Story By: Andrew Lang
Photos By: Sol Tucker
College Park, MD–
The Terps came into today’s game against Michigan as huge underdog, but after the opening drive it appeared that there might actually be some hope for the Terps against the #18 ranked team in the nation, but and the end… it was the same results we have seen for well over 2 months.
Malik Washington started this game hot to wide receiver Shaleak Knotts with a 29-yard pass, then Washington ran for gain of 13 yards to the Michigan eight-yard line. On 4th-and-goal from the one, Washington found tight end Dorian Fleming in the end zone to cap off a 10-play, 75-yard opening drive. This is where the offense stopped for most of the first half.
In what might have been one of the strangest calls of the season for Mike Locksley came on the kickoff, where he opted for an onside kick and like quite a few plays this season, it failed. The ball was recovered just short of midfield for the Wolverines eventually setting up a Wolverines touchdown tying the game a 7-7.
Maryland had tough time really finding a way to stop Bryson Kuzdzal, who rushed for 3 touchdowns in a back-up role as Michigan played without its starting running back due to injury.
It wasn’t a very good first half for Terps and Washington as he threw an interception after the Kuzdzal score giving the Wolverines a 14-7 lead, which would eventually lead to another touchdown for the Wolverines, which spread the lead to 21-7.
The Terps again showed one of their best drives after the interception and drove the ball down into the redzone… the result.. just another field goal. This is about as close the game would come the entire way.
“We held their run pretty good until later in the third and into the fourth quarter,” Maryland defensive back Jalen Huskey said. “That’s something we can build on.”
Michigan tacked on three more touchdowns in the third quarter and added a field goal in the fourth pulling away for good at 45-13.
Late in the fourth, Khristian Martin replaced Washington and at the 5:55 mark remaining he hit Jalil Farooq for a touchdown giving the Terps their first trip to the endzone since that first drive of the first quarter.
As the Terps wind down another disappointing season, Washington has emerged as a leader at quarterback and something that Locksley can build on hopefully it can start next weekend in Detroit as the Terps face another conference foe in Michigan State who sits dead as at 0-8 in the conference.
