COLLEGE PARK, MD - Maryland's defense scored twice in the first half, setting the tone for the Terps' 39-7 win over Florida Atlantic at SECU Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The victory marked Maryland's 14th consecutive season-opening win over a non-conference opponent and its nation-leading win streak over non-conference opponents to 16 games. The Terps recorded six interceptions (the program's most since 1998) as the defense smothered the Owls' offense from start to finish.
The Terps' defense outscored Florida Atlantic in the first half on a pick-six and a safety in consecutive quarters while the offense found its rhythm under true freshman quarterback Malik Washington, who picked up his first-career win in his debut.
An early pick-six by Daniel Wingate gave Maryland its first points of the season midway through the first quarter. Wingate's first-career interception led to Maryland's first defensive score since 2023. Sidney Stewart broke through the Owls' offensive line in the second quarter for the Terps' first safety since 2019 while Maryland posted three 4th-down stops in the first half.
A trio of touchdown passes in the second quarter from Washington featured scores from three different targets as a part of a 26-point second quarter, Maryland's highest total in a single quarter since 2018. The Terps took a 33-7 lead into the half.
Washington found his groove as his debut progressed. After starting 3-11 for 19 yards, he finished the first half with 200 yards on 22 completions. He finished with 258 yards and three touchdowns and didn't turn the ball over.
Shaleak Knotts was Washington's favorite target. The senior led the team with 59 yards on five receptions while Dorian Fleming also hauled in six catches for 36 yards. Washington's three touchdown passes were the most in a true freshman's debut in the Big Ten since 2009 (Michigan's Tate Forcier), the most by a true freshman in a Power Conference since 2018 (Clemson's Trevor Lawrence) and the most by a true freshman in a debut against an FBS school since UCLA's Josh Rosen in 2015.
Six different Terps snagged interceptions and Wingate led the defense with 10 tackles while an abundance of new faces made immediate impacts in their first game with Maryland as the Terrapins started their season with a dominant win in their first-ever meeting with FAU.
How it Happened:
1st Quarter:
- Florida Atlantic started with the ball after electing to receive and turned the ball over on downs on the Maryland 2-yard line. The Terps' defense stood the Owls up, drilling quarterback Caden Veltkamp on an attempted sneak.
- Washington's first collegiate pass attempt went for 15 yards and earned Maryland its first 1st down of the season.
- Wingate picked off Veltkamp and returned it 20 yards for the first touchdown of the season to put Maryland on the board.
- Florida Atlantic scored on a 27-yard pass to cap off a five-play, 58-yard drive to tie the game on the following possession.
- The Terps forced a second turnover on downs late in the first quarter, giving Maryland the ball on its own 45-yard line. Zahir Mathis recorded his first-career sack on 4th-and-9.
2nd Quarter:
- Sean O'Haire drilled his first field goal as a Terrapin from 49 yards out to put Maryland ahead 10-7.
- Dontay Joyner picked off Veltkamp early in the second quarter to mark Maryland's first multi-interception game since 2023 (Nov. 11, at Nebraska).
- Stewart sacked Veltkamp (first-career) in the endzone for Maryland's first safety since 2019 to put Maryland up 12-7.
- Washington connected with Knotts for a 29-yard touchdown to bring the lead to 19-7.
- Washington hit Kaleb Webb from 29 yards out for his second-career touchdown pass to put the Terps ahead 26-7 late in the first half.
- Washington found Dorian Fleming for his third touchdown pass of the second quarter to put the Terps ahead 33-7 with 37 seconds left in the first half.
3rd Quarter:
- Maryland opened the second half with a nine-play, 69-yard scoring drive O-Haire capped off with a 24-yard field goal to put Maryland up 36-7.
- O'Haire drilled a 42-yard field goal halfway through the quarter to add to the lead.
- Lavaub Scruggs picked off Veltkamp in the red zone.
- Jayden Shipps recorded a 4th-down sack to turn the Owls over on downs for the fifth time.
4th Quarter:
- La'khi Roland picked off VeltKamp for a fourth time in the Terp's endzone.
- Braydon Lee became the fifth Terp to snag an interception late in the fourth quarter.
- Ricardo Cooper Jr. recorded Maryland's sixth interception in the fourth quarter.
Magical Malik:
- Washington became the first true freshman to start a season opener for Maryland since Perry Hills in 2012.
- Washington threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns in his collegiate debut.
- Washington became the seventh true freshman to start a game for the Terrapins, following Kasim Hill (2017), Max Bortenschlager (2016), Tyrell Pigrome (2016), Perry Hills (2012), Latrez Harrison (1999) and Randall Jones (1998).
- Washington's 27 completions are the most by a Maryland true freshman quarterback in a game in school history.
- His 27 completions are the by a true freshman in a Power Conference debut since Jaxson Dart (USC) had 30 against Washington State in 2021.
