COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland coach Michael Locksley was upset with his team’s start and its finish in a win over Charlotte last weekend.
Six days later against Virginia, the Terrapins solved one of those two issues.
Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 342 yards and a touchdown, and Maryland came back from another early deficit to rout Virginia 42-14 on Friday night in the teams’ first meeting in a decade. The Terps turned the game into a rout at the end, forcing four turnovers in the fourth quarter.
This was the second straight week the Terps fell behind 14-0 early before rallying to win by double digits — they beat Charlotte 38-20 the previous weekend.
“I think I have enough proof that we’re a team that’s built to overcome adversity, and I don’t think I need to see us down 14-0 anymore to know that we’re capable,” Locksley said. “Our defense did a tremendous job — shutout the last three quarters, getting the ball back to our offense with those turnovers.”
Braeden Wisloski scored on a 98-yard kickoff return to help the Terrapins (3-0) climb out of their 14-0 hole. Freshman quarterback Anthony Colandrea again showed some promise for Virginia (0-3), but he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble as the game got away from the Cavaliers.
Maryland and Virginia hadn’t played each other in football since 2013 — the Terps left the ACC for the Big Ten after that season.
Colandrea threw for 377 yards last week against James Madison, with Week 1 starter Tony Muskett injured. Colandrea got the start again at Maryland, and he connected with Malik Washington for a 49-yard flea-flicker on Virginia’s first offensive play.
Perris Jones ran for a 13-yard touchdown and Colandrea added a 19-yard scoring pass to Kobe Pace, but the Cavaliers weren’t up by 14 for long because Wisloski took the ensuing kickoff all the way back for a touchdown.
“He’s a guy that has the ability to make explosive plays,” Locksley said. “He kind of got us going, but obviously we’re not playing our best football.”
Maryland’s Roman Hemby capped a 97-yard drive in the second quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run that made it 14-all at halftime.
“You see when we get comfortable, everything’s just flowing smooth,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m happy that we caught our momentum going into the half.”
Tagovailoa then put Maryland ahead to stay, rolling out to his right and throwing deep to Jeshaun Jones for a 64-yard touchdown that gave the Terps a 21-14 lead in the third. Early in the fourth, Colandrea made his biggest mistake of the game, underthrowing a pass into the end zone on third-and-10 from the 12. It was intercepted by Tarheeb Still and the Cavaliers came away with no points.
“He’s going to have moments where he’s going to have to learn on the field,” Virginia coach Tony Elliott said. “In that situation, you instruct him in the huddle, ‘Hey, if it’s not there, throw it away. We got points.’”
Maryland turned the game into a blowout after that, tacking on short TD runs by Hemby, Antwain Littleton II and Colby McDonald.
Colandrea threw for 263 yards, 141 of which were to Washington.
THE TAKEAWAY
Virginia: The Cavaliers are 0-3 for the first time since 2016, and they really could use a more consistent running game to take some of the pressure off Colandrea.
Maryland: The Terrapins have won 11 straight nonconference games, and Locksley improved to 4-0 against ACC teams as Maryland’s coach. Just like the past two years, the Terps have earned the right to be hopeful about the Big Ten season, but they still have a lot to prove.
QB CHOICE
Elliott said Muskett could have played in an emergency, but he went with Colandrea.
“Tony could have went, but he’s still a little bit sore,” Elliott said. “I didn’t want to put him in that situation.”
UP NEXT
Virginia: The Cavaliers play another Friday night game next week, at home against N.C. State.
Maryland: The Terps open Big Ten play at Michigan State next Saturday.
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