Virginia Tech 35, Maryland 26: Five Thoughts After Another Tough Night for the Terps

By Charles Harris | Ravori Sports

Maryland had been waiting for a game like this.

A Power Four opponent. A packed SECU Stadium. A chance to show that this program was ready to take another step forward under Mike Locksley.

Instead, Virginia Tech walked into College Park and exposed too many of the same problems that have followed Maryland football for years.

The Hokies won 35-26 Saturday night, moving to 3-0 and handing Maryland its first loss of the season. Virginia Tech scored touchdowns on five of its first six possessions and built a 35-14 lead before Maryland finally found some life in the fourth quarter.

The final score makes the game look closer than it really was for much of the night.

Maryland's offense eventually produced 423 total yards, including 359 passing yards from quarterback Malik Washington. But Virginia Tech controlled the game in the areas that matter most: possession, sustained drives, early-down success and the ability to keep Maryland's defense on the field.

And that brings us to five thoughts after Virginia Tech's 35-26 victory.

1. Virginia Tech Controlled the Game With Time of Possession

The biggest number in the box score might not be the final score.

It might be 36:39 to 23:21.

Virginia Tech dominated possession and ran 75 offensive plays compared with Maryland's 64. The Hokies finished with 445 total yards, while Maryland had 423. That tells you something important: Maryland wasn't completely overwhelmed statistically, but Virginia Tech consistently controlled the flow of the game.

That was a problem from the opening drive.

Virginia Tech marched 75 yards on 13 plays and finished the opening possession with a touchdown pass from Ethan Grunkemeyer to tight end Luke Reynolds.

That drive immediately established what the game was going to look like.

Virginia Tech was going to run the football, use Grunkemeyer's accuracy and make Maryland defend for long stretches.

The Hokies did exactly that.

Maryland's defense kept getting put back onto the field, while the offense struggled to create the type of sustained possessions needed to keep Virginia Tech's offense on the sideline.

That is how a game can become lopsided even when the total-yardage numbers are relatively close.

Virginia Tech simply had more opportunities.

And when Maryland finally got the football, it needed to capitalize.

Instead, the Terps were constantly playing catch-up.

2. Ethan Grunkemeyer and Luke Reynolds Exposed Maryland's Pass Defense

Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer had a night Maryland will not want to watch too many times.

He completed 31 of 39 passes for 314 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. That's an extremely efficient performance against a Maryland defense that needed to find a way to disrupt him.

But the bigger problem was his connection with Luke Reynolds.

Reynolds finished with 12 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Twelve catches.

That is way too much production from one opposing tight end.

Reynolds was involved from the beginning, catching the opening touchdown and continuing to create problems throughout the night. Virginia Tech repeatedly found ways to put him in situations where Maryland's defenders had to make difficult decisions in coverage.

There were also several pass-interference penalties involving Maryland, which made the night even more frustrating.

You can argue individual calls.

You can argue whether some penalties were questionable.

But Maryland still has to defend better.

The Hokies were not simply throwing up jump balls and hoping something happened. They were moving the football efficiently and repeatedly finding favorable matchups.

That is concerning.

If Maryland's defense cannot get off the field against a Virginia Tech offense, the Big Ten schedule is going to present even bigger challenges.

3. Malik Washington Proved He Can Carry the Passing Game — But He Needs More Help

There is plenty to like about Malik Washington's performance.

The sophomore quarterback completed 30 of 43 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Those are legitimate numbers.

Washington made several big-time throws and kept fighting even after Virginia Tech had built a 35-14 lead.

Chris Durr Jr. was especially important, catching 12 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Dorian Fleming added six catches for 72 yards and a score, while Kaleb Webb had five catches for 98 yards.

So this wasn't a case of Washington simply failing to move the football.

The problem was consistency.

There were opportunities for Maryland to create explosive plays down the field, and Washington missed some of them. He has to improve his touch and accuracy on deeper routes because a few of those missed opportunities could have changed the game.

Still, I'm not putting this loss on Washington.

