Late blocked field goal and touchdown propels Maryland football over USC, 29-28

With just below two minutes remaining and USC set to kick a game-sealing area aim up six factors, the unthinkable occurred.

Maryland soccer linebacker Donnell Brown obtained his arms on the try, and the block was returned into USC territory by defensive again Glen Miller.

The Terps scored 5 performs, 47 yards and 48 seconds later to take an inconceivable lead with beneath a minute left. The benefit held for the rest of the competition — regardless of Maryland’s numerous miscues, errors and gaffes, it eked out a season-saving 29-28 victory at SECU Stadium on Saturday night time.

“Actually pleased with the blokes, actually pleased with the teaching workers [that] did an excellent job making ready these guys,” head coach Michael Locksley mentioned. “They saved dialing and determining the way to reply the issues that had been going down.”

The early motion was not characterised by stellar offensive performances, as each secondaries stepped up early. The Terps contained USC (3-4) properly on its first drive, however the Trojans equally stymied Maryland’s offense on its first two drives.

In his second recreation calling offensive performs, Locksley rejected the run, solely opting to cross the ball on the crew’s first two drives. Solely on the second play of the Terps’ third drive did they hand the ball off to Nolan Ray, for a 3-yard achieve.

As an alternative, the Terps’ offense was strewn with fast bubble screens and brief play-action throws. These didn’t produce explosive outcomes, as Maryland (4-3) scored simply seven factors within the opening half.

In the meantime, USC settled in properly after its second drive. It drove into Maryland territory earlier than being compelled right into a 52-yard area aim that it missed. However an unlawful Terps substitution gave the Trojans a extra manageable fourth down, which it transformed.

The following sequence noticed Moss discover vast receiver Kyron Hudson for a 22-yard landing, the sport’s first rating.

Related errors constructed up slowly over the course of the half — and the sport — because the Terps amassed seven infractions for 60 yards on the night time.

After its first landing — a nook fade to Octavian Smith Jr. — Maryland had issue constructing on its momentum. A missed 52-yard area aim from Jack Howes and a fourth-and-2 stuff on working again Roman Hemby left factors on the board.

The begin to the second half practically sealed the Terps’ demise, as they turned the ball over on downs after chewing over three minutes of clock. However Moss underthrew a cross to Zachariah Department on the very subsequent drive, leading to a Lavain Scruggs interception and return that set Maryland up on the USC 18-yard line.

“We’ve created some depth the place these younger guys are compelled in there, and I gotta reside with a number of the errors,” Locksley mentioned. “However proper now, they’re doing all the things we’ve requested of them.”

The very subsequent play resulted in a Tai Felton receiving landing, bringing the Terps inside a rating.

“That’s the fantastic thing about our system, is that we now have solutions,” Locksley mentioned. “If [USC is] going to play man and we’ve obtained a bunch — Octavian Smith and Tai Felton and these tight ends must make these performs … they did right this moment after we wanted them to.”

But, Maryland did not take the lead till till very late. USC was compelled to punt on the subsequent drive, and the Terps had no hassle driving the size of the sector. However crimson zone issues obtained the most effective of Maryland as soon as once more, as Edwards threw an interception in the long run zone on fourth down.

The Terps clawed their method again nonetheless, forcing USC right into a punt with 6:37 left to give itself one other probability. After one other botched fourth down play on the following drive, issues regarded hopeless for Maryland.

“It’s like somewhat slugfest, Coach Locks may say, [a] little slugfest the place we’re simply taking punches [and] we’re giving them out,” linebacker Donnell Brown mentioned. “On the finish of the day, we stood up they usually stood down.”

However that’s when the magic occurred — and Maryland’s first Massive Ten win resulted in an emphatic Saturday night time storming of SECU Stadium.

Three issues to know

1. Late chaos came about. After the Terps’ late rating with simply 53 seconds left, USC had a primary alternative to drive down for a game-winning area aim try. It obtained all the way in which all the way down to Maryland’s 40-yard line earlier than a 4th-and-2 incomplete cross with 11 seconds left sealed the victory for the house crew.

“I slammed my helmet on the sector,” Brown mentioned. “I used to be simply so glad, as a result of that was the breakthrough that we’ve been ready for for a really very long time.”

2. A highlight-reel seize. USC vast receiver Ja’Kobi Lane had the most effective catch of the day, bar none, as his 15-yard one-handed reception for the crew’s second rating may be in competition for catch of the 12 months. He wildly contorted his physique round Maryland defensive again Perry Fisher earlier than reeling it in.

3. Smith sees elevated utilization. Other than his first landing reception of the 2024 season, it was encouraging for Maryland followers to see the shifty junior produce properly. He completed the day with career-highs in each catches (8) and yards (84).

“I feel KP advised me he had over 100 [yards], Tai had a bunch of touches,” Edwards mentioned. “Octavian Smith had a hell of a catch there within the first landing within the first half. So simply proceed to feed them the ball.”