Final score: Maryland 48 Rutgers 7

Brief recap: That explosive Maryland offense that we saw in the first two weeks was finally back on the field, albeit against the worst team in the B1G. It took a lot of time for the Terrapins took get rolling, with the game knotted at 7-7 midway through the second quarter. It looked like the coaching change might’ve ignited a fire under Rutgers. But once Maryland got into a rhythm, it racked up touchdown after touchdown. By halftime, the Terps owned a 27-7 advantage. On their first two offensive possessions of the second half, Javon Leake returned a kickoff 100 yards and Anthony McFarland scored on an 80-yard touchdown run to put the game entirely out of reach.

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Key moment: Leake’s 42-yard touchdown run gave Maryland a 20-7 advantage in the first half. Knowing how poorly Rutgers’ offense has operated this season, a two-score lead was almost insurmountable, especially against an offense capable of ripping off several big plays.

Key stat: 290 passing yards isn’t a ridiculous total, but it is when you consider how much Maryland struggled to throw the ball against Temple and Penn State. Completing over 50 percent of passes was important against a weak Rutgers defense, too.

Key player: Hard to argue against Leake, who finished the day with three total touchdowns, 65 rushing yards and 122 return yards. Just for good measure, he had one reception for three yards, as well. He had some pretty big plays throughout the game that really put some separation between Maryland and Rutgers.

What it means for Rutgers: The midseason firing of Ash didn’t help anything. And now without Art Sitkowski and Raheem Blackshear, it’s hard to believe Rutgers has a chance to win another game on the schedule. It’s probably going to be another 1-11 season as Pat Hobbs attempts to find someone interested in this job.

What it means for Maryland: Well, the Terrapins certainly didn’t disappear despite two straight losses, both in ugly fashion. The explosiveness returned and everyone got involved. This was a good confidence booster for the Terrapins. Maryland now enters games against Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota with some confidence. All three of those games are winnable if the offense shows up, particularly the passing game.