A large Maryland victory over Howard was never in much doubt, especially after the Terps drove 57 yards in six plays during their first offensive possession to gain a 7-0 lead over the Bison before the game was even four minutes old.
Both of Maryland's lines dominated Howard physically. The Terps' offensive line created monster holes for a host of running backs to run through, and Maryland was up 21-0 by the end of the first quarter. The Terps' front-seven eliminated the possibility for Howard to run the ball. They pushed the pocket, too. Howard didn't gain a first down until there was 7:03 left in the first half.
But the Terps' 52-13 victory Sept. 3 before an announced 35,474 fans in College Park wasn't about how many points the Terps could pile on the overmatched Bison of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. It was about the optimism in the air during the first game of the DJ Durkin era.
