COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) 鈥� Defensive end Aidan Hubbard returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Northwestern pulled away from Maryland 37-10 on Friday night for its first Big Ten victory this season.
Jack Lausch and Cam Porter rushed for first-half touchdowns for the Wildcats (3-3, 1-2), which won despite being outgained 355-283 total yards.
Billy Edwards Jr. rushed for a touchdown for Maryland (3-3, 0-3), which committed a season-high four turnovers. The Terrapins dropped their 10th consecutive game after an open date, a streak that dates to 2017 and includes a pair of defeats after pandemic cancellations in 2020.
Maryland trailed 17-10 early in the fourth quarter when . Hubbard collected the ball at the Maryland 2 and took a step into the end zone.
鈥淓verybody was just juicy and was excited,鈥� said Bastone, a senior and former walk-on who missed the Wildcats鈥� first five games because of injury. 鈥淚 was trying to get everybody excited, so I鈥檓 glad I got that response. Everybody was just happy to see me back out there.鈥�
It was the first of three turnovers in the fourth quarter for the Terps. Northwestern outscored Maryland 20-3 in the final 15 minutes, with 17 of the points coming off takeaways.
鈥淲e talk about valuing the football,鈥� Northwestern coach David Braun said. 鈥淭his has to be part of our formula — winning in the turnover margin. We did that in a big way tonight.鈥�
The Wildcats opened the scoring on . After Maryland鈥檚 punt on the next possession pinned Northwestern at its 8, Lausch led a 16-play drive capped by with 12:08 left in the half.
The Terps鈥� Ricardo Cooper Jr. fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up Luke Akers鈥� 43-yard field goal four plays later to put Northwestern up 17-0.
Maryland couldn鈥檛 produce points nearly that efficiently. on fourth-and-goal with 3:22 before the break to complete a 16-play drive. Jack Howes made a 31-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to finish an 18-play possession.
Turnovers short-circuited the Terps the rest of the way. They had only three giveaways in their first five games, and their plus-11 turnover margin entering Friday ranked second nationally.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here to build this team to compete to win championships,鈥� said Maryland coach Mike Locksley, who took over playcalling responsibilities from offensive coordinator Josh Gattis after the open date. 鈥淣obody ever said it would be linear. Today, we took a step back. We鈥檙e going to find a way to turn this frustration into something positive and productive.鈥�
Lausch completed 10 of 18 for 203 yards.
Edwards was 28 of 51 for 296 yards and an interception.
Maryland鈥檚 Tai Felton, who leads the Big Ten in receiving yards, returned after leaving the Terps鈥� Sept. 28 loss at Indiana with an undisclosed injury. He had nine catches for 77 yards.
The takeaway
Northwestern: The Wildcats took care of the ball, exploited Maryland鈥檚 turnovers and limited the Terps to 59 rushing yards. It was a winning formula Friday, and Northwestern will undoubtedly try to replicate it in the second half of its season.
Maryland: The Terps slid back to .500 while losing at home for the second time this season. With a second-half schedule that includes Southern California, Minnesota, Oregon, Rutgers, Iowa and Penn State — which entered the week with a combined record of 23-8 — Maryland鈥檚 chances of earning a fourth consecutive bowl berth continue to narrow.
Akers get his kicks
Akers, a redshirt junior, normally handles Northwestern鈥檚 punting and kickoff duties. But the son of former Pro Bowl kicker David Akers added placekicking responsibilities and was perfect, making three field goals of at least 38 yards plus all four extra points.
鈥淚鈥檝e never seen a guy kick off and do it at the level he did, scoring points the way he did,鈥� Braun said. 鈥淭hat extra point is the first point he scored in his college career. And to have the efficiency he did from different ranges in field goals and the way that he punted the ball tonight, I鈥檓 so excited for that young man.鈥�
Up next
Northwestern plays host to Wisconsin on Oct. 19.
Maryland remains at home to face new Big Ten foe Southern California on Oct. 19.
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