The Maryland Terrapins won a thrilling Big Ten contest, beating the Michigan State Spartans 28-17 under the lights before a packed and ecstatic crowd at Maryland Stadium.
The Terps were down 17-14 with the third quarter winding down. They responded by scoring the game’s final two touchdowns to stop a two-game losing streak and improve to (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten).
Quarterback Perry Hills, back from an injury, was efficient and effective behind center. He went 21 for 27 for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
Both teams ran well and the Terps were led by Ty Johnson who gained 115 yards on nine carries and freshman Lorenzo Harrison III who ran for 105 yards on 17 carries and scored one touchdown while earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
The air assault was led by Levern Jacobs who had nine catches for 67 yards and one touchdown and D. J. Moore who caught four passes for 61 yards including a 36-yard touchdown pass from Hills.
The Terps opened the scoring by going 96 yards in nine plays, the drive capped off by an eight-yard Harrison touchdown burst and the Terps, who were aggressive all night, made the two-point conversion to make the score 8-0 with 2:51 to go in the first quarter.
The Spartans responded with a 48-yard touchdown run by L J Scott to make the score 8-7 with 9:41 to go in the second quarter.
Maryland countered with the Moore touchdown as he went streaking right past the Michigan State defenders to haul in the pass in the end zone to give Maryland a 14-7 lead because the Terps missed the conventional extra point kick.
The Terps drove 90-yards in five plays in less than two minutes, their second 90-yard drive of the first half.
The Spartans came back with a one-yard touchdown run right before the half to even the score at 14-14 going into the break.
Michigan State took their first lead of the game on a 34-yard field goal, the score now 17-14 with the third quarter coming to an end but the Terps never panicked.
Instead, Hills led them on an eight-play 75-yard drive punctuated by a Kenneth Goins two-yard touchdown run to give Maryland a 21-17 lead with 13:49 to play in the game.
The Terps closed the deal by going on a 10-play 82-yard game-clinching drive which ended with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Hills to Jacobs with 3:23 to play in the game.
The Spartans were led in passing by quarterback Brian Lewerke who was 11 for 24 for 156 yards and one interception. He also gained 79 yards on 10 carries.
Maryland had 447 yards, 247 on the ground while the Spartans gained 426 yards, including 270 rushing yards for the game.
The Spartans helped the Terps by fumbling in the red zone in the third quarter and by attempting a fake field goal at the Maryland 28-yard line that went no where right before the half.
Michigan State was led in rushing by Scott who had a game-high 128 yards on 20 carries and scored one touchdown and in receiving by R.J. Shelton who had seven catches for 89 yards in a losing effort for the (2-5, 0-4) Spartans.
