COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Make that four straight losses, and you can’t blame the schedule for this one.
The Indiana Hoosiers (2-6, 0-5 B1G) had an up-and-down game, losing 38-35 to the Maryland Terrapins (5-3, 2-3 B1G). Indiana is the only Big Ten team without a conference win.
Maryland won the toss and deferred to the second half. 3rd string, true freshman quarterback Donaven McCulley (Lawrence North) got the start with Jack Tuttle staying in Indiana due to injury. Tiawan Mullen gave it a go after warmups, but like last week, he was limited all game.
Unlike the previous two weeks, the Hoosiers did not start out strong on their opening drive. A false start and a sack concluded a 3-and-out for the Hoosiers. A poor start bled into special teams and the defense. A short punt gave the Terrapins a 35-yard field and quickly took advantage, scoring in under 3 minutes to go up 7-0 in the first four minutes of the game.
The offensive and defensive woes continued after a poor opening drive for both sides of the ball. The offense stalled out, which was followed by a 90-yard drive for the Terrapins to go up 14-0. That drive was again aided by multiple Hoosier penalties. The first quarter ended on a continuation of the Ohio State game from the previous week. 48 total yards on four drives, while the opposing team scored twice and put up a total of 148 yards.
First quarter difficulties turned into second quarter opportunities. Hoosiers started a 2-minute drive that was finished off with a 1-yard run by Stephen Carr to give the Hoosiers their first points on the day. The drive was aided by a couple of big plays from Peyton Hendershot. Both teams traded missed field goals, and most of the 2nd quarter remained scoreless.
Hoosiers received the ball after stopping Maryland on 4th and short with 1:59 left in the 2nd quarter. A few good runs set up a 55-yard field goal for Charles Campbell to redeem himself after missing a 42-yard field goal earlier. The make was the 2nd-longest in program history, after Griffin Oakes made one from 58 in 2014. Maryland remained on top at halftime, but the Hoosiers closed the gap to be down 14-10. Maryland to get the ball at the start of the 3rd quarter.
Maryland opened up the 3rd quarter on offense. The secondary continued to give up a couple big passing plays, but clamped down once Maryland got into Hoosiers territory. As the Hoosiers got the ball back, Stephen Carr had his first breakaway run of the year for a 66-yard touchdown run. This put the Hoosiers up 17-14 at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.
This game definitely came in waves for the Hoosiers today. Just as quickly as the momentum shifted to the Hoosiers, the Terrapins wrestled it right back. Maryland scores twice in 7 minutes. Offense continued to look poor on all ends, and the defense looked inconsistent yet again. The 3rd quarter closed with Maryland going up 28-17, as the 1st and 3rd quarters were won by Maryland.
The Hoosiers opened up the 4th quarter by scoring a field goal to put the Hoosiers within 8 of the Terrapins. Both teams trade touchdowns to keep it close, but the Hoosiers converted a two-point conversion to make it a 7-point game. 35-28 Maryland with time left in the 4th quarter.
After the Hoosiers went 3-and-out, Maryland closed the game out with an impressive drive. Taking time off the clock and scoring the field goal, the Terps went up by 10 with under 1:30 left in the game. The Hoosiers tried to make it a game with a 52-yard pass to Fryfogle, followed up by another Hendershot touchdown to make the score 38-35. Hoosiers attempted an onside kick to get the ball back, but failed and Maryland could run out the clock.
Hendershot’s 106 receiving yards today propelled him to the program’s top spot among all tight ends in that category. Donaven McCulley and the offense managed to put up 35 points without a turnover, but the defense’s struggle was the story in today’s game. Maryland’s 419 pass yards are their 3rd-most in program history, and the most IU has given up since Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins put up 455 in 2018.
Next Up: Another ranked opponent in the Wolverines
The Hoosiers got a “break” in facing ranked opponents today, but it won’t last long as they face No. 6 Michigan on the road for the second straight away game. Indiana has not won at Michigan since October 21, 1967. The Hoosiers did smack the Wolverines last year, 38-21.