Instant Impacts:
- Mathis's first-career sack came on 4th-and-9 to turn the ball back over to the Terps' offense.
- Stewart's first-career sack and safety came early in the second quarter for Maryland's second defensive score of the game.
- Webb's touchdown catch was his first as a Terp.
- Fleming, a Georgia State transfer, brought in a nine-yard touchdown reception late in the first half for his first touchdown as a Terp.
- O'Haire hit 115 yards worth of field goals and four extra points as he tallied 16 points in his first game as a Terp.
Returning Production:
- Dejuan Williams led the team with 54 rushing yards on 10 attempts. He also brought in three receptions for 21 yards.
- Knotts hauled in his second-career touchdown reception in the first half.
- Wingate led the team with 10 tackles in the win.
- Three of Maryland's six interceptions came from program veterans.
Season-Opening Success:
- The Terps have now won 14 straight non-conference openers, dating back to 2010.
- Excluding the 2020 season, Maryland has now won 15 straight season openers.
- The Terps improved to 26-5 in season openers since 1995.
Numbers to Know:
- 1: Maryland picked up its first-ever win over Florida Atlantic in the teams' first meeting.
- 3: O'Haire's three field goals are the most from a kicker in their Maryland debut since 1996 (3).
- 4: Maryland punter Bryce McFerson recorded his fourth-career punt of 60+ yards with a 60-yard punt in the 1st quarter.
- 5: Maryland turned an opponent away on downs multiple times (five) in the same game for the first time since the Music City Bowl against Auburn in 2023, when the Terps recorded three 4th-down stops.
- 10: Wingate led the team with 10 tackles in the win.
- 14: Maryland has now won 14 straight season openers against non-conference opponents.
- 15: Maryland has won each of its last 15 season openers, excluding the 2020 shortened season.
- 26: Maryland won its 26th season opener since 1995 to improve to 26-5.
- 26: The Terps' 26 points in the second quarter are its most in a quarter since 2019 (Howard), its most in a quarter against an FBS team since 2018 (Bowling Green) and its most in a quarter in a season opener since 2013 (FIU).
- 27: Washington's 27 completions are the most by a true freshman in a Power Conference debut since Jaxson Dart (USC) had 30 against Washington State in 2021.
- 21: McFerson has 21 punts of 50+ yards in his Terps' career (18 in 2024 and three on Saturday).
- 33: Maryland's 33 first-half points are its most in the first half of a season opener against an FBS opponent since scoring 40 against FIU in 2013.
- 49: O'Haire's 49-yard field goal was the longest for a Terp as his first Maryland field goal since at least 1996.
- 90: 90: The 90 combined plays in the first half are the most in any half of a Maryland game since September 26, 2015 at West Virginia (90 in first half).
- 258: Washington threw for 258 passing yards in just three quarters, more than Maryland accumulated in four of its games in 2024.
- 1998: Maryland's six interceptions are the most in a game since 1998 (Seven against Duke).
- 2002: Maryland's safety came via quarterback sack for the first time since 2002 when E.J. Henderson sacked Wake Forest quarterback Cory Randolph.
- 2011: Wingate's pick-six was Maryland's first in a season opener since Cam Chism recorded one against Miami in 2011.
- 2013: Maryland recorded both a pick-six and a safety for the first time since 2013 (Sept. 14, at UConn).
- 2013: Maryland's defense tallied 3+ interceptions and 3+ sacks in the same game for the first time since 2013 against Old Dominion.
- 2018: Maryland had four interceptions from four different Terps for the first time since 2018 against Rutgers.
- 2023: Maryland's last pick-six came in 2023 against Auburn (Glendon Miller on Dec. 20).
Locksley's Message:
- "It was great to see our defense play that way, but these are things that are a byproduct of what they did during training camp."
- "We started off a little slow on offense, so it was great for our defense to be able to make a few plays to jump-start us."
- "I think we are all starting to see the making of what could be a very good quarterback."
- "Malik's a little older than his years in the way he handles things and the best part about it is he's only going to get better."
- "To see the young players that we brought in to do the things that they started to show today was really encouraging for us."
Washington's Words of Wisdom:
- "My team kept instilling trust in me and telling me to have confidence in myself. Stuff like that kept me going early.
- On an offensive turning point: "I feel like after the first touchdown. Everyone always feels good after the first one. Getting that in the books and getting ready to roll from there set us up nicely."
- "It means a lot for (coaches) to trust me and the guys to trust me. So being able to go out there and just show why they trusted me felt great."
Wingate on Freshman:
- "It's huge being able to know that we can trust those guys so early and we have guys that can go out there and back them up. Having a younger team is part of the process. No matter what position, we have guys ready to step up and make the most of their chances."
Up Next:
- Maryland stays home to take on Northern Illinois on Sept. 5. The game will start at 7:30 and air on Big Ten Network.
