Nebraska Rallies in Fourth Quarter to Snag 34-31 Win Over Maryland

Saturday, October 11

College Park, MD

3:30 PM

Maryland

4-2 , 1-2

Nebraska

5-1 , 2-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Nebraska	7	17	0	10	34
Maryland	0	17	14	0	31

Nebraska Rallies in Fourth Quarter to Snag 34-31 Win Over Maryland

10/11/2025 3:30:00 PM | Football

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The Terps' defense snagged three interceptions and scored its third defensive touchdown of the season in its loss to the Huskers.

COLLEGE PARK, MD — A last-minute touchdown drive from the Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) earned them a 34-31 win over Maryland (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) at SECU Stadium on Saturday. The Terps intercepted Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola thrice, but were unable to close out the Huskers out in the final minutes of action and fell for a second straight week.

An incredible football game with an abundance of lead changes eventually fell the Huskers way despite Malik Washington joining exclusive company and the Maryland defense reaching a certain mark for the first time since 2018.

Nebraska became the first Big Ten team to score on Maryland in the first half all season with a 64-yard touchdown in the first quarter that put the Huskers ahead early. Drives later, Nolan Ray found the endzone for the Terps with a 28-yard rushing touchdown for his second score of the year.

That's 28 Yards for Nolan 💨

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/1zKtOJ9RzB
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) October 11, 2025

The ensuing Nebraska play lasted just one play as Messiah Delhomme snagged his first-career interception, setting the Terps up in Husker territory.

Maryland took the lead just seconds later as Washington hit Leon Haughton Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown strike. Haughton Jr.'s third catch of his career resulted in his first-career score and a 14-10 Maryland lead.

First career TD for @TerpsFootball's Leon Haughton Jr.!

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/fbvTs8rZw2
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 11, 2025

Despite an interception by Maryland's Jamare Glasker and a 37-yard Sean O'Haire field goal in the waning seconds of the second quarter, a pair of Nebraska scoring drives before the half gave the Huskers a 24-17 lead at the break.

The Terps started the second half with a commanding 10-play, 75-yard drive to knot the game up on a DeJuan Williams rushing score. A few plays later, the Terps picked off Raiola and Dontay Joyner brought it back 67 yards for Maryland's third defensive touchdown of 2025.

A TERRAPIN PICK-6 AGAINST DYLAN RAIOLA ‼️@TerpsFootball pic.twitter.com/Lyj0zhNA9s
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 11, 2025

Nebraska conducted a seven-play, 81-yard scoring drive to take a 34-31 lead with just over a minute left to play. The Terps final drive came up short as they fell to 4-2 on the season.

Head Coach Michael Locksley speaks to the media following the Nebraska Game. https://t.co/OaI2hxxgVC
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) October 11, 2025

How it Happened:
1st Quarter:

Maryland won the toss and deferred, sending Nebraska on offense first.
The Terps turned the Huskers over on downs on Nebraska's opening drive in Maryland territory.
Washington hit Octavian Smith Jr. for a gain of 19 yards for the Terps' first 1st down of the game.
Nebraska got on the board with a 64-yard catch-and-run touchdown on the Huskers' second drive.
Zahir Mathis batted a pass down on 3rd-and-22 to end the opening quarter.

2nd Quarter:

Nebraska made a 42-yard field goal to start the second quarter and extend its lead to 10-0.
Washington and Kaleb Webb connected for a 25-yard hook up to move across midfield.
Ray broke free for a 28-yard rushing touchdown to put the Terps on the board.
Delhomme picked off Dylan Riola to set Maryland up on the Huskers' 33-yard line.
Washington connected with Haughton Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown as the Terps took a 14-10 lead.
Nebraska returned the ensuing kick 85 yards to set up a two-play Huskers scoring drive.
Nebraska scored on a 12-yard passing touchdown with 5:37 remaining in the half to take a 24-14 lead.
Glasker intercepted Riaola late in the second quarter for the Terps' second pick of the first half.
O'Haire hit his 13th field goal of the season to cut the Nebraska lead to 24-17.
Mathis recorded a 10-yard sack on the final play of the first half.

3rd Quarter:

The Terps opened the second half with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
Williams scored his second touchdown of the season to tie the game at 24-24.
Joyner's 67-yard pick-six gave Maryland a 31-24 lead on the Terps' 3rd defensive touchdown of the season.
The Terps outscored Nebraska 14-0 in the third quarter to take a 31-24 lead into the fourth.

4th Quarter:

Nebraska hit a 27-yard field goal with 7:47 left in the game to cut Maryland's lead to 31-27.
The Huskers took the lead with a short passing touchdown with 1:08 remaining in the contest.
Maryland turned the ball over on downs on its final drive.

Washington's Historic Start:

Washington is one of four Power Conference True Freshman QBs with 200+ passing yards in each of his first six career games since 2000, joining Philip Rivers (NC State, 2000), Sam Ehlinger (Texas, 2017) and Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Cal, 2025).
His 137 completions through six-career games are the most by a true freshman quarterback since 2021.
Washington's 1,506 passing yards through six-career games rank third-most among true freshman quarterbacks since 2019 (Jayden Daniels had 1,610 at Arizona State, Sam Howell had 1,544 for UNC).
His 10 passing touchdowns through six-career games are tied for third-most among true freshman quarterbacks since 2019 (Dante Moore for UCLA). Only Howell (15 in 2019) and Caleb Williams (14 for OU in 2021) had more.

Numbers to Know:

0: Maryland is still yet to allow a score on an opposing team's opening drive.
1: Nebraska entered Saturday having only allowed one completion of over 20 yards. Maryland had three against the Huskers.
3: The Terps's offensive line has only allowed three sacks through six games in 2025.
5: Mathis has recorded at least half a sack in five of Maryland's six games this season.
6: For the sixth time this season, Maryland did not allow its opponent to score on its first drive of the game. Maryland is one of three Big Ten teams to have kept its opponents off the scoreboard on its first drive of the game (Nebraska & Minnesota).
+10: Maryland's +10 turnover differential in 2025 leads the nation.
28: Ray's 28-yard touchdown was the longest Maryland rush of the season.
34: The 34 total points in the second quarter are the most in a conference game this season.
73: Washington completed 73% of his passes (27/37) on Saturday.
91.8: Nebraska led the nation in pass defense coming into the game, only allowing 91.8 yards per game. Maryland had 249.
2018: Joyner's pick-six was Maryland's first against a conference opponent since RaVon Davis did it against Ohio State (11/17/2018). His interception also marked the first season Maryland's had three defensive touchdowns since 2018.

Michael Locksley's Message:

"Obviously hurts for anyone that's in our locker room. They worked really hard to give themselves a chance to have an opportunity to win there at the end. Really loved the fight."
"We're competing, scratching, scraping and fighting to find a way to win. I think with that type of effort, we'll see the results of it."
"We've got quite a few guys that have the ability to make plays on the offensive side of the ball."
"We saw a lot of guys maybe take some steps forward in terms of resiliency and bouncing back."

Washington's Takeaway: