was Cross' third interception this season and fifth of his career. His last INT came at Illinois (9/17/21).
Sackin' Success
- The Terps racked up two sacks of Michigan State on Saturday with sacks by Sam Okuayinonu and Ami Finau.
- Okuayinonu had his team-high sixth sack of the season with a 10-yard sack of Payton Thorne late in the third quarter.
- For Finau, it was his first sack of the season and second in his Maryland career.
- Maryland ranks 23rd in the country and fourth in the Big Ten with 26 sacks through nine games, an average of 2.89 per game.
- The 26 sacks have been for a loss of 191 yards, the 15th-most sack yards in the country and second-most in the Big Ten, trailing only Ohio State's 230.
- The Terps 26 sacks are the most through the first nine games of a season since totaling 32 in 2015.
Up Next
- Maryland will host No. 9 Michigan, ranked No. 6 in the College Football Playoff, next Saturday, Nov. 20 in the home finale for the Terps on Senior Day. The game will kickoff at 3:30 p.m., and will air on Big Ten Network and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.
