Minnesota routs Maryland 48-23 to win third straight

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Brosmer threw two of his season-high four touchdown passes early, Justin Walley added a pick-six and Minnesota scored three first-quarter touchdowns and easily beat Maryland 48-23 Saturday.

Winners of three straight, the Gophers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) got nine catches for 117 yards and two scores from Daniel Jackson. Elijah Spencer added a couple of touchdown receptions as the Gophers scored their most points in a conference game since beating the Terrapins 52-10 Oct. 26, 2019.

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Maryland (4-4, 1-4) has lost three of four and dug itself a deep hole early in this one.

Six plays after stopping Maryland on fourth down of its opening series, a 10-yard pass from Brosmer to Jackson got Minnesota on the scoreboard, its first opening drive touchdown of the season.

Brosmer to Spencer made it 14-0 Gophers, a lead that increased to 21-0 just 38 seconds later when miscommunication between quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. and his receiver resulted in a ball thrown directly to Walley, who took the interception 32 yards untouched into the end zone.

Koi Perich added his third interception in the past two games, upping his conference-best total to five, the most ever by a Minnesota freshman and is now just two picks behind the program’s season record. 

Averaging a Big Ten-best 301.9 passing yards per game, the Terrapins finished with 323. Edwards was 19 of 35 for 201 yards in three quarters against the nation’s fourth-ranked defense. 

MJ Morris was 7 of 8 for 122 yards with the game well out of reach. Tai Felton, who has a Big Ten best 73 receptions, caught nine balls for 104 yards. Brosmer was 26-of-33 for 320 yards for Minnesota. He did not throw an interception, nor was he sacked. 

Darius Taylor made it 48-10 with a 51-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Up Next: Minnesota is at No. 20 Illinois Saturday, November 2.