MADISON, Wis. — The rainy weather hampered Maryland’s usually strong passing attack, but Wisconsin’s force at the line of scrimmage crushed the Terrapins’ chances. The Badgers bullied Maryland into a deflating 23-10 defeat after four quarters of ineffective offense.
Maryland is blown off course at Wisconsin in deflating loss
Wisconsin fired head coach Paul Chryst five games into the season, but the Badgers are now 3-1 under interim coach Jim Leonhard and they showcased the program’s usual strength in the trenches. Wisconsin (5-4, 3-3) rushed for 278 yards, compared to Maryland’s 112. The Terps’ final tally of 189 total yards is a generous reflection of their performance; 73 of those came on a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter when they trailed by three scores. Nine of Maryland’s 13 drives amassed fewer than 10 yards and lasted no more than four plays.
Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa returned after missing the previous game with a knee injury, but he and the offense struggled all afternoon. The third-year starter finished with just 77 passing yards, the lowest mark in his Maryland career — worse than his rough debut as a college starter when he had 94 passing yards at Northwestern.
The weather forced the Terps to lean on the running game, particularly in the first half, and Tagovailoa finished the dreadful afternoon with 10 of 23 passes completed, an interception and only one consolation touchdown with less than a minute left. Tagovailoa faced consistent pressure throughout the game while the offensive line struggled and gave up five sacks.
With rain pouring, the first five possessions of this game (three for Maryland and two for Wisconsin) lasted seven minutes and resulted in a combined 17 yards, zero first downs and no completions. The Badgers finally showed life with a drive that was fueled by a 36-yard run and ended with a rushing score from Braelon Allen.
The Terps’ trouble continued and they slipped into a deep hole after Isaac Guerendo scored on an 89-yard touchdown run with an assist from receiver Chimere Dike’s key block. Dike kept Jakorian Bennett from closing in on the senior running back for at least 20 yards during the sideline run to the end zone. By halftime, Maryland faced a 17-0 deficit and had tallied only 56 yards and two first downs.
The bad weather pitted the two teams’ rushing attacks against one another, and Wisconsin had a significant advantage. Allen and Guerendo each finished with over 100 yards, while Maryland’s top rusher, Roman Hemby, had just 66 yards on 16 attempts.
After the break, the conditions improved a bit, with the rain subsiding for an extended stretch but the wind still gusting. Maryland’s offense found some rhythm on its first series in the third quarter. Then a near-interception and back-to-back bad snaps from freshman center Coltin Deery derailed the drive, forcing the Terps to settle for a 39-yard field goal.
The offensive progress was short-lived. Tagovailoa, scrambling amid pressure from the Badgers, threw an interception when he tried to pass on the run and Hunter Wohler snatched the ball without a Maryland receiver nearby.
Maryland’s defense offered a few stops after halftime: Wisconsin punted twice, failed to convert a fourth down and went 2 of 3 on field goals. But with the ongoing offensive trouble, the Terps didn’t manage to trim the lead until it was too late for a touchdown to matter.
A win against Wisconsin would have lifted the Terps to a 7-2 start for the first time since 2006, but Maryland couldn’t rise to the occasion. They’ve had similar opportunities this season: They played Michigan, a team still undefeated, close but lost the game that could have turned into a program-defining moment. A few costly turnovers loomed large in that 34-27 defeat. When the Terps faced Purdue, they almost certainly would have been ranked if they had won, but instead Maryland failed to score after the team forced three consecutive turnovers. The Terps left with a 31-29 loss and remained in their normal spot outside the top 25.
This time in Madison, with a similar chance for Maryland to prove its progress, the team couldn’t blame an abundance of penalties, ill-fated turnovers or questionable calls. Both teams navigated the same wet weather, yet Wisconsin stood on a tier above the Terps.
Source: WP
