Late-game heroics save Huskies in 24-20 comeback victory over Terrapins

The Washington Huskies trailed the Maryland Terrapins 20-0 late in the third quarter. 15 minutes later, they held a four-point lead over a Terrapins team which had dominated the game’s first three quarters.

The Huskies’ comeback began with a 36-yard Grady Gross field goal, which made the score 20-3 with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter.

To that point, running back Jonah Coleman had 13 carries for only 43 yards, and wide receiver Denzel Boston had only two catches for 14 yards. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. had completed 14-of-24 passes for just 100 yards and an interception. Things looked rough, but the remaining game was all Dawgs.

“Our guys just kept believing, kept competing,” Huskies coach Jedd Fisch said postgame.

Williams Jr. led three touchdown drives (74, 75, and 80 yards) on the Huskies’ next three possessions, during which he went 9 of 11 for 111 yards and two passing touchdowns.

The first drive began with five straight completions, during which he connected with both Coleman and Boston. A second completion to Coleman pushed the Huskies inside the 10-yard line, and Boston capped the nine-play drive with a three-yard touchdown reception. 20-10 Terrapins.

The second drive took just four dynamic plays. Williams Jr. connected with Boston and true freshman receiver Dezmen Roebuck for two first downs before scrambling 20 yards for a third. He then rolled out to the right, planted his feet and found Roebuck in the back of the endzone for an eye-popping 34-yard touchdown. 20-17 Terrapins.

The Huskies’ third, game-winning drive saw some diverse offense across 11 plays, but it was Coleman who landed the final blow. He tallied one carry and two receptions for a combined 17 yards before rumbling across the goal line from a yard out with 3:21 remaining. 24-20 Huskies.

Those three scoring drives included only two 3rd-down scenarios. It was a shocking level of dominance from a Huskies offense that had nothing to offer through the first 40 minutes of action.

The Huskies’ offensive resurgence was helped all the way by a Dawgs defense which allowed only three first downs across the Terrapins’ final four possessions. The Huskies got the ball back after forcing freshman quarterback Malik Washington into three straight incompletions, and a 10-yard scramble for a first down sealed the comeback.

“Wow, what a game,” Fisch said. “I’m really so proud of our team.”

The win is the first road win against a Big Ten opponent for Fisch, who lost all five conference away games in his first season with Washington. However, this year’s Huskies are 2-0 on the road. Despite last week’s loss to No. 1 Ohio State, Saturday’s comeback win has given the Huskies offense its momentum back.

“Now we’re sitting at 4-1, and I think that our team is just getting better,” Fisch said.