Maryland Loses Third Straight Game After Leading in Fourth Quarter

For the third consecutive week, Maryland lost in the most disturbing fashion.

For the third consecutive week, the Terps led in the fourth quarter and couldn’t hold onto the lead … or win the game.

Saturday night, it was a 20-17 loss at UCLA. The Bruins had three scoring drives in the final six minutes, the winning points coming on a 23-yard field goal with two seconds to play. All of these losses have been in Big Ten games.

Results are results. Close doesn’t matter in the competitive Big Ten. Terps coach Mike Locksley, in his eighth year at Maryland, has built a program that is getting close — real close — but so far this season the Terps are unable to close out games. The three losses have been in one-score games.

Under Locksley, the Terps have had three winning seasons since 2021.

Fast start but now …

Maryland’s 4-0 start is nothing but a memory, a fading one at that. The Terps couldn’t contain UCLA dual-threat quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who passed for 221 yards and rushed for 25 yards despite being injured (and returning) in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve lost three Big Ten games by a combined 10 points in the last three weeks,” Locksley told the media after the game.

“I’m not going to ask what is the issue, or why this keeps happening. ‘Why’ is a victim question, and I’m not a victim. I’m going to ask what we need to do or what I need to do to be able to get us to finish these games.”

Terps were on familiar track

Before UCLA’s comeback, Maryland led 10-7 going into the fourth quarter. The Terps’ lead was built the way they have thrived all season — on turnovers. Maryland intercepted Iamaleava twice and recovered a fumble.

Defensive back Jamare Glasker gave the Terps that lead with a pick-six of Iamaleava from eight yards out. Jalen Huskey had the other Terps’ interception.

Coming into the game, Maryland led the country with a plus-10 turnover margin. The Terps lost a fumble and an interception and finished plus-1 in turnovers against the Bruins.

“Obviously we have to do better,” Locksley said. “I thought our defense played lights out. They scored points, they got turnovers. They stopped the bleeding before the half with a turnover there.

“They played well enough for us to win and I know they gave up the touchdown there at the end.

“The other two phases, we didn’t play complementary football. Our lack of offense in the first half and three quarters is disappointing because it’s an execution thing that we got to get fixed.

“But I do like the fight they showed to go down and score to give us a chance to put it in overtime."

When UCLA, improbable winners now of three straight games after an 0-4 start, took a 17-10 lead with 2:04 to play, Maryland went 75 yards in nine plays in 1:24 to tie the score with 40 seconds to play.

But UCLA went 68 yards in five plays to set up the winning field goal.

And another Maryland heartbreak.

Last week, Maryland led Nebraska by 10 points in the fourth quarter before losing, 34-31. The week before, Maryland led Washington, 20-3, in the fourth quarter before losing 24-20.

The Terps are on a bye week before playing host to the Big Ten’s newest powerhouse, undefeated Indiana, on Nov. 1.

"Obviously, we have the bye week coming up, and as always, I evaluate everything that we do, starting with me, myself as to what I can do, what I need to do to continue to lead us through these tough finishes that we've had the last three weeks,” Locksley said.

“But we'll do whatever we have to do to put ourselves in a position to compete and find a way to get back on the right track for homecoming at home against a really strong Indiana team.”

Remaining Schedule
October 25 Open Date
November 1 Indiana (Homecoming)
November 8 @Rutgers
November 15 @Illinois
November 22 Michigan
November 29 @Michigan State

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