TOWSON, Maryland, Saturday, September 2, 2017 - I very nearly laughed out loud when a commentator on the Big Ten Network said on Friday night that he expected Maryland to defeat Texas. I cannot recall the gentleman's name - if I did I would give him all of the credit for his prognostication - but, whoever he was, he got it right. Maryland scored early and often and defeated No. 23 Texas, 51-41, before a stunned Austin, Texas crowd of nearly 88,000 fans.
Down early, 7-0, after QB Tyrell Pigrome's very first pass was intercepted and returned for a Texas touchdown, the Terps came fighting back, running off a mind-boggling 27 unanswered points. Pigrome led the way. He was 9 of 12 in the passing column for 175 yards, and two touchdowns, and he ran for 64 yards on 11 carries. Later, when Pigrome was injured, and Texas pulled to within 37-34, Freshman Quarterback Kasim Hill, on a third down and 19 yards to go, threw a 40-yard completion to wide-receiver D. J. Moore to give the Terps a first and goal. Hill himself ran three yards to complete the drive and, for all practical purposes, end any chance Texas had of pulling a memorable comeback. The fans flocked to the parking lots after the Hill touchdown. Just so you know, at the kickoff to start the contest, Maryland was an 18-point underdog. The lad on BTN was a crackpot, and the rest of us were just hoping for a miracle. We got it.
There were other amazing plays. After another Texas Touchdown, Maryland's Tyrone Johnson took the kickoff near the Maryland goal line and returned it to inside the Texas 40. On third down, he ran the remaining yards for the touchdown. You had to see all of this to believe it. For the record, the kickoff return was for 62 yards. For the day, Johnson rushed for 132 yards. The BTN guy predicated his Maryland upset prediction on the inability of the Longhorns to control the Maryland running game. I scoffed at that, saying I didn't know Maryland had a running game. Boy, am I stupid.
Maryland scored a touchdown on a blocked field goal, and surrendered a touchdown in the same manner.
People said Pigrome couldn't pass the ball. Lots of bunk there, folks. He can pass. And, you know, Durkin can sure coach. His players said he preached to them not to fall apart if something went wrong. His message came in handy after the Texas touchdown on the interception started the game.
Durkin said he didn't hesitate in inserting Hill after Pigrome went down. He had upperclassmen available. But Hill, he said, has that personality that indicates he can handle the pressure. He came in under lots of pressure. He handled it great. The pass to Moore on third and long was a thing of beauty.
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