Maryland
Nebraska Shows it Can Win Without its ‘A’ Game
The good feelings were gone and, maybe, so were Nebraska’s chances of making the College Football Playoff.
Nine-win season? Ten-win season? Gone, probably. And deservedly so.
Nebraska didn’t bring its “A” game to Maryland on Saturday. You have to recite the alphabet some to find the proper letter to attach to how the Huskers played.
It was a game the Huskers easily could have lost and in recent past years, they did.
But this 2025 team didn’t lose to Maryland — despite doing more than enough to fly home with an “L.” No, the Huskers won, 34-31, rallying with two scores in the fourth quarter to shock the Terps.
You can look at this game as survival, or that maybe Nebraska (5-1) was lucky to win. When a team loses the turnover battle by 3-0, and those turnovers turn into 17 points, it’s a recipe for a defeat and a painful one at that.
Or, you can say Nebraska showed moxie and resolve because without that kind of effort and spirit, this game might have been lost. And it helped that Emmett Johnson ran for 176 yards
Football teams that win despite themselves are to admired to a certain degree. Nebraska, in near-defeat, showed the characteristics of a winning team.
In the harsh light of the Sunday morning film breakdown, the Huskers’ shortcomings and mistakes will be evident. Coaches will see the errors and the players will hear about them. For real, there were shortcomings and mistakes in bunches.
This postgame examination can wait. For now, Nebraska can take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
It was bad enough that Huskers quarterback Dylan Raiola threw two interceptions, which turned into 10 Maryland points. He came into the game with only two interceptions in five games. Throwing picks last season was one of the criticisms of Raiola’s inconsistent 2024 season when he threw a Big Ten-leading 11 picks.
The interceptions turned around the game. Nebraska twice had double-digit leads but the picks gave Maryland life.
After the first Raiola interception, Maryland had a short field (33 yards) and scored a touchdown to take a 14-10 lead. After the second interception, a Maryland field goal cut the Huskers’ lead to 24-17.
Then it got really bad for the Nebraska. Raiola threw a perfect pick-six — to Maryland’s Dontay Joyner — and the Huskers trailed, 31-24, with 6:40 to play in the third quarter.
But Raiola bounced back and so did the Huskers. He led Nebraska on two fourth-quarter scoring drives. The winning drive went 81 yards on seven plays, the winning points coming on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Dane Key with 1:08 to play.
And Nebraska survived its first true road game of the season.
Maryland, which lost its second consecutive heartbreaker in the fourth quarter, picked apart Nebraska’s vaunted pass defense, top-ranked in the country.
Terps freshman quarterback Malik Washington mostly had his way with the Huskers’ defense, twice rallying Maryland from 10-point deficits.
Washington looked poised in the pocket. He threw into tight windows and his numbers showed that — he completed 27-of-37 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown. Coming into the game, Nebraska had allowed an average of 91.8 passing yards per game.
Before Saturday, the most passing yards the Huskers had allowed in a game was 105 to Michigan’s Bryce Underwood.
Maryland wanted to run against Nebraska’s 88th-ranked rushing defense (115.6 yards per game average) and it did, gaining 130 net yards on 30 carries. Maryland was 7-of-15 on third-down conversions, 46.6 percent. Nebraska allowed only 21.9 percent of third-down conversions coming into the game.
For the second consecutive season, Nebraska is 5-1. Last year, Nebraska then lost four consecutive games, three of them by one score. The Huskers were 2-5 in one-score games last season.
This year’s team don’t seem to have that close-game flaw in its DNA. Nebraska is 2-1 in one-score games. That’s something else winning teams do, too — win the close ones.
It’s odd, when you think about it, that Nebraska showed what kind of winning team it is, and could be, on what arguably was its most flawed performance of the season.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
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The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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