Michigan State spent a lot of time in Maryland’s half of the field but couldn’t make it count. Amazingly, every single drive reached at least the MSU 45 yard line (only two failed to reach midfield), yet those 11 possessions resulted in just two touchdowns, one field goal, a very ill-advised fake field goal to end the half (it gained yardage but nowhere near enough with the clock running out), four punts, two turnovers, and a turnover on downs. That failure to finish drives proved costly when Maryland scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to retake the lead.
At the end of the first quarter, the Gophers led 21-3 and this looked like the sort of blowout we’ve come to expect when Rutgers is involved.