COLLEGE PARK, Md. — With Maryland football trailing No. 5 Iowa, 10-7, in the early part of the second quarter Friday night, a harsh silence swept through the announced 45,527 fans at Capital One Field.
Senior wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr., perhaps the Terps’ top playmaker, was carted off the field after injuring his leg during a kickoff return. What happened after Demus’ exit was a disastrous wave of turnovers and penalties that resulted in the Hawkeyes scoring 41 unanswered points to defeat Maryland, 51-14.
Maryland’s matchup against Iowa was the program’s biggest game in more than a decade. The Terps, who were inching closer to a potential Associated Press Top 25 ranking, were seeking their first 5-0 start since 2001 and their first victory over a top-10 opponent since 2007.
In front of a national audience, student section draped in black, 21 NFL scouts and a new 120-foot-by-54-foot videoboard that shined so brightly that it could be seen from any part on campus, Maryland (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) failed to live up to the hype that was bestowed on the program and appeared to have taken a major step backward.
After Demus — who entered Friday as the Big Ten’s leading receiver and had 61 receiving yards on four receptions in the first quarter — fumbled the ball while his leg got twisted, Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to receiver Arland Bruce IV to extend the Hawkeyes’ lead to 17-7 with 14:04 left in the second quarter. Petras recorded 259 passing yards and five total touchdowns (three passing and two rushing).
After the game, Maryland coach Mike Locksley did not have an update on Demus’ status, saying the senior receiver had an X-ray but that the team is awaiting results from an MRI.
With the Terps facing a crucial drive, junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa threw an interception to Iowa safety Jack Koerner. As Koerner was running down the field, Maryland sophomore tight end Corey Dyches forced a fumble, but Iowa (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) managed to recover the ball. The Hawkeyes took advantage of the solid field position, as Petras powered into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown to give his team a 24-7 lead with less than 11 minutes remaining in the first half.
After Petras’ touchdown, Tagovailoa threw his third interception to Iowa defensive back Dane Belton, which resulted in fullback Monte Pottebaum scoring a 2-yard touchdown that extended the Hawkeyes’ lead to 31-7.
The train wreck continued during the early parts of the third quarter when Petras threw a short pass to running back Tyler Goodson, who sprinted down the field for a 67-yard touchdown that gave the Hawkeyes a 44-7 advantage.
After Tagovailoa threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo in the first quarter, the Terps wouldn’t make a dent in the scoreboard until the third quarter, when Tagovailoa threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Rakim Jarrett to cut the deficit to 44-14 with 6:01 remaining.
Maryland has had discipline issues throughout its first four games, but none more prevalent than Friday night, as the Terps committed 10 penalties for 86 yards. Maryland had five penalties in the second quarter alone.
Tagovailoa, the brother of former Alabama star and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, had been regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, as his discipline and efficiency was the driving force for the Terps’ offensive success through four games. He entered Friday as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded quarterback, with zero turnover-worthy passes on his first 158 drop-backs.
Tagovailoa completely looked out of sync Friday night. Maryland coach Mike Locksley mentioned earlier in the season that the key to Tagovailoa’s development was to avoid forcing plays. Throughout the evening, Tagovailoa was forcing the ball into double coverage, trying to make plays that were simply not there.
After Tagovailoa threw for 106 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the first quarter, Iowa’s defense held Maryland’s signal-caller to just six yards and four interceptions. Tagovailoa finished the night 12-for-29 passing for 127 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions — two fewer than he threw in four starts last season — before being replaced by senior transfer Reece Udinski with 12 minutes remaining in the game. Udinski, a Virginia Military Institute transfer, also threw an interception in the fourth quarter, giving Maryland six on the evening, which tied a school record for most in a game.
As the game clock hit zero and the few fans that remained exited the stadium, it was hard not to wonder if the program’s hope for the season was also carted away with Demus.
