Maryland football implodes against UCLA in 54-3 defeat
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With rain pouring down the barely-inhabited, garbage-littered student section at SECU Stadium, Maryland football found itself at a crossroads standing on UCLA’s 35-yard line.
Down 24 points with 8:16 remaining in the second quarter, Malik Washington received the snap and quickly fired a pass to the flats down the lefthand side. However, the sophomore’s pass was greeted by a flock of Bruins — no Terps were within a 10-yard radius to collect what appeared intended to be a screen pass.
UCLA’s Scooter Jackson corralled the interception, returning it 65 yards to the house. Washington could only gawk at the play unfolding in front of his eyes. Maryland never recovered from the deficit and lost 54-3 in one of the most incredible defeats of head coach Mike Locksley’s tenure.
After missing three tackles against Virginia Tech, Daniel Wingate returned to form four minutes into Saturday’s game. The senior green dot punched the ball free from Bruin wideout Noah Fox-Flores’ grasp in Maryland’s defensive half to put the ball back in Washington’s hands.
However, with the game on his shoulders, the sophomore quarterback struggled to make a real impact throughout the game. Washington completed just 61% of his passing attempts for 89 yards as the Terps were forced to punt on five of their six opening drives.
The only drive in that span in which Maryland didn’t bring out Bryce McFerson came with 31 seconds left in the opening frame. On 3rd-and-22, Washington rolled out right and heaved a moonball to a triple-covered Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding. Mason Rivera came down with the interception, giving UCLA a drive that ended in a Wayne Knight 45-yard touchdown run.
Washington’s offensive line wasn’t giving him much help, however. Just 19 minutes into the contest, the Bruins already had a pair of sacks and four tackles for loss. The latter of the two sacks saw Scott Taylor catch Washington mid-throwing motion, forcing a fumble that center Michael Hershey barely recovered.
These lapses in blocking also drastically affected Maryland’s tattered rushing attack. While the Terps were missing crucial pieces in the running back room – only three of their nine running backs were active Saturday – they managed a measly 39 yards on 30 rushing attempts. UCLA sent extra rushers and made unconventional pre-snap movements that startled the line, which led to multiple unmarked defenders routinely breaking into the backfield.
Chris Durr Jr. proved to be Maryland’s sole source of productivity in its stagnant first half. The junior accounted for 46 of the Terps’ 88 offensive yards, with 45 of those yards coming after the catch. Locksley has referred to Durr as an extension of Maryland’s run game, but the transfer production wasn’t enough to make up for the rest of the team’s struggles.
Maryland’s defense struggled to give the flailing offense any kind of cushion and surrendered a 17-point first-half deficit from which it never recovered. Coverage issues and chunk plays were a thorn in defensive coordinator Ted Monachino’s side – the Bruins ended the game with nine plays of 10 or more yards as they gashed the Terps’ secondary all afternoon.
Knight was the biggest proponent of UCLA’s offensive success. The fifth-year running back accumulated 135 total scrimmage yards, equivalent to 75% of Maryland’s entire offensive output. In total, the Bruins’ running back trio of Knight, Anthony Nirvana and Jaivian Thomas netted three touchdowns as they diced through Maryland’s front seven.
The Terps’ 2-2 start to 2026 ties the team’s worst start in the Locksley era. The eight-year head coach’s seat has grown even hotter.
Three things to know
1. All-time low for Washington. UCLA had Washington’s number throughout its matchup with Maryland in 2025, and it was no different Saturday. The quarterback threw four interceptions – two of which were pick sixes – and logged a 47% completion percentage in one of the worst performances of his young career.
2. Special teams showcase. The Terps fans that stuck around got to see a lot of the punt team during Saturday’s contest. McFerson’s eight punts left much to be desired, adding up to 359 yards for an average of 44.9 yards per punt. Sean O’Haire netted Maryland’s only points of the afternoon, banging in his first field goal since the game against UConn.
3. Third down struggles. Maryland’s previous struggles on converting third downs was put under a microscope in Saturday’s contest. The Terps went 1-for-15 on third downs, largely due their inability to establish any sort of ground game.
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