The Terps Failed to Convert on a Second 2-point attempt after a penalty negated the first one tying the game with 35 seconds remaining
Story By: Sol Tucker
Photos By: Sol Tucker
College Park, MD–
There have been quite a few questionable calls already in the 2022 College football season, but the ending of today’s Maryland vs. Purdue match-up shouldn’t have been as close of a finish as it was… or should it have?
The Terrapins had scored with 35 seconds to play but needed to convert the 2-point conversion. The first attempt was successful, and it appeared the game was heading to overtime, but Maryland was called for an illegal man down the field. The second attempt failed.
Maryland had one more chance to get the ball back, but Perdue’s Tyrone Tracy recovered an onside kick with 32 seconds to play to end the wild afternoon in College Park.
The big difference in this game was it appeared the Locksley’s train couldn’t keep up with Perdue’s in the final minutes. Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell, who had a solid game offensively, delivered when the Boilermakers most needed it, hitting tight end Payne Durham on a 4-yard touchdown as the Boilermakers prevailed 31-29.
The touchdown pass gave Purdue a 24-23 lead and the Boilermakers added another touchdown later on Devin Mockobee’s 2-yard run with 1:20 to play, keyed by Durham’s 56-yard catch and run. Durham finished with seven catches for 109 yards.
After the game there was still quite a bit of talk about the blocked extra point that put the Terps in the dire situation late in the game.
Maryland’s main highlight of the day came on 68-yard touchdown pass from Taulia Tagovailoa to Corey Dyches with 14 seconds before halftime tied the score at 17. Purdue’s offense failed to move the ball and Jack Ansell’s punt traveled only 37 yards. Following a hands-to-the-face penalty on the Terrapins, Dyches got behind cornerback Cory Trice. Tagovailoa’s pass was underthrown, forcing Dyches to slow down. Dyches dragged Trice into the end zone during the final 10 yards.
Maryland seemed to have most of the momentum in the second half but just could not find a way to get anything done in the 3rd quarter. Well, neither could the Boilermakers, setting up the final dramatics of the 4th quarter.
Maryland appeared to have tied it when Tagovailoa found Rakim Jarrett in the corner of the end zone for a 2-point conversion in the final minute. However, offensive lineman Delmar Glaze was flagged for being downfield, and Tagovailoa threw incomplete on the next attempt.
“I’ll say this: The blocked extra point had a major impact on the game. It’s a one-score game, it takes us into overtime, it adjusts and changes how they play the game,” Terrapins coach Michael Locksley said. “The illegal man downfield had no impact on the touchdown, so I’ll just leave it at that.”
