Rutgers Football Season Ends in Defeat to Maryland
MARYLAND 40 – RUTGERS 16
Rutgers 2021 season came to a conclusion Saturday in a 40-16 loss to Maryland with bowl eligibility at stake.
At 5-7 Rutgers will not qualify for postseason play. Maryland, (6-6) with their win at SHI Stadium becomes bowl eligible.
After a promising start to the season that saw the Scarlet Knights open the season at 3-0, Rutgers went 2-7 in Big 10 play for the rest of the year. In three of their final four games, Rutgers was outscored by a combined margin of 120-19 in losses to Penn State, Wisconsin and Maryland.
Rutgers last win of the year came November 13, a 38-3 triumph over Indiana.
Against Maryland, Rutgers struggled to stop quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, the brother of Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Taulia tossed for 312 yards and three touchdown passes, and even ran in for a score.
Rutgers’ defense couldn’t the powerful running combination of Tayon Fleet-Davis (18 carries, 152 yards, two touchdowns) and Colby McDonald (15 carries, 99 yards) in defeat.
Maryland wasted no time jumping on the scoreboard. Tagovailoa engineered an impressive opening drive that culminated in a 25-yard touchdown pass to Corey Dyches to make it 7-0 Maryland with 11:42 to go in the opening quarter.
After Rutgers’ offense went quietly on their opening drive, Maryland rang the bell again, this time on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Brian Cobbs to push the Teripans to a 13-0 lead.
.@cobbs_brian dives into the end zone for anotha @TerpsFootball tuddy😤. pic.twitter.com/ePAfC3G5W2
— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) November 27, 2021
The only blemish came on the PAT, which was blocked by Rutgers and returned the opposite way for a free two-points to cut the Maryland lead to 13-2.
Unfortunately for Rutgers, the special teams play was the only time they would see the end zone in the first half.
Maryland carried a 20-2 lead into the break. Rutgers’ best chance to put up seven points came and went late in the fourth quarter when Noah Vedral moved Rutgers to the Maryland eight-yard line with a little over two minutes to go in the first half.
On four goal-to-go attempts the Scarlett Knights managed only six yards before Vedral’s fourth down and goal pass fell incomplete.
Rutgers tried to make a game of it in the third quarter. With Evan Simon now under center, Rutgers scored on the opening drive of the third quarter with a one-yard plunge by Johnny Langan to cut the Maryland lead to 20-9.
POWER THROUGH 💪
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 27, 2021
Johnny Langan gets @RFootball their 1️⃣st TD of the day pic.twitter.com/MaixMQwy7B
After Maryland responded with Tagovailoa’s third touchdown pass of the day, and second TD to wide receiver Corey Dyches, Rutgers again found pay-dirt. A 53-yard kick return by Bo Melton gave Rutgers a short field at the Maryland 37-yard line. Five plays later, Aaron Young plunged into the end zone to cut the Maryland lead down to 10 points, 26-16 with 6:18 to play in the third quarter.
Rutgers (-2) is slowlllyyyy catching up to Maryland 😅#Choppic.twitter.com/4AYYBR2sVG
— Betfred Sportsbook (@BetfredSports) November 27, 2021
That was as close as Rutgers would get.
A 23-yard dump off pass by Tagovailoa to Tayon Fleet-Davis set up shop at the Rutgers’ 13-yard line. Two plays later, Fleet-Davis was in the end zone for his first of two second half touchdowns to push Maryland out front 33-16.
The focus for football now turns to a busy off-season with a new recruiting class and the Spring Game next year. And in case one is wondering, Rutgers is schedule to open the 2022 season at Boston College next September.