Jack Howes made a 24-yard field goal as time expired and Maryland became bowl-eligible for the third straight year by grinding out a 13-10 victory over host Nebraska on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.
The Terrapins’ defense recorded five takeaways, and Tarheeb Still’s interception of Nebraska third-string quarterback Chubba Purdy set the stage for a 12-play, 75-yard drive.
Tai Felton drew pass interference on third down to keep Maryland’s drive alive. Roman Hemby’s 21-yard run and completions to Corey Dyches and Jeshaun Jones got Maryland (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) in position for the winning kick.
Taulia Tagovailoa went 27-for-40 for 283 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception for Maryland, which ended a four-game losing streak. Felton had five catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, and Still and Dante Trader Jr. each recorded two interceptions.
Jeff Sims replaced injured starting quarterback Heinrich Haarberg for the Cornhuskers (5-5, 3-4), but after two interceptions and a lost fumble, Sims was benched for Purdy in the fourth quarter.
Purdy threw a 24-yard completion and ran three times for 33 yards on his first drive, but it ended with a thud when he tossed an interception to Still in the end zone.
Haarberg went 1-for-5 for 0 yards and an interception caught by Trader before he suffered an apparent leg injury in the second quarter.
Sims entered and took Nebraska on a 12-play, 58-yard drive. Emmett Johnson converted one fourth-and-2 run, but another fourth-and-2 play from the Maryland 27-yard line was stuffed.
Tagovailoa hit Felton for 53 yards on the very next play, setting up a 16-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Felton to break the scoreless tie with 2:31 before halftime.
Felton, however, lost a fumble on the first drive of the second half to give Nebraska a short field. Freshman fullback Janiran Bonner scored his first career touchdown on third-and-goal from the 2.
Tagovailoa was intercepted by Javin Wright on the next Maryland possession, made worse by Jones’ unsportsmanlike conduct after the play. That set up Nebraska’s Tristan Alvano for the go-ahead 38-yard field goal with 8:26 left in the third.
A long Terrapins drive was stopped on a failed fourth-and-1 run from Nebraska’s 17. But Sims fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter, Maryland recovered and Howes was able to tie the game 10-10 with a 35-yard field goal.
Trader intercepted Sims on the next possession, but Hemby lost a fumble inside Nebraska’s 5-yard line, setting up Purdy’s late drive.
–Field Level Media
