Playing with the Maryland state flag print on helmets and portions of jerseys, the Terrapins unleashed an offense that racked up 499 total yards and looked unrelenting everywhere except inside the red zone, where an interception, dropped touchdown pass and missed field goal prevented the Terrapins from piling up more points.
A raucous and wet crowd of 52,875 — the seventh-largest home crowd in school history — and a national television audience saw place kicker Nick Ferrara boot a 32-yard field goal, his fourth of the game, for the game-winning points and cornerback Cameron Chism’s 54-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final minute build on the lead.
After the game, Edsall appeared energized, even as the midnight hour approached, but deflected all credit to his players and praised an explosive offense that he tried his best to keep under wraps during preseason camp. The offensive style of play was a departure for Edsall, whose Connecticut team last season averaged just 151 yards passing per game.
“We’ve got some weapons,” Edsall said. “I told you guys now.”
Quarterback Danny O’Brien, last season’s ACC freshman of the year, completed 31 of 44 passes for 348 yards. Six players caught at least two passes, including Kevin Dorsey, who had eight receptions for 124 yards. None was bigger than the 52-yard reception down the right sideline that set up Ferrara’s go-ahead kick.
On the long reception, Miami played Maryland in man-to-man coverage, and O’Brien felt Dorsey could win his battle. So he fired the ball deep without looking up to spot Dorsey, he said, until nearly releasing the pass.
“That tempo is pretty serious,” said O’Brien, who threw for 300 yards for the third time in his career. “I think it wore [Miami] down. We had 49 plays in the first half. That was three quarters last season.”
It was a valiant effort by the Hurricanes, who were without eight players who were suspended for accepting extra benefits, including three defensive linemen, star linebacker Sean Spence and standout safety Ray-Ray Armstrong.
But the Hurricanes’ defense could not slow Maryland’s offense. The Terrapins had seven drives of at least 60 yards. They reached the Miami 20-yard line on seven of eight drives. Unfortunately for Maryland, it scored a touchdown in just one of those red-zone opportunities, a 10-yard pass from O’Brien to Ronnie Tyler on the game’s opening drive.
The Terrapins drove inside the Miami 20 four times in the first half, only to come away with 13 points. It took Maryland’s opportunistic defense to make a play for the Terrapins to close the first half with a precarious 20-14 lead. In the final minute of the half, Chism jarred the ball loose from Miami running back Mike James. Defensive tackle Joe Vellano caught the ball in midair and rumbled 30 yards for the go-ahead score that stirred the crowd.
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