The Maryland Terrapins won a riveting double overtime game, 30-24 in Orlando against the Florida Central Knights at a disappointed Brighthouse Networks Stadium.
After outscoring their first two opponents 93-27 the Terps got their first taste of adversity and it was a freshman that led the way to victory.
With starting quarterback Perry Hills on the sidelines shaking off a hard tackle second string quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome entered the game.
He calmly took his first handoff of the game and dashed up the middle for a 24-yard game-winning touchdown and was immediately mobbed in the end zone by his teammates.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime with Hills scoring on a five yard run. The Terps (3-0) appeared to stop the Knights in the first overtime but they converted on a third and 16 for a 31-yard touchdown catch and run the pass coming from freshman starter McKenzie Milton to Tre’Quan Smith.
Smith led all receivers with eight receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown
Milton, making his first start, drove the Terps defense crazy all night with his scrambling and ability to extend plays. He finished the game 21 of 36 for 260 yards and two touchdowns.
It was his backwards pass, one of his six fumbles for the game, on the Knight’s second overtime possession that allowed the Terps to get the ball only needing to score a field goal or a touchdown to win the game.
There was no fast start as there was in the Terps first two games of the season and they fell behind early on a four-yard touchdown pass from Milton to Dontravious Wilson giving Florida Central a 7-0 lead with 24 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Maryland countered with a seven-yard touchdown run from another freshman Lorenzo Harrison which tied the game at 7-7 with 10:04 to go in the second quarter.
A 33-yard field goal by Maryland’s Adam Greene gave Maryland a 10-7 halftime advantage. He missed two third quarter field goals which allowed the Knights to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
After the break, a Milton seven-yard touchdown run gave FCU a 14-10 advantage with 3:40 to go in the third quarter.
Maryland responded with a 16-yard touchdown burst by running back Kenneth Goins Jr. to take a 17-14 lead with 41 seconds left to go in the third quarter.
The Knights added a 42-yard field goal with 12:04 to play in the game to set up the exciting finish.
Neither team moved the ball well as they were a combined nine for 32 on third down conversions although the Knight’s were three of five on fourth down opportunities including one deep in Maryland territory.
Hills finished the game 10 for 23 with 127 yards. He also rushed for 24 yards. Maryland had 246 yards on the ground and averaged nearly five yards per carry , were led in rushing by Harrison who ran 15 times for 77 yards and one touchdown. Ty Johnson gained 47 yards on seven carries and Goins finished with 34 yards on three carries and a touchdown.
Maryland’s top receivers were DeAndre Lane who had three receptions for 25 yards, and Teldrick Morgan who had two catches for 64 yards including a 51-yarder from Hills that set up a field goal right before halftime.
Florida Central was led in rushing by Jawon Hamilton who ran for 65 yards on 12 carries. Adrian Killins added 60 yards on five carries in a losing effort for the (1-2) Knights.
