Maryland football is now 2-0 after its victory over Towson on Saturday. The Terps beat the Tigers 63-17, while they topped Texas in a closer game last week, 51-41.
So based on the final score, Texas played better than Towson against Maryland, right? In the famous words of Lee Corso: “Not so fast, my friend.”
Time to break down some numbers.
Penalties
Texas: 11 for 117 yards
Towson: five for 39 yards
Against Maryland, Towson was a vastly more disciplined squad than Texas. The Longhorns committed more than twice as many penalties than the Tigers, and it also cost them more than twice as many yards. Give credit to Towson coach Rob Ambrose for ensuring his team followed the rules more than Tom Herman’s squad.
Field goal percentage
Texas: 0-for-1 (zero percent)
Towson: 1-for-1 (100 percent)
Texas lined up for two field goals last week in Austin. One was blocked, so it does not officially count as an attempt. And the other one was missed. Meanwhile, Towson was perfect on its field goal try, which came with 28 seconds to go in the game. Credit must be given to kicker Aidan O’Neill for his excellent day in College Park.
Fumbles lost
Texas: 1
Towson: 0
Texas allowed Maryland to recover a fumble off a kickoff. Towson did no such thing, ensuring the only turnovers Maryland got were from interceptions. Ball security matters, as the Longhorns now know.
First-half touchdowns on offense
Texas: 0
Towson: 1
Texas’ offense scored a whopping zero points in the first half in Austin, with the team’s two touchdowns coming from defense and special teams. Meanwhile, Towson found the end zone with a 10-yard pass in the second quarter.
It’s pretty conclusive from these numbers that Towson gave Maryland a better fight than Texas. Are the Tigers a better all-around team than the Longhorns? Only time will tell (the answer is no).
