Taulia Tagovailoa eclipsed 8,000 passing yards for his Maryland career, accounted for four touchdowns, and the Terrapins got up quick with 21 first-quarter points and didn’t look back in a season-opening 38-6 win over Towson Saturday afternoon.
Tagovailoa was prolific, posting 246 yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in the first half alone. He would exit in the third quarter, finishing with 260 yards on 22-33 passing. For the fourth-year Terrapin, it was his ninth time throwing for more than 200 yards in a first half, the fifth time he’s accounted for four touchdowns, and his 32 passing attempts were a career first-half high.
After hitting tight end Corey Dyches for a 44-yard strike over the middle on the first drive of the game, Tagovailoa’s first score came with his legs, running untouched off the right side for a 23-yard touchdown. He’d find Dyches again and receiver Jeshaun Jones for nearly identical 23-and-24-yard touchdowns, respectively, on back-to-back drives late in the first quarter to put Maryland up 21-0. Montgomery County native Kaden Prather added to the total with his first score as a Terrapin. The West Virginia transfer went up and grabbed a pretty right-side corner fade over a defender in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown 17 seconds before halftime. Dyches was Tagovailoa’s favorite target and had a career day in his new number — donning No. 2 this season instead of his previous 84. The Oxon Hill native hauled in six balls for a career-high 108 yards and the first-quarter touchdown, with 80 of those yards coming after the catch. Maryland’s new-look offensive line struggled to find consistency early, perhaps leading to the Terrapins’ heavy reliance on the passing game. Left tackle DJ Glaze was the unit’s only returning starter, and Frostburg State transfer Gottlieb Ayedze was expected to start at right tackle, but was ruled out before the game due to injury. Tagovailoa wasn’t sacked, but was hurried and ended up on the ground on multiple occasions, including a hit on the first drive that caused him to favor his right arm on the subsequent series. He ended up being the leading rusher in the first half while starting running back Roman Hemby was held to 24 yards on four carries. Hemby would eventually get into gear, besting his first half totals in Maryland’s first drive after halftime. He carried the ball seven times for 33 yards, capping the possession with a 9-yard touchdown run on a cut back up the middle. It was Tagovailoa’s final action of the day, with reserve quarterback Billy Edwards taking over with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter. Maryland’s defense held Towson to only 128 passing yards, and Tigers quarterback Nathan Kent went without a pass completion in the first quarter. The win by Maryland coach Mike Locksley over his alma mater is the Terrapins’ 12th-straight over a non-conference foe and their 20th-straight over an FCS opponent.
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