If the first Big Ten matchup of the year is any indication, fans are in for quite a treat in conference games this season!

The first league game of the year involved Jonathan Smith taking his Michigan State team to Maryland to face Mike Locksley. It was the first B1G game of Smith’s tenure and the first B1G and first road start for quarterback Aidan Chiles.

While it was a game of firsts for the Spartans, it did not deter the program from going toe-to-toe with a hungry Maryland squad. And, for most of the 2nd half, it looked like the Terrapins were in complete control.

However, things swung big time over the final 5 minutes of the game as MSU finished the game on a 10-0 scoring stretch. The Spartans eventually delivered a game-winning field goal via Jonathan Kim for the 27-24 win in one of the best games of the early season.

Here are the key takeaways from the game:

Aidan Chiles delivers game winner in spite of growing pains

Chiles is far from a finished product, and that’s to be expected in his 2nd career start. The young quarterback threw 3 more interceptions against Maryland, bringing his early-season total to 5 interceptions in 2 games.

That’s troublesome, but what cannot be overlooked is his ability to throw the deep ball.

Even with his struggles and decision-making concerns in the early portion of the season, it is clear to see the way the ball explodes out of Chiles’ hand when he goes deep. And his ability to stretch the field gives Michigan State a clear weapon most other teams do not have.

In spite of those struggles, Chiles finished the game with 3 touchdowns and guided the Spartans to 10 unanswered points to finish the game.

Nick Marsh can be a matchup problem for the Spartans

Nick Marsh did not make a major impact in his debut, recording 1 catch for 11 yards against FAU. There was a night and day difference in the 2nd game for the true freshman.

Maryland’s defense never had an answer for Marsh as he led the Spartans with 8 catches and had a game-high 194 yards receiving and a touchdown in the win. It was a 77-yard score via a connection with Chiles that tied things up late in the game, and fans will get used to that connection over the years.

Tai Felton delivers major performance for Terps

In a game that proved to be evenly matched, one player can swing the game in a major way. That player on Saturday was Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton.

He started strong with Maryland’s first touchdown of the afternoon, and Felton would continue to be the go-to target offensively throughout the afternoon. His performance would be a recurring theme, especially as Maryland struggled to run the ball offensively against the Spartan defense.

Felton would ultimately finish the game with 11 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown. No other Terrapin had more than 4 catches or 49 yards with Felton delivering significant blows time and time again against Michigan State.

Billy Edwards Jr. continues to develop for Mike Locksley

Billy Edwards Jr. is going to have some learning moments in his first season as Maryland’s primary starter under center. In fact, Edwards did have a potentially costly interception in Saturday’s game, but he was able to bounce back and lead a drive into field goal range on the ensuing possession.

At the end of the day, Edwards finished the game against the Spartans by completing 26-of-34 passes for 253 yards with 2 passing touchdowns and another rushing touchdown. Save for his one interception, it was another strong start to open the season, and that’s a great sign for the Terps.