Maryland hammers Virginia Tech in Pinstripe Bowl

August 02, 2024

NEW YORK — None of the Terrapins had ever competed on a bowl stage as Maryland football players. They had grown accustomed to uneventful winters without postseason invitations. But here at the Pinstripe Bowl, finally with an opportunity beyond the usual slate of 12 games, the Terps shined in a 54-10 dismantling of Virginia Tech.

Maryland’s win at Yankee Stadium came against an undermanned team playing amid a coaching transition, but the way the Terps cruised past one of their former ACC foes offers promise. The Terrapins secured their first winning record since 2014 and took another critical step forward under Coach Michael Locksley.

“The famous four words he says — ‘the best is ahead’ — I feel like that’s what we showed out there,” redshirt sophomore quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa said.

Maryland (7-6) set a Pinstripe Bowl scoring record, relying on contributions from veterans putting a cap on their careers and younger players proving they have the potential to elevate the program.

Senior wide receiver Darryl Jones, who had never scored in four seasons at Maryland, grabbed two touchdown passes in what he described as a “highly anticipated” breakthrough. A pair of defensive players also reached the end zone — senior lineman Greg Rose, a former walk-on who was a junior college transfer, scored on a fumble recovery, and sophomore defensive back Tarheeb Still broke a 92-yard punt return.

The game featured teams that needed to win their final regular season game to become bowl eligible, but Virginia Tech (6-7) had an inexperienced quarterback under center in Connor Blumrick. The Terps took advantage. Not only did the defense deliver, but Tagovailoa provided another strong outing, the latest in a season that has shown him to be the program’s long-awaited answer at a position that had been plagued by instability.

“We wouldn’t be in this situation that we’re in with the winning season if it wasn’t for Taulia,” Locksley said. “ … Maybe we can get him a little bit of respect in terms of being one of the top quarterbacks in the country, which I really feel and believe he is.”

Tagovailoa completed 20 of 24 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He can expect to have a collection of talented receiving options again next season, thanks to the returns of sophomore Rakim Jarrett, who had a couple of impressive grabs Wednesday on his way to 60 receiving yards, and senior Dontay Demus Jr., who suffered a season-ending knee injury in October but will play another season for the Terps rather than heading to the NFL.

Tagovailoa generated explosive plays and operated his unit with poise. In the final minute of the first half, Tagovailoa threw five straight completions to set up Joseph Petrino’s 44-yard field goal as time expired, handing the Terps a comfortable 24-10 lead at the break. With the offense continuing to roll and a defensive effort that held the Hokies scoreless in the second half, the margin only grew.

“We talked all week about [the mind-set of] just keep punching,” Locksley said. “Something good happens, keep punching. Something bad happens, keep punching.”

Virginia Tech will head into the offseason transitioning to a new era. Justin Fuente parted ways with school with two games left in the regular season, and interim coach J.C. Price led the team through the bowl game. Brent Pry, previously the defensive coordinator at Penn State, was hired as the school’s next coach, and Price will remain on Pry’s staff as the defensive line coach.

The Hokies faced Maryland without starting quarterback Braxton Burmeister, who entered the transfer portal after passing for 1,960 yards and 14 touchdowns. Knox Kadum, a reserve quarterback, also left the program, thrusting Blumrick, a junior who had previously attempted only 16 passes this season, into the starting role.

Blumrick scored the Hokies’ only touchdown with a three-yard rush into the end zone, but he finished with just 110 yards passing, completing 9 of 15 attempts. It didn’t help Blumrick that the Hokies were thin at wide receiver, missing their top two options in Tré Turner, who skipped the bowl game to focus on his preparation for the NFL draft, and Tayvion Robinson, who transferred to Kentucky. Maryland’s defense, led by Ruben Hyppolite II’s career-high 12 tackles, contained the Hokies without much trouble.

The Terps had a few voids to fill with cornerback Corey Coley Jr., and wide receivers Carlos Carriere and DeJuan Ellis not traveling to New York for undisclosed reasons. Carriere (316 receiving yards) had started four games and took on a larger role after injuries decimated Maryland’s wide receiving corps. But the Terps had most of their usual starters and plenty of motivation to earn the school’s first bowl victory since 2010.

Maryland’s special teams unit, a weakness through much of this season, supplied the opening score with Still’s punt return — the Terps’ first special teams score of the season — but soon after, that group had a costly lapse.

With Virginia Tech set to punt for the fourth straight series, the Hokies successfully faked on fourth and four from their own 23. Punter Peter Moore rushed for eight yards, and a couple of plays later, Blumrick connected with Jaden Payoute for a 42-yard gain despite pass interference. Virginia Tech’s promising drive stalled, however, and the team settled for a 36-yard field goal from John Parker Romo.

Maryland’s offense provided a quick response: Tagovailoa found Jones for a 70-yard touchdown on the first play of the following series, the beginning of Jones’s career-best performance.

This game gave seniors a chance to end their seasons on a high note, and players such as Jones and wide receiver Brian Cobbs (62 yards) made the most of that opportunity.

But Locksley also wanted younger players to gain valuable experience. Freshman Antwain Littleton II, a 285-pound running back, notched his first career touchdown on just his 10th carry, and fellow freshman running backs Colby McDonald and Roman Hemby also scored. Those underclassmen give Maryland confidence as Locksley continues to rebuild this program — one that finally has a postseason win.

“We’ve accomplished what we set out to do,” Jones said. “People don’t understand how hard it is getting to a bowl game. Getting to six wins was hard. This was the first step of many.”

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