Gendreau hits decisive field goal, Middle Tennessee causes 4 Maryland turnovers in 32-31 win

Gendreau FG gives Middle Tennessee 32-31 win

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Alan Gendreau made a 19-yard field goal as time expired and Middle Tennessee rallied for a 32-31 victory over turnover-prone Maryland on Saturday.

Dwight Dasher completed 27 of 44 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score for the Blue Raiders (2-1). Dasher was 4 for 4 for 69 yards on the decisive drive — an eight-play, 73-yard march — that began with 1:30 left after Maryland’s Nick Ferrara went wide right on a 42-yard field goal attempt.

Da’Rel Scott rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown for the Terrapins, but fumbled twice. Maryland quarterback Chris Turner was 19 for 30 for 288 yards, threw two touchdowns and an interception.

Maryland (1-2) took a 7-0 lead on Scott’s 48-yard run 6:66 into the game. But Middle Tennessee turned a couple turnovers into touchdowns to take a 13-7 lead.

Davin Meggett tipped a pass into the hands of Blue Raiders safety Derrick Crumpton at the Terrapin’s 29-yard line. Five plays later, Dasher dove in for the score from 3 yards away. Maryland’s A.J. Francis, who committed an offsides penalty on fourth-and-1 to prolong the drive, blocked the extra point.

Scott fumbled on Maryland’s next play, Chris McCoy recovering at the Middle Tennessee 30. Dasher found Sancho McDonald for a diving 7-yard TD catch, 1:54 into the second quarter.

After the Terrapins had a 32-yard field goal blocked, Maryland’s Travis Ivey recovered Dasher’s fumble, setting up Meggett’s 1-yard touchdown run with 1:19 left in the first half.

On the first possession of the second half, Turner directed a five-play, 74-yard drive that was capped by a 37-yard pass to an open Torrey Smith down the left sideline for Maryland. But Middle Tennessee cut the lead to 21-10 with 6:25 left in the quarter on a 4-yard TD run by Desmond Gee.

Crumpton recovered Scott’s third fumble, allowing Middle Tennessee to take a 23-21 lead. The Blue Raiders had to settle for a go-ahead 27-yard field goal by Alan Gendreau with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter after a video replay review wiped away an apparent 11-yard touchdown strike from Dasher to Garrett Andrews, whose left knee was ruled out of bounds.

Early in the fourth quarter, Turner found Smith for a 64-yard touchdown and a 28-23 Maryland lead. Middle Tennessee answered when Dasher threw a 32-yard TD pass to Lansford Watson on fourth down with 9:06 left for a 29-28 lead.

Ferrara kicked a 42-yard field goal with 6:14 left to put Maryland up.

(This version CORRECTS Middle Tennessee 32, Maryland 31. corrects 5th graf to show Meggett not Scott tipped pass.)