For the Maryland Terps, they have put themselves in some compromising situations this season and the end of tonight’s game against Virginia was nothing less than all of what the Terps have gone through this season.
The Terps who held on to a 17-12 lead late into the fourth quarter just could not contain third string running back Mikell Simpson, who replaced starter Andrew Pearman, who had a foot injury and did not play.
Simpson scored on a 1-yard plunge to finish a long 90-yard drive by the Cavaliers that consumed more than seven minutes. The touchdown helped the Cavaliers to a 18-17 victory and improving them to 7-1 on the season and 4-0 in the ACC.
Maryland had several chances to keep the Cavs off the board during the drive including the one that set up the final touchdown run where it looked as if Simpson did not make it to the spot of the first down marker before he headed out of bounds. The play frustrated Terps Head Coach Ralph Friedgen, who ordered a review of the play.
The play resulted in a Cavaliers first down and the chance to score setting up the attempt for the 2 point conversion which failed.
“On that last drive it just seemed like things didn’t go our way,” Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said.
That included the final play, when Simpson lost the ball at the height of his dive.
“I saw the ball come out on the goal line. I saw it and I don’t think he had possession,” Friedgen said.
The Terps had one more chance to do something to drive up the field with 16 seconds remaining on the clock and it appeared that Friedgen had lost all hope in his quarterback to get them into kicking range, as they opted for a trick play that included a reverse and an illegal forward pass to end the game. Many of the Terps faithful looked dissatisfied with the conclusion of the game.
