Maryland
Three Takeaways From Maryland Football's 27-13 Win At Virginia – PressBox
Maryland football defeated Virginia, 27-13, on Sept. 14 thanks to a dominant second half after a slow start on offense and an end-of-half breakdown on defense.
The win against the Cavaliers was not pretty, but it showed the resiliency of the Terps, who bounced back from a disappointing 27-24 loss to Michigan State a week earlier.
Maryland will now look to string together wins as it faces Villanova on Sept. 21 at noon. But first, here are three takeaways from the win against Virginia:
Maryland had a slow start.
The Terps finished the first quarter with only 47 total yards. They finished the first half with 141 total yards (46 rushing, 95 passing) and went to the locker room down 13-7.
Not only did Maryland struggle to find the end zone, junior kicker Jack Howes missed a 52-yard field goal with 1:59 remaining in the first quarter.
“I thought that Virginia came out and out-efforted us in the first half and that’s not anything that I’ve ever had to be concerned with our team,” head coach Michael Locksley told reporters after the game. “Then I thought the physicality in which they played, they kind of out-physicaled us as well.”
The Terps remained scoreless until 54 seconds remained in the half, when junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. found senior receiver Tai Felton for a 19-yard reception to give the Terps a 7-6 lead.
Edwards finished with 263 passing yards and two touchdowns on 28 of 43 throwing. Felton finished with nine receptions, 117 yards receiving and a touchdown, becoming the first Terp to ever finish with 100-plus receiving yards in three consecutive games to start a season.
“We’re putting a lot on him and I really like the way the kid’s playing,” Locksley said of Edwards. “I like the way that he continues to lead us on offense and he’s doing some special things for us.”
Maryland continues to force turnovers.
Maryland’s lack of offense in the first half was not due to a lack of opportunities.
The Terps’ defense forced two turnovers in the first quarter alone. Senior linebacker Donnell Brown recovered a fumble and senior safety Dante Trader Jr. hauled in an interception.
“Our defense had two big stops in the first half, which gave us a chance to stay in the game and stay in the fight,” Locksley said. “And I knew at some point the offense would get going and we did the second half.”
Maryland finished the game with four takeaways. Sophomore defensive back Jalen Huskey and senior defensive lineman Quashon Miller finished with an interception and fumble recovery, respectively.
Maryland’s defense stifled Virginia in the second half.
Not only did Maryland’s defense force four turnovers, the unit pitched a second-half shutout after allowing Virginia to march down the field in 49 seconds to end the half.
After giving up 288 yards and 13 points in the first half, the Terps held the Cavaliers to 82 yards in the second half.
Maryland, on the other hand, finished with 20 points and 250 yards in the second half alone. The Terps also dominated possession, 21:39 to 8:21.
“To allow no points on defense, [defensive coordinator Brian Williams] and the defensive staff did a good job of switching the looks up,” Locksley said. “I think we had only one penalty. Those penalties kept coming early in the first half, but those are the things we could control. And then to create four turnovers was huge for us.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maryland Athletics
Calling all outdoorsmen and women — Maryland’s Lower Shore is home to some of the best hiking, walking and running trails on the East Coast.
Here’s a closer look at four picturesque parks and preserves with nature trails in the Berlin, Salisbury and Ocean City area.
Assateague Island
Assateague Island offers a wide variety of paved and unpaved trails open for hiking and 37 miles of flat beach terrain for wandering and beachcombing. Assateague Island’s Maryland District features a Life of the Dunes trail, Life of the Forest trail, Life of the Marsh trail.
Furnace Town
Furnace Town is nestled between the Pocomoke State Forest and Nature Conservancy’s Nassawango Creek Preserve. The popular historical site offers three Nature Conservancy Trails, three Maryland Forest service Trails, and a 26-acre outdoor museum and recreation area.
Pemberton Historical Park
Pemberton Historical Park, a 262-acre area featuring a trail system, outdoor amphitheater and more, was created in the 1980s. The park offers 4.5 miles of nature trails for walking and hiking only, allowing visitors to explore wetlands, forests and more of the natural world.
Nassawango Creek Preserve
Nassawango Creek Preserve’s primeval forest has an abundance of bald cypress and black gum trees. Visitors are invited to indulge in its four trails, the Nassawango Joe, Prothonotary Warbler, Ron Wilson Memorial Trail and Leifer Trail, as well as self-guided audio tours.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
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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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
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