EUGENE, OR – Maryland football was defeated by No. 1 Oregon, 39-18, on Saturday at Autzen Stadium. Maryland is now 4-5 overall and 1-5 in Big Ten play.
Despite the loss, senior wide receiver Tai Felton tied DJ Moore's single-season reception record of 80 catches in 2017. Felton was Maryland's leading receiver on the night with seven receptions for 72 yards.
The Terps scored on their opening possession with a 37-yard Jack Howes field goal and forced a three-and-out on the Ducks' ensuing drive to lead 3-0. However, the Ducks followed by outscoring Maryland 29-7. A touchdown at 11:27 in the fourth quarter by Octavian Smith Jr. and a two-point conversion by Billy Edwards Jr. cut the deficit to 11 at 29-18.
Oregon closed out the game by generating two turnovers and scoring 10 points off of them. Maryland held Dillon Gabriel to a season-low 183 passing yards. It was also his fewest passing yards since Oct. 29, 2022, against Iowa State, where he threw for 148 yards at Oklahoma.
Roman Hemby rushed 11 times for 34 yards and a touchdown. He added three catches for 11 yards. His rushing score was the 26th overall touchdown of his career, tying him for fifth in program history. It was also his 21st score on the ground, tying him for eighth in program history.
The junior running back has also recorded a reception in 23 straight games dating back to December of 2022, the second-longest active streak by an FBS RB (Woody Marks, USC, 54). This is also the longest streak of any Maryland running back this century.
Smith's score was the fifth of his career and his second of the season. He was Maryland's second-leading receiver with five catches for 46 yards.
The Ducks advanced to 10-0 and 7-0 in conference play, remaining one of only four undefeated teams in the FBS. Gabriel became the NCAA's record holder for total touchdowns (179), passing Case Keenum's mark set at Houston from 2007-11.
Locksley's Take
"You gotta give Oregon credit. Really good team deserving of their ranking," head coach
Michael Locksley said. "Disappointed. When you watch us play, and these guys played hard, we're practicing the right way, we're just not playing to our potential, we're not playing smart, and it's so frustrating when you watch it because you see the plays that are there that we have to make, and we're really close."
Edwards' Take
"In that first half we put ourselves in some good opportunities there to come away with points," quarterback
Billy Edwards Jr. said. "But when you play the number one team in the country, you got to be able to score touchdowns. And when you get opportunities in the red area, you've got to capitalize on it, and obviously, in the long run of the game, eventually came back to bite us."
Breaking Down The Action
- A roughing the kicker penalty kept the Terps' opening drive going, and Billy Edwards Jr. threw for three first downs before the drive stalled out in the red zone. Jack Howes then drilled a 37-yard field goal, and the Terps took a 3-0 lead at 10:17 in the first.
- The Terps forced a three-and-out on defense but punted the ball away shortly after. The ball was muffed, but the Ducks recovered. They drove the field's length and scored to take a 7-3 lead.
- Oregon forced a strip sack, recovering the ball and returning it for 62 yards for a score to take a 14-3 lead at 13:10 in the second frame.
- Maryland responded with a nine-play, 70-yard drive that several Oregon penalties aided. The drive ended with a rushing score by Roman Hemby, and the Terps trailed 14-10 at 3:17 in the second.
- The Ducks followed with a score 20 seconds before entering the locker room. Dillon Gabriel found Terrance Ferguson in the back of the end zone as they led 21-10 at halftime.
- Oregon took a 29-10 advantage at 7:48 in the third.
- Octavian Smith Jr. scored a touchdown at 11:27 in the fourth, and Edwards scored the two-point conversion. Maryland trailed 29-18.
- The Ducks drilled a field goal after picking off a pass. They then picked off another pass and scored to lead 39-18 with under four minutes to play.
Terrific Tai
- Tai Felton finished his day with a stat line of seven receptions for 72 yards. Through nine games, he has 80 receptions for 979 receiving yards.
- Felton moved up to fifth in career yards with 2,062. He passed Geroy Simon (2,059 from 1993-96), Jeshuan Jones (2,040 from 2018-23), DJ Moore (2,027 from 2015-17) and Dontay Demus Jr. (2,008 from 2018-22).
- Felton also moved to third in program history for career receptions with 156. He passed Torrey Smith (152 from 2008-10), Jeshuan Jones (151 from 2018-23) and Stefon Diggs (150 from 2012-14).
- The receiver even reached a few single-season milestones. He moved to fourth in receiving yards and tied for first in receptions, passing multiple Terps. He's Tied with DJ Moore with 80 receptions in a season.
- Felton ranks first in the Big Ten in yards and receptions by a large margin.
The Roman Empire
- Roman Hemby rushed 11 times for 34 yards and a touchdown in the game.
- His rushing touchdown at 3:17 in the second quarter was his fifth of the season. It was also the 21st of his career on the ground, tying him for eighth in program history with Josh Allen (2002-03, 2005-06) and Ed Modzelewski (1949-51). Next on the list with 25 are C.J. Brown (2011-14) and Louis Carter (1972-74).
- The score also gave him 26 career touchdowns (rushing and receiving), tying him for fifth in program history with Lance Ball (2004-07), Jermaine Lewis (1992-95) and Charlie Wysocki (1978-81). Next on the list is Louis Carter (1972-74) with 27.
- Hemby even moved up the career-rushing leaderboard. With 2,177 yards, he now ranks 12th, passing Alvin Blount's (1983-86) 2,158 yards. Next on the list is Louis Carter (1972-74) with 2,266 yards.
Numbers And Nuggets
- 1: La'khi Roland drew his first start of the season in the secondary.
- 4: The Terps have scored on four of their first nine drives this season. The first three were touchdowns, and today was the first field goal to open the game.
- 5: Octavian Smith Jr. has five career touchdowns, including two in 2024.
- 19: Bryce McFerson has 19 punts inside the 20-yard line this season.
- 23: Roman Hemby has now recorded a reception in 23 straight games dating back to December of 2022, the second-longest active streak by an FBS RB (Woody Marks, USC, 54). This is the longest such streak by any Maryland running back this century.
- 21: Hemby's rushing TD in the second quarter was the 21st of his career, tying him for eighth in program history.
- 26: Hemby has 26 touchdowns in his career, the fifth most in program history.
- 80: Tai Felton tied Maryland's single-season receptions record held by DJ Moore (80 in 2017).
- 183: The Terps' defense limited Dillon Gabriel to a season-low 183 passing yards.
- 2000: Felton eclipsed 2,000 career receiving yards.
- 2500: Billy Edwards Jr. eclipsed 2,500 passing yards this season.
Up Next
- The Terps return to SECU Stadium on Nov. 16 to face Rutgers for Military Appreciation Day. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game will be televised on FS1 and broadcast on Maryland Sports Radio Network.
