Hoosiers Find Their Legs, Defeat Maryland 42-36

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers (4-4, 2-3) got off to the fast start they needed racing out to a 13-0 lead of the Maryland Terrapins (5-3, 2-3) with a mix of personnel packages featuring three different quarterbacks, Richard Lagow, Zander Diamont, and Tyler Natee and a resurgent running game. The good vibes didn’t last long as the Terps ended the first half on a 21-3 run to take the lead into the locker room after 30 minutes 21-16, however the Hoosiers used a 26-point second half to pull out the victory 42-36. The Hoosiers ran for a season-high 414 yards and six touchdowns, essentially giving Maryland a dose of their own medicine. Devine Redding led the Hoosiers with 130 yards on 17 carries.

Indiana opened the scoring with an 11-play 85-yard drive capped by a leaping 11-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Zander Diamont. The Hoosiers would botch the extra point after holder Joseph Gedeon dropped the snap. IU extended the lead to 13-0 on a one-yard run from Devine Redding who finished with 17 carries for 130 yards.

Wilson said, “The key to our games over time has been finding a run game. Fortunately we did today. That was huge.”

Maryland would cut into that lead quickly as running back Ty Johnson raced past Hoosier defender for a 66-yard score just 43 seconds later. Johnson led all Maryland rushers with 142 yards on just 13 carries.

Indiana would add a short 20-yard field goal from Griffin Oakes to push the lead to 16-7 before Maryland closed the half on a 14-point run before halftime capped by a controversial touchdown by D.J. Moore, who looked to have landed on the pylon before coming down out of bounds. The play was reviewed by officials, by stood as a 23-yard score to put Maryland ahead at the half 21-16.

The second half started with both teams punting on their first drives before Indiana retook the lead 23-21 after a 10-play 87-yard drive was capped by a five-yard Richard Lagow run. Lagow finished the game 16-for-25 passing for 207 yards with neither a touchdown nor an interception.

On the ensuing drive Maryland would retake the lead 24-23 on a 12-play 61-yard drive that resulted in a 32-yard field goal from Adam Greene. 

The Hoosiers would close out the third quarter by taking the lead for good when do-everything receiver Mitchell Paige took a reverse 15-yards to pay dirt. After a failed two-point conversion IU entered the fourth quarter up 29-24. Paige finished with two catches for 21 yards and the 15 yards on the ground.

The Hoosiers would open up a double-digit lead, 35-24 after Tyler Natee put a cherry on his career day with a two-yard run after taking over deep inside Maryland territory after Marcus Oliver forced his second fumble of the game. It was Oliver's 11th career forced fumble and put him atop of the career list at Indiana for forced fumbles. Indiana would again miss the two-point conversion. Natee finished the day with 111 yards and 18 carries, many of them out of the wildcat package.

Maryland’s quarterback Perry Hills would try to get the Terps back into the contest when he hurdled a defender and cut the IU lead to 35-30. Hills accounted for four of the five Maryland scores and finished 22 of 33 through the air for 248 yards with two scores and a pick while adding two scores on the ground, but netting negative-four rushing yards.

Diamont would put the game out of reach with an electric 52-yard run as the Hoosiers were trying to run out the clock. The final margin would be 42-36 after Maryland scored on a five-yard pass after being awarded an extra play after a roughing the passer penalty.