Maryland football lost to Iowa, 29-13, on Nov. 23, putting an end to the Terps’ bowl chances.
It marks the first time in four years Maryland will fail to go bowling, a disappointing way for the team’s seniors to end their time in College Park.
“My class when we came in started the bowl streak and to not finish the right way is definitely frustrating,” senior wideout Tai Felton said. “It kind of hit hard after the game. I was sitting on the field like, ‘Dang, this is my last one. We’re not going to be able to continue the bowl streak.'”
Listed as questionable prior to the game, Maryland junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. started but was pulled twice. Edwards was initially pulled in the second quarter to receive treatment on the thumb of his throwing hand but did return at the beginning of the second half. However, after taking a big hit in the third quarter, he sat out for the rest of the game. Redshirt sophomore MJ Morris finished the game in his place.
“Billy is banged up,” head coach Michael Locksley said. “He’s been banged up for about two, three weeks now. A week ago, the thumb affected him. This week, he didn’t throw the ball until Thursday. We just tried to rest the thumb to give him a chance [in the second quarter].”
Edwards finished 5-for-8 for 26 yards. Morris finished 12-for-23 for 103 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I already knew MJ was a guy,” Felton said. “He’s a gunslinger. He’s a fighter. He’s very dedicated, comes in and works and he has a lot of swag to him. I feel like he did a good job.”
Iowa junior running back Kaleb Johnson eclipsed 100 rushing yards with 6:29 remaining in the second quarter, helping the Hawkeyes outgain the Terps, 205-65, in total yards in the first half and take a 13-0 lead into the locker room.
Johnson finished the game with 171 yards and a touchdown. Freshman running back Kamari Moulton finished with 114 yards (9.5 yards per carry) and a touchdown. Johnson and Moulton combined for 57 rushes. Maryland had 57 total plays.
“We started slow,” Felton said. “I had a third-down drop, and I dropped the corner route, so I didn’t do my part. We started to pick it up in the second half a little bit. … We kept getting off the field very quickly. We weren’t executing. I wasn’t executing.”
Maryland did not score its first points of the game until 5:57 remained in the third quarter. The Terps made it 16-6 with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that was capped off by an 8-yard reception by Felton and a failed two-point conversion.
Maryland eventually made it a one-score game. Morris led the Terps on an eight-play, 65-yard drive capped off by another Felton touchdown to make the score 19-13, but those would be the last points the Terps scored the rest of the game.
Iowa’s Moulton responded with a 68-yard haymaker touchdown run to increase the gap to 26-13 and put the game away.
“It was just one of those ‘damn’ moments. We could have had him, we should have had him but things happen,” senior defensive lineman Donnell Brown said.
Morris threw two interceptions on the Terps’ next two possessions, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback win.
Iowa kicker Drew Stevens went 5-for-5 for the day, keeping the Terps at bay while the Hawkeyes stalled in plus territory. His final kick to put the Hawkeyes ahead 29-13 was the final dagger to the Terps’ bowl hopes.
“We’re within six points and the long run kind of took the wind out of our sails,” Locksley said. “It goes back to complementary football. The defense in the first half got a couple of turnovers, gave us some opportunities, and offensively we struggled. Then all of a sudden we get it going on offense, and our defense struggles.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maryland Athletics