COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — KJ Duff caught two touchdown passes — including one with a spectacular one-handed grab — and Rutgers held on for a 37-30 victory over Maryland on Saturday.
The Terrapins (2-5, 0-4 Big Ten) have lost five in a row, and they blew a 10-point halftime lead in this matchup between embattled coaches Mike Locksley of Maryland and Greg Schiano of the Scarlet Knights. Duff caught nine passes for 113 yards, and Clay Thevenin scored both a rushing touchdown and a receiving one as Rutgers (2-4, 1-2) rallied in the final two quarters.
“We’re down 10 at the half, on the road in the Big Ten. That’s hard stuff,” Schiano said. “Our guys just kept battling.”
Antwan Raymond’s 2-yard TD run gave the Scarlet Knights a 37-23 lead with 4:03 left in the fourth quarter. Malik Washington’s second touchdown pass of the game, a 10-yarder to DeJuan Williams, brought Maryland back within seven with 2:17 to play.
After a false start on fourth-and-1 from its own 34, Rutgers had to punt, giving Maryland the ball with 1:52 remaining. The Terps reached the Rutgers 11, but Williams dropped a pass in the flat that would have been an easy first down — and maybe a TD — and on fourth-and-2, Washington’s pass to Dorian Fleming in the back corner of the end zone was ruled incomplete with 16 seconds left.
A replay showed Fleming’s toe appearing to be on the sideline as he made the catch, and the call stood.
“We like to keep the TV people happy,” Schiano said. “Keep it close.”
With the Terps up 7-0, Dylan Lonergan lofted a pass to the left side of the end zone toward Duff. He was able to catch the ball with his right hand while landing his right foot inbounds. He was so off balance that his left foot was up around his head.
“When the ball is in the air, you just got to make a play,” Duff said. “Any way possible.”
After that 15-yard touchdown catch, Duff added a 9-yarder in the second quarter, but Maryland’s Trey Reddick blocked the extra point, and Jamare Glasker ran it back to give the Terrapins two points and a 16-13 lead.
Chris Durr Jr. scored on a 16-yard reverse to give the Terps a 23-13 halftime lead, but Maryland fell apart after that. Sean O’Haire missed a third-quarter field goal from 34 yards, and Lonergan found Thevenin for a 19-yard touchdown that tied it at 23. After the Terrapins went three-and-out, Thevenin gave Rutgers the lead with a 7-yard scoring run.
He did it again
Duff made an amazing one-handed catch last season against Penn State, so it wasn’t a shock he managed to pull off this one.
“At this point it’s like, ‘Yeah, that makes sense,’” Lonergan said. “You just kind of put it up there, he’s going to get it.”
The takeaway
Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights beat an FBS opponent for the first time this season, and Duff earned himself a well-deserved highlight.
Maryland: Was this Locksley’s last game at the helm? The Terps have an open date coming up, so if a change is going to be made during the season this might be the time. Losing to Rutgers on Homecoming in front of a sparse crowd is about as bad as it gets. Maryland has lost 12 straight conference games.
“I’ve coached at Maryland long enough to know how — you just withstand it,” Locksley said. “You stay convicted on doing whatever it takes to get out of that and give your best.”
Up next
Rutgers: at Northwestern next Saturday.
Maryland: off next week before hosting Illinois on Oct. 31.
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By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer
