Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns as Maryland staged a fourth-quarter rally to edge SMU 34-27 on Saturday night in College Park, Md.
Roman Hemby carried 16 times for 151 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 62 yards as the Terps (3-0) overcame two lost fumbles and 15 penalties which covered 141 yards.
Tanner Mordecai led SMU (2-1) with 369 yards passing and three touchdowns, but his two interceptions were costly. Rashee Rice was Mordecai's favorite target with 11 receptions for 193 yards.
Maryland entered the fourth quarter down 27-20. After Hemby scored on a 1-yard touchdown carry on the second play of the period, Dante Trader Jr. regained possession for the Terps with an interception.
Ten plays later, Tagovailoa scrambled away from pressure and threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Corey Dyches with 7:30 left to give Maryland a 34-27 lead.
In the final three minutes, the Maryland defense stopped SMU twice on downs, including one drive that reached the Terps 9.
Maryland got off to a good start, turning SMU over on downs in the red zone. Hemby then ran for 50 yards on the Terps first snap to set up a 36-yard field goal by Chad Ryland.
It was the first of two field goals on the night for Ryland, who extended his string of successful 3-point tries to 20. He opened the night with the nation's longest streak.
SMU answered with the next 13 points. Two field goals by Collin Rogers were sandwiched around a Maryland fumble on a kickoff return. JaQwondis Burns knocked the ball loose and Chace Cromartie recovered for the Mustangs.
On the opening play of the second quarter, Mordecai threw a deep strike across the middle to RJ Maryland for 51 yards and the first touchdown of the freshman's college career.
But Maryland regained the lead, scoring two touchdowns in a span of 1:13. After Antwain Littleton II capped a 65-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown carry, Beau Brade picked off a Mordecai pass to give possession right back to the Terps.
On the next snap, Tagovailoa found Rakim Jarrett on a 48-yard touchdown play that put Maryland up 17-13.
SMU answered right back with a 75-yard drive culminated by a 13-yard misdirection shuffle pass from Mordecai to Austin Upshaw which put the Mustangs up 20-17.
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