Defensive end Aidan Hubbard scored a touchdown by returning a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter, helping Northwestern pull ahead of Maryland 37-10 on Friday night, marking their first Big Ten win this season.
Jack Lausch and Cam Porter each scored rushing touchdowns in the first half for the Wildcats (3-3, 1-2), who managed to win even though Maryland outgained them in total yards, 355-283.
For Maryland (3-3, 0-3), Billy Edwards Jr. rushed for a touchdown, but the team also had a season-high four turnovers. This loss extended the Terrapins’ streak to ten straight games lost after a break, a pattern that dates back to 2017 and includes two losses after cancellations due to the pandemic in 2020.
Maryland was behind 17-10 early in the fourth quarter when Edwards was hit unexpectedly by defensive tackle Carmine Bastone, causing him to lose the ball. Hubbard picked it up at the Maryland 2-yard line and stepped into the end zone.
“Everybody was just juicy and was excited,” said Bastone, a senior who previously walked on to the team and missed the Wildcats’ first five games due to injury.
“I was trying to get everybody excited, so I’m glad I got that response. Everybody was just happy to see me back out there.”
It was the first of three turnovers for Maryland in the fourth quarter. Northwestern scored 20 points to Maryland’s 3 in the last 15 minutes, with 17 of those points coming from turnovers.
“We talk about valuing the football,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “This has to be part of our formula — winning in the turnover margin. We did that in a big way tonight.”
The Wildcats began the scoring with Lausch’s 9-yard run in the first quarter. After Maryland’s punt left Northwestern at their 8-yard line, Lausch led a 16-play drive that ended with Porter’s 3-yard touchdown run with 12:08 left in the half.
Following the next kickoff, Maryland’s Ricardo Cooper Jr. fumbled, which allowed Luke Akers to kick a 43-yard field goal just four plays later, putting Northwestern ahead 17-0.
Maryland struggled to score as efficiently. Edwards managed a 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal with 3:22 left in the half, completing a 16-play drive. Jack Howes added a 31-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to cap an 18-play possession.
