Story By: Erin Zollars
Photos By: Sol Tucker
College Park, MD–
Hope and optimism for the Terps came in the form of their 6th victory today and a chance to get that illusive 7th victory that they have not seen for a few years. Today the victory over the Scarlet Knights didn’t come easy, but it came and for Terps Head Coach D.J Durkin its a chance to continue to put this team in the right place for the next few years.
Calling it “a great day for us, a great day for our program,” Durkin credited the group of 22 seniors who were honored before the game – several of whom played a big part in the victory — for helping him get his message across since taking over the program nearly a year ago.
Maryland opened the game with a 35-yard kick off return by DJ Moore, but the big plays were just beginning. It took the Terps just two plays, both runs by Kenneth Goins Jr., to go 55 yards to open up a 7-0 lead on the Scarlet Knights just 47 seconds into the game. After gaining 9 yards on his first carry, Goins’ second run went for a career-best 46 yards for the score.
Aside from Johnson and Goins, who rushed for a career-high 81 yards on 10 carries, true freshman quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome rushed for a 28-yard touchdown on his only carry late in the second quarter to give Maryland a 21-7 halftime lead.
Rutgers cut into Maryland’s lead with 4:48 left in the third quarter on a 28-yard TD run by Goodwin. The score would stay at 21-13 thanks to Chandler Burkett blocking the extra-point attempt.
For the Terps, they will have to wait until December 4th to find out their placement in a bowl game, which three main contenders that have emerged are the Pinstripe Bowl, Heart of Dallas Bowl and Foster Farms Bowl.
