Gophers’ defense collapses in 45-44 OT loss to Maryland

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — A crazy, thrilling game ended abruptly in overtime when Minnesota’s Brock Walker missed a conversion kick after a potential tying touchdown, giving Maryland a stunning 45-44 comeback victory Friday night.

After the Terrapins rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa ran for a 2-yard touchdown and Joseph Peterino kicked the extra point to give the Terrapins — who came in as 19-point underdogs — a 45-38 lead.

Minnesota answered with a 2-yard touchdown run by Seth Green before Walker’s extra-point try sailed wide right to end this Big Ten duel.

Tagovailoa went 26 for 35 for 394 yards and three touchdowns in his second college start. He also ran for 59 yards and two scores to help the Terrapins (1-1) bounce back from a season-opening 43-3 loss to Northwestern.

He became the first Maryland quarterback to throw for 300 yards since Caleb Rowe against Virginia in 2013.

Jake Funk ran for a career-best 221 yards, and Maryland totaled a whopping 675 yards of offense.

Mohamed Ibrahim ran for 207 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on 41 carries for Minnesota (0-2).

Ibrahim scored twice from the 2-yard-line and twice from the 1. The junior running back needed 96 yards rushing to become the 17th player in Minnesota history to reach 2,000, and he reached that mark by halftime.

The Golden Gophers turned an early 21-7 deficit into a 38-21 lead late in the third quarter before Tagovailoa brought the Terrapins into a tie at 38 with 3:38 remaining, setting up overtime.

Coming off a 49-24 loss to Michigan that knocked them out of the Top 25, the Gophers fell into a quick 14-0 hole and trailed 21-7 after the first quarter. But Minnesota rallied behind Ibrahim and Tanner Morgan, who threw for 189 yards and a score.

In his debut with the Terrapins last week, Tagovailoa tossed three interceptions. The Alabama transfer was much sharper in this one, finding a way to mount enough yardage and points to overcome another miserable performance by the Maryland defense.

On Maryland’s opening drive, Tagovailoa threw his first career TD pass, an 8-yarder to Funk. On the Terrapins’ second possession, Tagovailoa slithered out of the pocket and around two defenders before taking off down the left sideline for a 39-yard score, his first touchdown run at the college level.

After Minnesota closed to 14-7, Tagovailoa threw a short pass to Jeshaun Jones, who broke free for a 76-yard touchdown.

But the Golden Gophers pulled even with a pair of touchdown runs by Ibrahim, the last one after Minnesota defensive tackle DeAngelo Carter picked off a deflected screen pass and rumbled 22 yards to the Maryland 29.

Minnesota took its first lead late in the half with a 91-yard drive culminated by Ibrahim’s fourth TD, then made it 35-21 in the third quarter on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Morgan to Chris Autman-Bell.

FABULOUS FUNK

Funk averaged a whopping 10.5 yards per carry. After missing most of last season with a torn ACL, the fifth-year senior got the starting job this season after the departure of Anthony McFarland and Javon Leake both left for the NFL draft.

THE TAKEAWAY

Minnesota: The offense had its way against the younger, smaller Terrapins, but Minnesota has a serious problem on defense that must be fixed if the team hopes to be a contender in the Big Ten. Giving up 49 points to Michigan is one thing, but getting torched by an offense that scored only three points against Northwestern is embarrassing.

Maryland: It looks like Tagovailoa could be something special, although it’s hard to say at this point in the season whether it’s him or that he was facing a horrible defense.

UP NEXT

Minnesota travels to Illinois next Saturday. The Gophers beat the Fighting Illini 40-17 last year.

Maryland visits No. 18 Penn State. The Nittany Lions lead the series 40-2-1 and have outscored the Terps 163-6 over the last three years.