Maryland football falls 27-24 to Michigan State in dramatic fashion

Photo Courtesy of Maryland Terrapins

The Spartans, led by quarterback Aidan Chiles, got the ball with 2:12 on the clock. With the game on the line, Chiles completed four of five passes and marched the offense 65 yards to the Maryland 16, setting up a Jonathan Kim 37-yard game-winning field goal.

Maryland football (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten) fell to Michigan State 27-24 on Saturday at SECU Stadium despite leading for over 50 minutes.

The Terps had opportunities to put away the game. A missed 41-yard field goal from Jack Howes kept the score one possession and gave Michigan State (2-0, 1-0) the ball. A three-and-out with the game tied a few minutes later killed all momentum.

Chiles had a brilliant bounce-back week. The sophomore completed 24-of-39 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns, a big turnaround from his 114 yards and two interceptions in week one.

“Our goal was to make him beat us throwing the football and guess what, he did,” coach Mike Locksley said, “We wanted to stop the run. We know that the run and the play action pass off the run is what they do best. Today the kid showed us he could win playing dropback football.”

However, it was Maryland who took control early. 

Maryland put together a strong opening drive, going 75 yards while taking six and a half minutes off the clock. Despite facing four third downs, Edwards and the offense stayed composed and converted all four.

Ultimately, the Billy Edwards to Tai Felton connection proved not to be a one-week wonder. Felton made an over-the-shoulder grab in the corner of the endzone to give the Terps an early lead.

Edwards put together his second straight game with over 250 passing yards and two touchdowns. The quarterback went 25-for-33 with 253 yards with just one blemish on his stat line, a tipped fourth-quarter interception.

Michigan State silenced the College Park crowd with a quick touchdown in response. Chiles hit Montorie Foster Jr. on a slant up the middle to cap off an eight-play, 84-yard drive. With the pass, Chiles earned his first passing touchdown as a Spartan.

However, Chiles’ day didn’t stay perfect for long.

The sophomore quarterback made his first mistake later in the quarter when he overthrew receiver Nick Marsh and into the hands of Miller. The interception marked Miller’s fourth straight game with an interception, dating back to last season.

It also set up Maryland’s offense in the red zone which Edwards capitalized on two plays later with a rushing touchdown.

From here, the Terps struggled offensively combined with undisciplined play. They committed six penalties for 45 yards in the first half and after another Michigan State touchdown drive and last-second field goal, faced a three-point deficit after a hard-fought first half.

“When we needed to be able to run the ball on offense to finish drives, we weren’t able to,” Locksley said, “When you have opportunities like that playing Big Ten football, you have to take them.”

The offense found its footing again in its first drive of the half, going 53 yards and settling for a field goal. This marked Maryland’s first points since the first quarter.

The Terps continued their momentum on the first play of the fourth quarter when Edwards and Dylan Wade took advantage of blown coverage. Wade was wide open down the Michigan State sideline and walked it in for six to put the score at 24-17.

Still, the Terps’ inability to score touchdowns kept the game close. After getting the ball back and being stopped on a crucial third and four, a missed 41-yard field goal kept the game within striking distance with under four and a half minutes left.

The Terps defense was what kept them in it up to that point. Led by Glendon Miller, who roped in two of Maryland’s three interceptions, Maryland held the Spartans scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the second half.

Unfortunately for the Terps, that did not last. 

Michigan State earned its first score of the second half on a 77-yard game-tying touchdown the play after the missed field goal. Receiver Nick Marsh beat two defenders down the middle of the field to even the game with four minutes remaining.

“The big plays on defense, that’s about growing up,” Locksley said, “Those guys had opportunities and we’ve got to do a better job of keeping the big plays in front of us.”

After holding the Terps to a crucial stop, the Spartans pulled away on the game-winning drive due to Chiles’ heroics.

Maryland will look to bounce back on the road next Saturday against Virginia at 8 p.m