COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Jonathan Kim converted a 37-yard field goal with one second left to give Michigan State a 27-24 victory over Maryland in the Big Ten opener for both teams on Saturday.
Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles, a transfer from Oregon State, threw for 363 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. However, he made a couple of big throws to put Michigan State in a position to escape with a win.
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“It’s still early. It’s Game Two. We still have a lot of football left,” Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith. “But at the same time, some of the messages we’re preaching, some of the belief that comes from finding a way on the road, resiliently, with some durability throughout the game, that echoes some of our messages.”
Michigan State (2-0) was dominant on offense and outgained Maryland 493-339.
Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw a 28-touchdown pass to Dylan Wade early in the fourth quarter for a 24-17 lead. The Spartans answered later in the quarter with a 77-yard strike from Chiles to Nick Marsh with 4:11 remaining.
“I didn’t play scared,” Chiles said. “Last week, I basically lied to myself and told myself I wasn’t scared. I was. It is what it is --- my first start. I don’t see it that way, but I was scared, I know. Today, I came out with the mentality of take a deep breath and go hunt. Today, we went out there and hunted.”
Edwards completed 26 of 34 pass attempts for 253 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He lost his first game in five starts dating to last season.
“Disappointing,” Edwards said. “There are a lot of things we are going to need to learn from. We have a lot of things to clean up.”
Terrapins wide receiver Tai Felton caught 11 passes for 154 yards with a touchdown. He is the first Maryland player since Jermaine Lewis in 1995 to have more than 150 yards receiving in consecutive games.
Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh had a 77-yard touchdown that tied the game 24-24 with 4:11 left. He finished with eight receptions for 194 yards.
“Our goal was to make (Chiles) beat us throwing the football, and guess what? He did,” Maryland coach Mike Locksley said.
Maryland (1-1) was hampered by their running game, managing 86 yards on 31 carries.
BIG TEN WINNER
Smith became the first Michigan State coach to win his Big Ten debut since John L. Smith in 2003.
PICK CITY
Terrapins safety Glendon Miller managed two interceptions. He has at least one interception in four straight games, one shy of the program record set by Lewis Sanders in 1999.
THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan State: The Spartans’ offense is a work in progress with a new coach, a new offensive coordinator, Brian Lindgren, and Chiles. The Spartans also have four new starters on the offensive line, but they managed to move the ball against Maryland and they’ll look to build on the performance.
Maryland: The Terrapins’ defense was exposed by the Spartans, who managed several big plays downfield. Maryland forces turnovers but it commits costly penalties that extend drives and Locksley attributed some of those troubles to a lack of experience.
UP NEXT
Michigan State: Hosts Prairie View A&M on Saturday.
Maryland: Travels to former ACC foe Virginia for a prime-time matchup on Saturday.
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