CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Tai Felton continued his scorching pace with nine receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown and Billy Edwards Jr. threw for two TDs and ran for another to help Maryland beat Virginia 27-13 on Saturday night.
The Cavaliers dominated the early portion of the game but squandered their advantage by turning the ball over four times. Virginia’s defense kept the game close into the fourth quarter but was ultimately worn down by Maryland.
After the Cavaliers went three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half, Edwards hit Kaden Prather in the corner of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown that made it 14-13 with 10:55 to go in the third quarter and Maryland (2-1) led the rest of the way.
Felton entered the game as the leading receiver in the FBS, and he will be back at or near the top of the charts Sunday. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. steadied himself after an uneven first half and found Felton on some of the game’s biggest momentum-generating plays.
Maryland coach Mike Locksley didn’t waver as Edwards struggled, leaving him in the game and getting rewarded for that decision with a touchdown drive to end the first half that sparked the Terps (2-1).
Virginia (2-1) entered the red zone four times in the first half but had just 13 points to show for it, and the Cavaliers would come to regret not capitalizing.
One was a tough-luck turnover. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea had the ball kicked out of his hand by an offensive lineman who was lying on the ground, facing the other direction.
Colandrea threw a second-half interception before a fumble by receiver Malachi Fields was recovered by Maryland’s Quashon Fuller.
By then, Maryland had used a significant time-of-possession edge to start imposing its will on Virginia, and a fourth-and-1 conversion in the red zone led to a touchdown that sealed victory.
Virginia went 3-for-15 on third downs, continuing a trend that has been building throughout the early portion of the season. The Cavaliers are 9-for-40 this season on third down.
Maryland has now won 14 consecutive nonconference games. Only Georgia (24) has a longer streak.
