COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland opened its 2023 season with a resounding 38-6 victory over Towson on Saturday at SECU Stadium. The Terps have now won 18 consecutive home openers and 12 consecutive non-conference openers, the second-longest streak in the nation.
Maryland raced out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back piling up 449 yards of offense with 283 through the air and 166 on the ground.
The Terps' defense hasn't allowed a touchdown in its last three games (covering 12 quarters) dating to last season. The last time the Terps had three games in a row without allowing a touchdown came from Nov. 6-20, 1976, when the Terps posted three consecutive shutouts.
Preseason All-Big Ten selection Taulia Tagovailoa surpassed the 8,000-yard mark for career passing yards as he threw for 260 on 22-of-33 with three passing touchdowns, along with a rushing score. He connected with Corey Dyches, Jeshaun Jones and Kaden Prather on scoring receptions.
Playing with a new jersey number (No. 2), Dyches had the best game of his career with a career-high 108 receiving yards on a career-high tying six catches.
Jones added five catches for 57 yards. Ocatvian Smith Jr., had four receptions for 42 yards.
On the ground, Roman Hemby ran for 58 yards on 12 carries with a rushing score.
From Coach Locksley
"Obviously, is great to start off and be 1-0. Our team, I thought, came in prepared to play. We got off to the fast start that we'd like to get off to - scoring 21 points in the first quarter. I think you can attribute some of that start to our fans. Our students section, especially, gave us that energy right from the start. There are always things we need to clean up, which we'll do, but it's good to be able to do it after a win. We played a lot of players which is huge because for us to develop our team, with the way the game of football is now, we're going to need them all. And to be able to play a lot of players in Game One really will help our team as we build our depth. We have to turn the page on this one after 24 hours. Get our mindset back to preparing for Charlotte to be here next week as a national TV game with our new NBC partners, really excited about that. Usually see you your biggest jump from Game One to Game Two, and I'm looking forward to getting us prepared to do that."
Breaking Down The Action
- The Terps raced out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter as Tagovailoa opened the scoring with a 23-yard touchdown rush, 2:54 into the game.
- Tagovailoa connected with Dyches (23 yards) and Jones (24 yards) for the three-score advantage.
- Towson's Keegan Vaughan kicked a 36-yard field goal to open the second-quarter scoring, making it 21-3, Maryland.
- Prather hauled in a 13-yard reception to make it 28-3 just 14 seconds prior to halftime.
- Hemby pushed the lead to 35-3 with a 9-yard touchdown with 9:26 left in the third quarter.
- Evan Johnson kicked a 24-yard field goal to push the lead to 38-6 with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter.
Season-Opener Success
- With the win, the Terps have now won 18 consecutive home openers, dating back to 2006, when they beat William & Mary, 27-14 on Sept. 2, 2006
- During those 18 wins, Maryland has outscored its opponents 728-284 (average score of 40.4-15.8.
- The Terps have also won 12 consecutive non-conference season openers, second in the Big Ten only to Michigan State, as the Spartans have won 14 in a row. Maryland's streak dates back to 2010 when the Terps beat Navy 17-14 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore and includes two wins over Texas.
- During those 12 wins, Maryland has outscored its opponents 515-191 (average score of 43-16).
- Maryland has gone 13-1 in all season-opening games from 2010-23 with the only loss coming in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Only three FBS teams have a better opening-game record than the Terps in this span – Air Force (14-0), Alabama (plays tonight) and Ohio State (14-0).
Non-Conference Success
- Maryland has now won nine consecutive non-conference games, every game since the 2021 season.
- In the Locksley era (2019-pres.), Maryland's average of 43.1 points per game in non-conference play leads the nation.
- The Terps have scored 30-plus points in 10 of 12 non-conference games under Locksley, including eight of the last nine.
No Touchdowns Allowed Again!
- Maryland extended its streak of not allowing a touchdown to three games, covering 12 quarters dating to the Ohio State game last season on Nov. 19, 2022.
- The Terps blanked Rutgers 37-0 in the 2022 regular-season finale, allowed four field goals to NC State in a 16-12 win in the 2022 Duke's Mayo Bowl and allowed two field goals to Towson in this game.
- Maryland has a streak of 192:36 without allowing an offensive touchdown, dating to that fourth quarter vs. Ohio State.
- The last time the Terp didn't allow a touchdown for three consecutive games dates all the way back to 1976, when Maryland had three shutouts in a row, beating Cincinnati (21-0) on Nov. 6, beating Clemson (20-0) on Nov. 13 and Virginia (28-0) on Nov. 20.
Taulia Adds To His Records
- Tagovailoa surpassed the 8,000-yard mark for career passing yards at Maryland with 260 in the game. He now has 8,139. The quarterback holds the Maryland career records for passing yards, passing touchdowns (54), total touchdowns (63), completions (687), completion percentage (67.4), 300-yard passing games (12), passing efficiency (146.2) and total offense (8,355).
- Tagovailoa scored his ninth-career rushing touchdown on a 23-yard scamper on the first drive of the game.
- Tagovailoa threw for 246 yards in the first half, his most in a half since throwing for 305 at Charlotte last season.
- His four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) in the first half tied for his most in a half since throwing for four touchdowns at Charlotte last season.
New Number For Dyches
- Prior to the game, tight end Corey Dyches was surprised with a change of his uniform number from 84 to number 2.
- He went on to have the best game of his career with 108 receiving yards and a career-high tying six receptions. He surpassed his previous high of 106 vs. Purdue (10/8/22), which was his only previous 100-yard receiving yards.
- His six receptions tied his six vs. SMU (9/17/22).
- Dyches proceeded to come out and grab a 44-yard pass from Tagovailoa to set up the Terps' first touchdown.
Jones Jumping Up Charts
- With his first-quarter touchdown, Jeshaun Jones scored his 11th career receiving touchdown. That moved him into a tie for 10th in career-receiving touchdowns. He is tied with Marcus Badgett (1989-92) and Barry Johnson (1987-90).
- Jones is closing in on 100 career receptions after hauling in five catches in the game to give him 98 in his career.
- Jones will be the 16th career player in program history with 100 career receptions, when that occurs.
Notes and Nuggets
- Maryland won its 17th consecutive game when committing zero turnovers.
- Maryland won its 20th straight game when leading after three quarters.
- The Terps' 325 yards in the first half were the most piled up in a first half since having 393 vs. Charlotte last season on Sept. 10, 2022.
- The Terps' 21 first-quarter points were their most in a first quarter since leading Charlotte 21-7 after the first 15 minutes, last season.
- Isaac Bunyan had his first career sack with an 8-yard loss in the first quarter.
- Riyad Wilmot had a three-yard sack, his first career sack
- Maryland's 17-play drive in the fourth quarter marked the first such drive since playing at Rutgers on Nov. 4, 2017.
Welcome Home
- Several former Terps who are playing in the NFL were on hand for Saturday's opener.
- 2023 NFL Draft picks Deonte Banks (New York Giants) and Spencer Anderson (Pittsburgh Steelers) were in attendance along with Rakim Jarrett (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). 2022 pick Nick Cross (Indianapolis Colts) was also at the game.
Up Next
- The Terps host Charlotte next Saturday, September 9, at SECU Stadium with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, airing on NBC and the Maryland Sports Radio Network. Maryland beat the 49ers last year in Charlotte, 56-21.
