COLLEGE PARK — The Maryland football team completed its spring practice season with its annual Red-White Spring Game with the Red team winning 20-19 on Saturday afternoon at SECU Stadium.
Maryland fans were able to see the Terps for the first time since defeating N.C. State in the 2022 Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
Taulia Tagovailoa led the Red team, playing just the first half, going 16 for 24 with 210 yards and one touchdown. Cameron Edge played the second half under center, going 10 of 17 for 80 yards and a score. Billy Edwards Jr. led the White team, finishing 13 of 22 for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Antwain Littleton finished with 105 yards rushing, including a 35-yard scamper to lead the White team. Colby McDonald had 60 yards on 10 carries for the Red team.
Nine different receivers for the Red team caught passes on the day, led by six grabs (43 yards) by Corey Dyches. Tai Felton finished with 75 yards on five receptions. Chambers had both touchdowns for the Red team.
The teams were tied at the half 10-10, scoring all their points in the second quarter. The Red team took a 17-10 lead after the third before the White team attempted a comeback in the fourth.
After the Red team went up 20-13 with 2:11 to go in the fourth, Edwards hit Leon Haughton Jr. on a 40-yard strike just under 30 seconds later, but the White team failed on its two-point conversion attempt for the win.
Haughton led the White team receiving corps with three catches for 69 yards, while Preston Howard had three for 61 yards.
Tyrese Chambers was named the Frank Reich Spring Game MVP, while Tommy Akingbesote was selected as the Joe Campbell Most Valuable Lineman in a vote of the media members in attendance.
“A culmination of a strong spring is what today’s showcase was about,” Maryland head coach Mike Locksley said. “I think we got about 110 plays in. We had 15 really strong practices. The group as a whole and the spring as a whole has been successful for us.
“I think we got better. We obviously have some work to do this summer as we start preparation for our 2023 opener against my alma mater the Towson Tigers. But I expect the guys and the culture within that locker room to put the necessary work in for us to be ready to go on September 2.”
Offensive Highlights
The Red team opened the scoring in the second quarter on a 44-yard field goal by Jack Howes, capping an 8-play, 52 yard drive. The score was set up by Tagovailoa hitting five consecutive passes before the drive stalled at the 26-yard line.
The White team scored the first touchdown of the day when Edwards lofted a pass into the right side of the end zone connecting with Robert Smith, who secured the over-the-shoulder catch for a 28-yard score.
Tagovailoa picked up his first touchdown of the day in the second quarter when he found Chambers coming across the back of the end zone for a five-yard pick-up with 1:50 remaining in the stanza.
The White team capped the first half scoring with a 27-yard field goal by Harrison Beattie as time expired. Edwards drove the squad 71 yards, highlighted by a 35-yard pass to Howard who used a one-handed snag in coverage to move into Red territory.
Edge led the Red team on a 73-yard drive that resulted in a 13-yard touchdown with 2:31 to go in the third giving them a 17-10 lead. Edge floated a pass to the far sideline allowing Chambers to run under it in catch just before going out of bounds.
In the fourth quarter, Beattie converted a 27-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-13 with 7:50 to go.
Howes then hit his second field goal of the day, this time a 32-yarder, to push the Red team back up by a touchdown, 20-13 at the 2:11 mark.
Twenty-six seconds later, Edwards capped a 65-yard drive with a 40-yard touchdown strike to Haughton. The White team went for the two-point conversion for the win, but Edwards’ pass was batted down in the end zone.
Defensive Highlights
•Daniel Owens had five tackles to lead the Red team.
•Fa’Najae Gotay had a game-high five tackles to lead the White team, while Avante Williams and Ruben Hyppolite each had five.
•Quashon Fuller led all defensive players with three sacks, while Akingbesote also had one for the White team. Daniel Owens had two sacks and Christian Teague had one for the Red team.
•Owens led all players with 3.5 TFLs for 14 total yards, while Teague had two for 11. Fuller’s three sacks accounted for 22 yards.
Special Teams
Colton Spangler averaged 46.8 yards per punt for the White team including a game-long 53 yarder. Brendan Segovia handled the duties for the Red team averaging 41.7 yards per punt with a long of 45 yards.