Maryland’s bowl hopes take big hit
Ever since he coached his first game at Maryland, and won his first two road games, DJ Durkin said winning away from home is the hardest thing to do in college football — no matter who the opponent might be. That proved to be the case Saturday. It’s one thing to go on the road and lose to the Big Ten’s elite, even in one-sided fashion as the Terps did to then-No. 10 Ohio State and then-No. 5 Wisconsin. It’s another thing to lose at Rutgers.
A 31-24 defeat to the Scarlet Knights might’ve been the most disappointing, and crushing defeat in Durkin’s first two seasons.
Not only did it all but end whatever long-shot hopes the Terps had of making a bowl game for a second straight year, but it came after Maryland had seemingly taken TV: Radio: control of the game in the third quarter.
Now Durkin’s team has to go into the last three weeks against three of the Big Ten East’s elite — Michigan, No. 24 Michigan State and No. 7 Penn State.
The Terps (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) could be looking at starting their fourth quarterback of the season after sophomore Max Bortenschlager went out in the fourth quarter with an apparent shoulder injury. Walk-on Ryan Brand did an admirable job and nearly became the hero.
Brand, who started his college career at Air Force and who started the season as Maryland’s No. 4 or 5 quarterback, had an apparent game-tying touchdown pass to senior Taivon Jacobs wiped out by an obvious holding call and then had another potential tying touchdown to junior DJ Moore knocked away on what looked like pass interference.
Maryland did more to lose the game than it did to possibly win it. Too many third-andlongs against a defense ranked among the worst in the Big Ten and in the country. Too much indecision by Bortenschlager.
It led to a sideline pep talk — OK, it was a chewing out — by Durkin for his quarterback. It led to Maryland seemingly making another big comeback as the Terps did against Indiana a week earlier.
But this time, on the road, the comeback win didn’t happen. Only a disappointing and crushing defeat.