AUSTIN, Texas _ On a day when sophomore quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome started Maryland's dream of a big season-opening road win, freshman quarterback Kasim Hill finished it with a flourish.
While some wacky things happened at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, including two blocked field goals being returned for touchdowns, the strangest thing that occurred was what the Terps accomplished.
They beat a ranked opponent for the first time in seven years, and beat a ranked opponent on the road for the first time in nine seasons, upsetting the No. 23 Longhorns in a wild shootout, 51-41, and ruining new Texas coach Tom Herman's debut.
Hill, playing for the injured Pigrome, hit junior wide receiver D.J. Moore for a 40-yard pass on a third-and-19 to set up his own short touchdown run to stretch the lead to 44-34. A subsequent touchdown by sophomore tailback Jake Funk ended it.
Before he was injured, Pigrome had a breakout game after starting with a pick-six that put the Terps down early. Pigrome finished 9-for-12 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing 11 times for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Moore caught seven passes for 133 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown. Junior running back Ty Johnson had 12 carries for 132 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.
Senior linebackers Jermaine Carter Jr. and Shane Cockerille, as well as junior safety Darnell Savage Jr., led Maryland with seven tackles each. Carter also added two early sacks.
Leading by as many as 20 points in the first half and by 16, 30-14, at halftime, the Terps saw the Longhorns cut their deficit to three twice _ the second time at 37-34 with 1:23 left in the third quarter.
Not only was Maryland on the verge of losing the lead, but the Terps lost three players in quick succession _ linebacker Jesse Aniebonam, cornerback Antoine Richardson and Pigrome.
The injury to Richardson was the scariest, an apparent head or neck injury that sent him off the field on a stretcher and to a nearby hospital, where a Maryland spokesman reported that he was awake, alert and all four limbs were moving.
The injury to Aniebonom took away Maryland's leading pass rusher from a year ago. But after initially surrendering a couple of touchdowns, the defense began to hold together.
The injury to Pigrome, who was helped off the field, late in the third quarter led to the insertion of Hill, the much-hyped four-star recruit. Hill got the Terps moving, but a drive stalled and senior Adam Greene missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt.
After the defense came up big on its next series, stopping the Longhorns on fourth-and-2, the Terps took over at their own 48. The Terps moved the ball to the Texas 38 before getting pushed back to the 47.
On third-and-19, Hill found Moore with a 40-yard pass to the Texas 7. Two plays later, Hill scampered into the end zone untouched to help stretch the lead back to 10.
The Terps nearly put the game away on the next defensive series. On first down from the 21, quarterback Shane Buechele's pass was nearly picked off by a wide-open Carter, who bobbled it. Had he held on, it would have been a pick-six.
After Pigrome's first pass of the day bounced off junior wide receiver Moore's hands and was returned for a pick-six, it seemed like it was going to be long afternoon in the Texas heat for the Terps.
Instead, Pigome and Maryland recovered quickly.
The defense did its part, with Carter dropping Buechele for a 9-yard loss at the 1 and then junior cornerback JC Jackson intercepting Buechele at the Maryland 49.
Pigrome finished a five-play, 51-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown run that was reminiscent of his 24-yard touchdown to beat Central Florida in double-overtime on the road.
The Longhorns mounted a long drive that began at their 20 and ended at the Maryland 25 after senior linebacker Jalen Brooks sacked Buechele for a 2-yard loss on third-and-8. A 42-yard field goal went wide left.
Maryland picked up where it left off, with Johnson breaking a 50-yard run to the Texas 24 and two plays later, Pigrome finding Moore in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
Texas drove again, reaching the Maryland 12 before a holding penalty pushed the Longhorns back to the 29. A 44-yard field goal by Joshua Rowland was blocked by junior Derwin Gray and returned 71 yards for a touchdown by sophomore Antoine Brooks.
The Terps stretched their lead to 27-7 on the strength of Pigrome's feet and arm, as well as offensive coordinator Walt Bell's play-calling. A 19-yard run by Pigrome to the Texas 46 set up a play-action touchdown to streaking senior wide receiver Taivon Jacobs, who missed last season with a knee injury.
Just as the crowd seemed on the verge of turning against their Longhorns after the ensuing kickoff was botched and the Terps recovered at the Texas 20, one play changed its mood.
After the defense stiffened once Maryland reached the red zone, the Terps had to settle for a 31-yard field goal try by Greene. The kick was blocked and returned 65 yards by Holton Hill for a touchdown.
Maryland took a 30-14 lead into halftime after a 26-yard field goal by Greene with 2:37 left in the half.
