COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -Maryland probably could have lost to California and still salvaged the season.
The benefit of winning the game, however, might turn out to be the difference between a good year and a memorable one. If nothing else, Saturday’s 35-27 victory enabled the Terrapins to erase the ramifications of a staggering loss to Middle Tennessee State one week earlier.
“It feels great,” Maryland senior guard Jaimie Thomas said. “It gets rid of that bad taste of losing to a team that we know we shouldn’t have lost to. They came to play last week, and we came to play this week. It doesn’t matter if you’re a ranked team or not, you have to bring it every week.”
After passing for two touchdowns in a bounce-back effort against the 23rd-ranked Golden Bears, Maryland quarterback Chris Turner said, “We knew that if could get this win, it could change the trajectory of the season. Hopefully we can just capitalize on this victory.”
t California, he was 15-for-19 for 156 yards and two touchdowns – and no interceptions.
“This game proves we can play with anyone,” Turner said. “We can put a lot of points on the board, and probably should have scored more touchdowns.”
Maryland (2-1) looked like a completely different team against California than in its first two games, a narrow 14-7 win over Delaware and the 24-14 disaster against Middle Tennessee State. Perhaps it was just a matter of adjusting to the offense of first-year coordinator James Franklin, or maybe it was just that the Terrapins were sporting a different attitude against the Golden Bears.
“I don’t think the first two weeks they played to their potential,” California coach Jeff Tedford said. “They had a light lit under them after the loss and they were very focused.”
One thing that remained constant was Maryland’s potent running game. Da’Rel Scott ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with a shoulder injury, and his replacement, Davin Meggett, gained 82 yards on 13 carries and scored on a 1-yard run.
“I think that’s who we are. We should be able to run the football,” Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said. “This was a good defense. I think we showed some people what we are capable of, and we’ve got to do it more consistently.”
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