Maryland pulled off a wild 24-21 stunner against Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon, rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit at SECU Stadium. Quarterback Cardell Williams threw a game-tying 39-yard touchdown pass with just 2:11 left, and then Sean O’Haire drilled a decisive 30-yard field goal with 29 seconds on the clock to seal the win. Talk about a comeback for the ages.
Williams’ Record-Setting Performance Electrifies the Terrapins
Cardell Williams absolutely balled out, especially when it mattered most. He went 21 of 23 passing, hitting an incredible 91.3 percent completion rate, which is a new program record for quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts. He racked up 183 yards through the air and a touchdown. Plus, he was a force on the ground too, adding 17 rushing yards and two scores on 11 carries. That game-tying touchdown pass? It was his 19th consecutive completion, a truly clutch moment. Tight end Preston Howard was on the receiving end of that 39-yard bomb, capping off a day where he caught four passes for 77 yards and that crucial score. Running back DeJuan Williams also had a big day, pacing the Terrapins with 72 yards on 22 carries, pushing him past the 1,000 career rushing yards mark. C. Durr Jr. was busy too, hauling in eight receptions for 39 yards.
How Maryland Stunned the Badgers
Trailing 21-14 late in the fourth quarter, Maryland needed something special, and Williams delivered. That 39-yard touchdown strike to Howard down the sideline, followed by O’Haire’s extra point, tied the game at 21-21. But the drama wasn’t over. On Wisconsin’s very next possession, Trey Reddick came off the blind side untouched, strip-sacking Badgers quarterback Ryan Hopkins. That turnover gave Maryland prime field position at the Wisconsin 33-yard line, setting up O’Haire’s game-winning 30-yard kick. Earlier in the game, Williams put Maryland on the board with a second-quarter rushing touchdown, cutting Wisconsin’s 10-7 halftime lead. Then, after a Wisconsin fumble in the third quarter, Williams scored his second rushing touchdown from three yards out, giving Maryland their first lead at 14-10 before a Wisconsin field goal trimmed it to 14-13 going into the fourth.
Wisconsin’s Fumbles Prove Costly
For Wisconsin, this loss stings, and turnovers were a massive factor. They coughed up three lost fumbles, which Maryland converted into 10 crucial points. The Badgers struggled to move the ball, managing just 201 total yards compared to Maryland’s 290, even though Maryland racked up 11 penalties for 111 yards. Running back Darrion Dupree led Wisconsin with 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Hopkins went 11-of-22 passing for 77 yards before exiting after that late fumble. Wisconsin had built an early 7-0 lead and reclaimed a 21-14 lead with 14:04 remaining on Dupree’s 1-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass from Hopkins to Eugene Hilton Jr. They held that seven-point cushion until Maryland’s late surge. Backup quarterback Colton Joseph entered for Wisconsin’s final drive with 29 seconds left, completing a 9-yard hook-and-lateral from Hilton to Tyrell Henry as time expired, but it wasn’t enough.
This kind of comeback, driven by a record-setting quarterback performance and a huge defensive play, shows just how wild college football can be. What a win for Maryland.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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