CHARLOTTE, NC --- Behind Taulia Tagovailoa's dominance, the Terps scored five touchdowns on their first five drives and rolled to a 56-21 victory over Charlotte. 

Taulia Tagovailoa threw a career-best four touchdown passes and added a rushing score. Departing in the middle of the third quarter, he finished with 391 yards on 27-31 passing for the highest completion percentage in program history. 

Jacob Copeland and Jeshaun Jones each caught two touchdowns in the first half. The two wideouts combined for 181 yards. 

Maryland's 56 points was its most since a 62-0 victory over Howard on Sept. 11, 2021.  The Terps also recorded 619 total yards, the most since 675 against Minnesota game on Oct. 30, 2020. 

The Terp defense buckled down after halftime, holding the 49ers to just one score in the second half. 

Coach Michael Locksley's Take

"It was efficient, which is what we want to see out of our offense. I thought Lia played really well. A week ago, he came in the locker room and really felt like he didn't play well because he didn't throw any touchdowns, but I still thought he played well enough for us to win a week ago. Today, our receivers really stepped up, made some big plays early. Lia did a really good job of ball location on some of the deep shots that we kinda didn't have the timing down a week ago. It was good to see us, as I say, make that jump from Week One to Week Two." 

Player's Perspective

"I think that's just a testament to our whole offense with our O-Line blocking and giving me time and our receivers catching," Tagovailoa said of his record-setting day. "I think (the receivers) caught everything today. I think that's just us working together as a team. Obviously, I get the credit for it, but I think the O-Line and everybody did a great job." 

Breaking Down The Action

• The Terps struck quickly on the game's opening drive as Tagovailoa found Jacob Copeland for a 39-yard touchdown, the first of Copeland's Maryland career. Tagovailoa completed all three of his pass attempts on the drive for 67 yards. 
• After Charlotte orchestrated a long touchdown drive, Maryland responded by recovering an onside kick attempt and turning the short field into another score as Tagovailoa connected with Jeshaun Jones. 
• Antwain Littleton II put the Terps ahead by two scores as the first quarter wound down with a rumbling 59-yard touchdown rush, capping off a three-play, 92-yard drive. 
• The 49ers scored a second touchdown, but Maryland was again quick to respond as Tagovailoa and Copeland hooked up on another deep touchdown pass, this one for 45-yards. 
• Jones caught his second touchdown of the half to put the Terps on top 35-14 heading into the locker room. 
• The Terps started the second half the same way. This time it was a long, 15-play drive capped off by Tagovailoa's first rushing touchdown of the season. 
• Colby McDonald added a 49-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter.
• Billy Edwards Jr. connected with Octavian Smith Jr. on a wheel route, the first touchdowns for both guys.  

Taulia Rising On The Charts

• Tagovailoa's 27-31 completion percentage (87 percent) is the highest in program history (minimum of 15 attempts). 
• Tagovailoa's four touchdown throws were a career-high. 
• With 391 passing yards today, he now has nine 300-yard performances. 
• Tagovailoa now has sole possession of the No. 3 ranking on Maryland's all-time passing touchdowns list with 37. Boomer Esiason is second with 42.
• With his 391 yards today, Tagovailoa is now fourth all-time in Maryland career passing yards with 5, 552, passing both Scott McBrien (5,169) and C.J. Brown (5,372). Next on the list is Boomer Esiason at No. 3 with 6,259 passing yards.
• The redshirt junior now has 454 career completions, good for No. 4 all-time at Maryland and passing C.J. Brown (437). 

Non-Conference Coasting

• In the Locksley era (2019-pres.), Maryland's average of 47.5 points per game in non-conference play leads the nation. The Terps have scored 30-plus points in eight-of-nine non-conference games under Locksley.
• The Terps are now 8-1 in non-conference games under Locksley. 
• Maryland is 2-0 for the third time in four seasons and has won six consecutive games in September. 

Spreading It Around

• 13 different Maryland players recorded a reception.
• Last season, the Terps had five games with 10 or more players catching a pass, with a season-high of 13 against Ohio State.

Quick Strike Terps

• The Terps scored touchdowns on their first four drives, all of which needed no more than five plays and took under two minutes (1:50, 0:30, 0:47, 1:30). 
• That makes seven of Maryland's first eight touchdown drives coming in under two minutes. 

Young Running Backs? No Problem

• Maryland's quarter of young running backs (Littleton II, McDonald, Roman Hemby and Ramon Brown) continued their success from the season opener, combining for two scores and rushing 176 yards. 

Demus' Consistency

• Demus has now caught a pass in 29 straight games in which he has played, the seventh-longest streak in the country and second-longest in the Big Ten, only trailing Minnesota's Chris Autman-Bell.

Notes and Nuggets

• Copeland, a Florida transfer, recorded his first two touchdown grabs in a Maryland uniform.
• True freshman Jaishawn Barham recorded his first career pass breakup on Charlotte's opening drive. 
• After missing the final seven games of the 2021 season due to a knee injury, Jeshaun Jones scored his first touchdown since Oct. 30, 2020 against Minnesota. 
• Antwain Littleton II's 59-yard rush in the first quarter was a career long rush for the redshirt freshman.
• The 4 passing TDs for Taulia Tagovailoa and 2 receiving TDs for Jeshaun Jones are both career highs.
• Colby McDonald's rushing touchdown was his first of the season. 
• Billy Edwards Jr. and Octavian Smith Jr. both recorded the first touchdowns of their career. 

Up Next

• The Terps will host SMU at 7:30 pm. The game will air on FS1 and the Maryland Sports Radio Network.