Ramsey shines in relief, Indiana outlasts Maryland for 34-28 win
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Peyton Ramsey threw for 193 yards in a relief role and Stevie Scott ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns to help Indiana outlast Maryland 34-28 on Saturday.
The Hoosiers (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) amassed 520 yards, including 334 through the air against the worst pass defense in the conference.
Javon Leake ran for a career-high 158 yards and two scores for Maryland (3-4, 1-3), which has lost four of five under first-year coach Michael Locksley.
Ramsey took over for freshman Michael Penix Jr. with 12 minutes left in the second quarter and Indiana ahead 14-7. It was unclear whether Penix was injured; the team provided no details pertaining to his absence.
Penix was 9 for 14 for 141 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Ramsey started every game last season but was overshadowed by Penix prior to this exceptional performance off the bench. The 6-foot-2 junior went 20 for 27 with a touchdown and ran for 46 yards.
A 9-yard touchdown run by Scott put Indiana ahead 31-21 in the third quarter, but Maryland answered with a 1-yard TD run by Leake following a 52-yard completion from Tyrrell Pigrome to Tyler Mabry.
It was still 31-28 with 3:42 remaining when Indiana’s Juwan Burgess stripped the ball from Leake and pounced on the loose ball at the Maryland 15. That set up a field goal, and the Terrapins got to the Indiana 44 before an interception ended their final threat.
Starting a second straight game for injured starter Josh Jackson, Pigrome completed 17 of 27 passes for 210 yards.
Penix and Ramsey combined for 280 yards passing in the first half, and each threw a touchdown to help Indiana take a 24-21 lead at the break.
The Hoosiers got their first touchdown on a 28-yard pass from Penix to Donavan Hale and went up 14-7 when Scott ran in from the 3.
Indiana was poised to add to the advantage when Antoine Brooks Jr. picked off a deflected pass in the end zone. Leake then peeled off a 60-yard touchdown run.
Ramsey entered on the following possession and produced a field goal and a 26-yard touchdown pass to Nick Westbrook before halftime.
NO McFARLAND
The Terrapins were without running back Anthony McFarland Jr., who has been nursing a high ankle sprain for several weeks. McFarland has scored seven touchdowns, but last week against Purdue was limited to four yards on four carries. The sophomore ranks second on the team with 340 yards rushing.
TURNOVER STREAK
Brooks’ interception extended to 19 the number of successive games in which Maryland has forced a turnover. The streak started in the 2018 opener.
THE TAKEAWAY
Indiana: Winning on the road isn’t easy in the Big Ten, so the Hoosiers won’t apologize for an uneven performance that provided the desired result. Style points do not apply when adding up the number of wins to become bowl eligible.
Maryland: Locksley takes pride in the play of his offense, which has been adequate. But his defense is atrocious, and that is why the Terrapins appear destined to stagger down the stretch in a season that started with blowout wins over Howard and Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Indiana: At Nebraska next Saturday. The Hoosiers are 0-5 against the Cornhuskers since a 23-7 victory in 1959.
Maryland: At Minnesota next Saturday. The Golden Gophers are the surprise of the Big Ten, unbeaten after seven games.
