Terps lose for sixth straight time, falling to Notre Dame, 45-21
It was Maryland’s debut at FedEx Field, a national television date with Notre Dame, and a night for both teams to play dress-up. The peripherals suggested there might be something different in store for the Terrapins on Saturday night.
But in even in their Maryland Pride uniforms, it was the same lackluster Terps, losing for the sixth straight time.
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Giving up a score on its opponent’s first possession for the sixth straight game, Maryland duplicated its all-too-familiar formula in a 45-21 defeat before 70,251, most of them fans of the Fighting Irish even though the Terps were playing 10 miles from their campus.
“To lose the way we did, it was like we gave up,” junior linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield said.
Just as Virginia did a week ago, Notre Dame (7-3) passed and ran with equal efficiency. Sophomore quarterback Tommy Rees completed 30 of 38 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Irish senior back Jonas Gray (21 carries, 136 yards, two touchdowns) topped the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career. Junior back Cierre Wood (18 carries, 99 yards, touchdown) also ran roughshod over the run-challenged Maryland defense.
“We didn’t tackle that well on defense,” Maryland coach Randy Edsall said. “Notre Dame’s an outstanding football team. They had something to do with those missed tackles.”
Notre Dame sophomore cornerback Lo Wood made the first interception of his career memorable as he picked off a Danny O’Brien pass in the flat and sprinted 57 yards for a touchdown.
A series later, sophomore O’Brien (14 of 21, 132 yards, one touchdown) left the field after breaking a bone in his left upper arm. He will miss the rest of the season. Sophomore C.J. Brown took over and sparked Maryland (2-8) to a pair of cosmetic fourth-quarter touchdown drives. Brown completed six of 10 passes for 87 yards and rushed three times for 31 yards and a touchdown.
The game started like the last six for Maryland as it surrendered a score on its opponent’s first possession. In fact, against their last seven FBS foes, the Terrapins defense has given up six touchdowns and one field goal on the first series. On the six touchdown drives, Maryland has yielded 356 yards on 34 plays and opponents have been pushed to third down only five times.
Notre Dame needed eight plays to score on Saturday night. Junior wideout Robby Toma, who caught a career-high seven passes for 74 yards, had a 26-yard reception, setting up a 1-yard plunge by Gray for a 7-0 lead.
“It’s missed tackles. It’s not getting off on third down, some guys not fitting things the way we need to fit them,” Edsall said.
Carries by Wood of 13 and 21 yards set up Notre Dame’s second tally, a 52-yard field goal by senior David Ruffer. A 19-yard touchdown pass early in the second period from Rees to Michael Floyd (9 receptions, 90 yards) capped an 80-yard drive and gave the Irish a 17-0 lead. With that, the rout was on.
“They were just spreading us out and running the ball — getting the least amount of people in the box and just running the ball,” Hartsfield said. “We weren’t tackling [well]. We just beat ourselves.”
Maryland showed some life midway through the second period as O’Brien directed a 61-yard, nine-play drive, completing all five of his passes, including a 13-yarder for a touchdown to senior Quintin McCree (5 receptions, 76 yards), to slice the deficit to 17-7.
But Notre Dame had an instant response, driving 70 yards in 13 plays. Gray rushed for 34 yards on the march, including the final yard for a touchdown with 29 seconds left in the half as the Irish resumed control. Then on its first possession of the second half, Notre Dame sailed 84 yards on 14 plays, Wood scoring on a 3-yard run for a 31-7 lead.
“It was an enjoyable atmosphere,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. “We really loved being here. I know our players were excited when they got out on the field and heard the crowd and the action that was in the stadium.”
There were a few bright spots for Maryland. Freshman linebacker Alex Twine (12 tackles, 3 TFL, sack) and freshman safety A.J. Hendy (13 tackles) excelled on defense. Sophomore back D.J. Adams (16 carries, 55 yards, touchdown), in Edsall’s doghouse most of this year, got his most extensive work of the season.
“I thought he did some productive things,” Edsall said of Adams. “We had some other guys banged up during the week. He did well with his opportunity.”
Maryland has two games left — both on the road — and needs a win to avoid its second 10-loss season in three years.
“We just gotta keep each other together. That’s all we can do — try and play for each other,” Hartsfield said. “A season like this, everything’s all wrong. It’s easy to quit.”
