Facing a third-and-6 with under two minutes remaining, Maryland football turned to its running game, which has struggled this season.
After taking a handoff, Antwain Littleton II lost a yard, forcing Maryland to settle for a game-tying 48-yard field goal.
The failure to convert came back to bite the Terps just over a minute later when Illinois nailed a field goal of its own: a 43-yard game-winner to push the Illini over the Terps, 27-24.
“Anytime we make calls like that its easy for us to second-guess them,” head coach Mike Locksley said of the third-down run.