Maryland football’s pursuit of its first conference victory of the season against Northwestern came to an abrupt end early in the fourth quarter. As the Terps trailed by seven points, quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. dropped back and was quickly overwhelmed by the Northwestern defense, resulting in a fumble. Defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard recovered the ball and scored, extending Northwestern’s lead.
Maryland was unable to score for the remainder of the game, ultimately losing 37-10 at SECU Stadium on Friday night. This marks the first time since 2022 that the Terps have scored 10 points or fewer in a game, following a 30-0 defeat against Penn State.
With this loss, Maryland falls to 0-3 in Big Ten play for the first time since head coach Michael Locksley took over in 2015. “This one is really tough for me to swallow,” Locksley remarked. “We’re committed to building this team to compete for championships. It’s not always a straight path; today was a setback, and we need to transform this frustration into something positive.”
Despite benefiting from a bye week that allowed the team to rest and recover, Maryland (3-3) struggled early, falling behind 17-0. “It starts with me in making sure I jump-start our team,” Locksley stated.
The Terps’ opening drive resulted in a three-and-out, concluding with an 11-yard sack. Things escalated when Northwestern’s quarterback Jack Lausch connected with A.J. Henning, who had significant distance from his defender, leading to a 9-yard touchdown scramble from Lausch.
After another failed drive by Maryland, Lausch followed up with two passes to Bryce Kirtz that totaled 68 yards, setting up a 3-yard touchdown run by Cam Porter. Maryland quickly found itself in deeper trouble when Ricardo Cooper Jr. fumbled the kickoff, allowing Northwestern to add a 43-yard field goal.
Even Tai Felton, the Big Ten’s leading receiver, faced difficulties in the first half, dropping his first pass of the season after going the entire year without a drop prior to Friday. He concluded the game with nine receptions for 77 yards.
Maryland began to find its footing in the second quarter, successfully scoring after a defensive pass interference call in the end zone granted them fresh downs at Northwestern’s 2-yard line. Edwards got the ball across the goal line on a quarterback sneak, marking his eighth rushing touchdown from the 1-yard line.
Hope was fleeting, however, as the Terps struggled in the second half. After Kaden Prather dropped a critical fourth-and-3 pass, Maryland reached Northwestern’s 1-yard line only to be pushed back, converting instead for a field goal. The scoop-and-score followed by another fumble and an interception sealed their fate.
In what was considered one of their most favorable chances in the conference this season, Maryland suffered a disheartening 27-point loss.
“It’s tough. It’s frustrating,” Edwards commented. “But as we reach the midpoint of the season, we must look inward, make improvements, unite as a team, and keep moving forward.”
Three key takeaways from the game are as follows:
1. Maryland was exploited by Northwestern’s deep passing game. The Wildcats, who ranked near the bottom in the Big Ten for passing yardage and completion percentage, gained 203 passing yards against the Terps, including three passes over 40 yards.
2. Maryland struggled significantly with turnovers. The Terps entered the game with a stellar +11 turnover margin but ended up on the losing side of the turnover battle with a dismal 0-4 ratio against Northwestern.
3. Locksley assumed play-calling responsibilities during this game. Despite his experience, the Terps had one of their poorest offensive displays in recent history, failing to score effectively and managing only 59 rushing yards at 1.8 yards per carry, alongside Edwards’ 296 passing yards without a touchdown. “One of my strengths is supporting the offense,” Locksley said. “I decided to take over play-calling, with [offensive coordinator Josh Gattis] assisting me from upstairs.”