No. 5 Iowa forces seven turnovers, routs Maryland

Iowa players celebrate after defeating Maryland 51-14 on Oct. 1, 2021, in College Park, Md.

Associated Press

Oct. 1, 2021 Updated 10:10 PM PT

Spencer Petras threw for three touchdowns and ran for two, and No. 5 Iowa took advantage of seven Maryland turnovers in a 51-14 victory Friday night in College Park, Md.

The Hawkeyes (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) intercepted five of Taulia Tagovailoa’s passes, and they outscored the Terrapins 31-0 in the second quarter as Maryland completely unraveled. The Terrapins (4-1, 1-1) never recovered after losing standout wide receiver Dontay Demus to an apparent leg injury on a kickoff return early in the second.

Iowa beat Iowa State earlier this season thanks to a plus-four turnover margin on a day the Hawkeyes were badly outgained. The matchup with Maryland was an even more extreme version of that. The Terrapins turned the ball over five times in the first half and four times in the second quarter.

“You sit on the bench for two seconds, you’re right back out,” Petras said, describing the flurry of takeaways.

Tagovailoa had thrown only one interception all season — while leading the Big Ten in yards passing — but he was picked off on the Terrapins’ second possession Friday in a sign of things to come. That turnover led to a field goal that opened the scoring, but Maryland responded sharply, driving 69 yards in eight plays and taking the lead on a nine-yard scoring pass from Tagovailoa to Chigoziem Okonkwo.

Iowa went ahead 10-7 on a one-yard run by Petras on the first play of the second quarter, and then Maryland’s big night — the Terps had a chance to start 5-0 for the first time since 2001 — went sour for good.

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras reacts after a play against Maryland on Oct. 1, 2021.

Demus, the Big Ten’s leader in yards receiving, had four catches for 61 yards in the first quarter. On the kickoff after Petras’ touchdown, however, he fumbled and remained on the ground injured. He eventually left on a cart, and that turnover gave Iowa the ball at the Maryland 10-yard line.

“We took an X-ray of it,” Maryland coach Michael Locksley said. “Until we get the MRI, we’re not really sure, but it’s some type of lower-body injury.”

Petras threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Arland Bruce IV. Then, on the first play of the Terps’ next possession, Tagovailoa’s deflected pass was intercepted and the Hawkeyes took over at the Maryland 26.

Petras made it 24-7 with a one-yard scoring run. Then Tagovailoa’s next pass was picked off at the Maryland 45. Iowa scored again on Monte Pottebaum’s two-yard run.

The final turnover of the half came on a Hail Mary by Tagovailoa on the last play. After two more interceptions in the second half — one thrown by Tagovailoa and one by his backup — Iowa now has 12 on the season. No other Big Ten team has more than five.

“I don’t think anybody could have seen that coming,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Their guy’s done a great job protecting the football.”

In the second half, Petras threw touchdown passes of 67 yards to Tyler Goodson and seven yards to Tyrone Tracy.

Up next, Iowa faces a major showdown Oct. 9 against No. 4 Penn State. Maryland’s schedule doesn’t get any easier. The Terrapins travel to play No. 11 Ohio State next.

No. 13 Brigham Young 34, at Utah State 20

Tyler Allgeier ran for a career-high 208 yards and three touchdowns to help the Cougars (5-0) beat the Aggies (3-2).

BYU defeated Utah State for the second straight time in the Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel rivalry series.

Baylor Romney threw for 187 yards and a touchdown on 15-for-19 passing in the first half but was injured just before halftime and sat out the second half. He made his second consecutive start with Jaren Hall sidelined because of a rib injury.

Third-string quarterback Jacob Conover led the offense after halftime. The freshman threw for 45 yards on five-for-nine passing in his college debut.

Logan Bonner threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns for the Aggies. Bonner left with eight minutes to go because of a knee injury.

Houston 45, at Tulsa 10

Freshman Alton McCaskill scored a career-best three touchdowns — all in the first half — and Clayton Tune passed for 241 yards and a pair of scores as the Cougars (4-1, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) defeated the Golden Hurricane (1-4, 0-1).

McCaskill, who gained 77 yards in 17 carries, scored twice from the one-yard line and added a 27-yard burst up the middle that included a pirouette at about the 15-yard line as he broke through the final defenders. He had previously scored two touchdowns each in wins over Rice and Grambling.