Maryland football has been synonymous with Taulia Tagovailoa for nearly half a decade. In Saturday’s season opener, quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. turned the page into a new chapter in style, throwing for a career-best 311 yards and two touchdowns as the host Terrapins defeated Connecticut 50-7 in College Park, Md.
Edwards, a 6-foot-3, 222-pound redshirt junior, had three previous starts, including Maryland’s 31-13 win over Auburn in last year’s Music City Bowl, but the 2024 season marks his best opportunity for extended playing time.
The mobile signal-caller completed 20 of 27 passes and added 39 yards on the ground.
Skyler Bell had five catches for 141 yards for UConn (0-1).
The Terrapins (1-0) wasted little time in taking a 7-0 lead, marching 75 yards in eight plays on the first drive of the game. Edwards capped it off by throwing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tai Felton, who finished the day with seven receptions for a career-high 178 yards and two touchdowns.
On the Terps’ next drive, redshirt freshman Nolan Ray quickly made the score 14-0, ripping off a 48-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the season.
After Maryland tacked on two field goals, Terrapins DB Glendon Miller stepped in front of a Nick Evers pass for an interception, setting up Jack Howes’ third field goal to close the first-half scoring with Maryland leading 23-0.
Maryland outgained the Huskies in total yardage 629-310, including 328-103 in the first half.
Roman Hemby, who ran for 66 yards on 14 carries, scored on a 4-yard run to open the third-quarter scoring.
After Evers was knocked out of the game with a shot to the head, backup Joe Fagnano threw for 149 yards in relief, including a 27-yard touchdown to TJ Sheffield with 16 seconds left in the third.
One play later, Felton took a short Edwards pass and broke two tackles, rumbling 75 yards for his second score.
Terps backup Cameron Edge threw a 24-yard touchdown to Josiah McLaurin and DeJuan Williams tacked on a scoring run in the fourth quarter.
UConn defensive backs Jordan Wright and Rante Jones were each ejected for targeting.
