COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Maryland led No. 2 Ohio State at halftime and battled the Buckeyes to the very end as the Terps suffered a 43-30 defeat at SECU Stadium.
Deonte Banks blocked a Buckeye extra point and Jakorian Bennett returned it for two points to bring the Terps within 33-23 with 12:29 left in the fourth. The Terp offense took advantage of that momentum and drove 74 yards down the field in seven plays, highlighted by a beautiful ball from Taulia Tagovailoa to Rakim Jarrett for 49 yards – a pass that made Tagovailoa the program leader in career passing yards. The Terps faced a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line that looked like it was going nowhere until Tagovailoa extended the play and found Jeshaun Jones in the back of the end zone, making it a 33-30 game with 9:49 left to play.
Ohio State knocked in a successful 45-yard field goal with 42 seconds remaining to bring its lead to 36-30 and then came up with a defensive score on the Terps' attempt to drive down the field for the winning touchdown.
Tagovailoa, who became Maryland's leader in career passing yards in the game, threw for 293 yards on 26-of-36 with two passing touchdowns, as he also tied the school record for passing scores in a career.
Dontay Demus Jr,., had a season-best five receptions for 67 yards. C.J. Dippre set a career-high with four catches for 30 yards with a touchdown reception. The Terps had 402 of total offense.
Defensively, safeties Beau Brade and Dante Trader Jr. led the way with eight and seven tackles, respectively.
Deonte Banks notched four tackles, two PBUs and a blocked extra point.
Maryland's 402 yards of total offense was the second-most allowed by Ohio State all season (Penn State 482) and the Terps were the second team to score 30 points against the Buckeyes this year as Penn State tallied 31.
In the first half, the Terps got the better of the Buckeyes on both sides of the ball, outgaining them 211-159 en route to a 13-10 advantage. Tagovailoa completed his first 11 passes of the night and finished the half 16-of-18 with 180 yards and a score. On the other side, Maryland's defense was all over the field, holding Heisman hopeful C.J. Stroud to 131 yards on just 9-of-18 passing.
Locksley's Take
"I'm really proud of our team, of those guys in the locker room. Proud not because we're close, that's not how we approach these things. We're never satisfied with a loss obviously, but what you saw today was us go blow-for-blow with a team that I consider to be one of the best in the country. When we started this week, the question I asked our team was, 'Where were we?' I saw a team take accountability for how we played the last couple of weeks. I saw a team that was disappointed. For me those are the type of signs that we need to have and that's the mentality we need to have as we work to take the next step. I saw growth. When people ask where the growth is, I point to games like today, like Michigan. Again, not because we're close, but because of how we competed against those teams…I still feel that the best is ahead for this football family and we're going to finish this thing off the right way at home next week against Rutgers and send another group of seniors out the right way."
From The Guys
"When we're all on the same page and we have that fire that we know we have and we're committed and connected, I'll put us against any team in the country," Bennett said. "I definitely feel the growth. We just need to continue to build on it. It's just that small margin of error that we have to overcome."
"It's a blessing to have my name put up there with a lot of great legendary quarterbacks that came through here," Tagovailoa said of setting the passing yards record. "I always say this but I really do mean it, it's a testament to my teammates, the O-Line doing their job, the receivers being where they're supposed to be at the right time and right spots. I always get the credit for it and all glory goes to God, but I gotta give that to my teammates."
Breaking Down The Action
- The Terps followed up a Buckeye touchdown on the game's opening drive with a nine-play, 61-yard drive capped off by a 31-yard field goal from Chad Ryland. On the ensuing Ohio State possession, the Terps forced a three-and-out and the Buckeyes lost 21 yards in those three plays.
- Ryland added a 21-yarder and Maryland forced a second consecutive three-and-out, bringing the score to 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.
- Ohio State added a field goal of its own, but Maryland responded and grabbed the lead with 3:52 remaining in the opening half. The Terps drove 75 yards down the field and Tagovailoa found CJ Dippre in the back left corner of the end zone on third-and- goal from the one, giving the Terps a 13-10 advantage heading into intermission.
- After Ohio State scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter, the Terps marched down the field in five plays with Tagovailoa capping off the drive with a five-yard rushing score. Tagovailoa connected with Jacob Copeland on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt to make it a 27-21 game.
- The Buckeyes reached the end zone on their ensuing drive, but Deonte Banks blocked the extra point and Jakorian Bennett returned it back for two points, bringing Maryland within 10 at 33-23 with 12:29 left in the fourth.
- Maryland pulled within three on a fantastic extension of the play by Tagovailoa, who found Jeshaun Jones in a tight window for the score.
Taulia Sets Career Passing Yards Record
- With a 49-yard dime to Rakim Jarrett in the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa claimed sole possession of first-place in Maryland career passing yards. He finished the game with 293, giving him 7,316 overall. He broke the record of 7,301 previously set by Scott Milanovich from 1992-95.
- Tagovailoa tied Milanovich for the career touchdown passes mark with 49 thanks to his two scores through the air Saturday.
- He holds every major Maryland passing record with the exception of career completions as he's second to Milanovich (650) with 621 after his 26 today.
Streaks Extended
Notes and Nuggets
- Demus Jr., now has a reception in 37 of his last 38 games.
- Roman Hemby's 27-yard catch and run in the first quarter was the longest reception of his career.
- Tagovailoa completed his first 11 pass attempts of the game.
- Tagovailoa had a 26-yard rush in the third quarter, his longest rush of the season.
- Tai Felton had a 36-yard reception in the fourth quarter, the longest catch of his career.
- Felton's total of 46 receiving yards also set a new career-best for a single-game.
- The Terps returned a blocked extra point for two-points for the first time since Anthony Nixon did it on Nov. 23, 2013 against Boston College.
- The last time the Terps blocked an extra point was by Chandler Burkett against Indiana on Oct. 28, 2017.
- Jakorian Bennett had a pass break-up today as he added to his total of 27 over the last two seasons, the most of any player in FBS football. Bennett had 16 PBUs last year and now has 11 this season.
Up Next
- The Terps wrap up regular-season play and celebrate Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 26 when they host Rutgers at SECU Stadium at Noon. The action can be caught on Big Ten Network and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.