Maryland needed its quarterback to throw for 359 yards and three touchdowns just to stay within striking distance.

That tells you something.

The Terps need a better running game, better defensive play and more balance around their quarterback.

Washington cannot be expected to throw Maryland out of every hole.

4. Maryland's Running Game Wasn't Good Enough

This is where the box score really tells the story.

Maryland ran the ball only 21 times for 80 yards.

Iverson Howard had 11 carries for 22 yards and one touchdown. Harry Dalton III had six carries for 26 yards, while Washington added 16 rushing yards on four attempts.

That isn't enough.

Virginia Tech ran 36 times for 132 yards.

The Hokies didn't necessarily dominate on the ground, but they had enough success to keep Maryland honest and control the clock.

Maryland couldn't do the same.

When your quarterback throws 43 passes, you better have a reason for it.

Maryland was forced into a pass-heavy game because Virginia Tech kept the Terps from establishing the run.

That put even more pressure on Washington.

And once Virginia Tech got ahead, Maryland became increasingly predictable.

This is something Locksley and his staff have to address quickly.

The Terps don't need to become a 250-yard rushing team overnight.

But they need enough of a ground attack to make defenses respect the run, stay out of obvious passing situations and help control the clock.

Without that balance, Maryland is going to have nights where the offense produces big numbers but still struggles to win.

5. This Loss Puts the Spotlight Back on Mike Locksley

Here is where the conversation gets uncomfortable for Maryland fans.

The "Fire Locksley" calls are going to get louder after this one.

Maryland is now 2-1 after losing a game at home that many Terps fans viewed as a major measuring stick.

And the issue isn't simply losing to Virginia Tech.

It's how Maryland lost.

The defense couldn't slow down Grunkemeyer.

The offense couldn't establish the run.

The Terps couldn't control possession.

And Virginia Tech built a 35-14 lead before Maryland scored twice in the fourth quarter to make the final margin look respectable.

There was also frustration with officiating throughout the game.

But Maryland cannot use the officials as the explanation for a nine-point loss.

The bigger problem was that Virginia Tech controlled the game for too long.

And that brings up something that deserves to be discussed regarding Maryland's coaching situation.

Maryland's program was heavily involved in trying to pursue James Franklin before the 2025 season, and the financial realities surrounding Mike Locksley's buyout were a significant factor in why Maryland ultimately did not make a coaching change at that time.

That decision is part of the context surrounding this season.

Franklin is now coaching Virginia Tech, and his team came into College Park and walked out with a 35-26 victory.

That makes this result sting even more for Maryland fans.

But the important point is not simply Franklin versus Locksley.

The bigger question is whether Maryland can build the kind of consistency that has been missing.

A coaching change is ultimately a decision for Maryland's administration, but the football program's results will continue to drive that conversation.

And Saturday night did not help Locksley's case.

Five Thoughts After Virginia Tech-Maryland

1. Maryland cannot keep losing the possession battle.

Giving Virginia Tech nearly 37 minutes of possession while Maryland had just over 23 minutes is a recipe for trouble.

2. Luke Reynolds was too difficult to contain.

Twelve catches for 107 yards and a touchdown from the Virginia Tech tight end is a defensive problem that needs to be fixed.

3. Malik Washington is a legitimate positive.

Three hundred fifty-nine passing yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions is an impressive performance, even in a loss.

4. The running game has to improve.

Twenty-one carries for 80 yards isn't enough balance, especially against a Power Four opponent.

5. Maryland has to answer the Mike Locksley question.

This isn't about one loss.

It's about whether the program is actually moving forward.

Maryland has now had another opportunity to prove it can compete with a quality Power Four opponent, and Virginia Tech controlled the game for most of the night.

The fourth-quarter comeback attempt showed fight.

That matters.

But fight isn't the same thing as consistency.

Maryland needs to start games better, defend better, run the football better and find a way to control games instead of constantly trying to climb out of holes.

Virginia Tech did what a veteran team should do.

The Hokies got ahead, controlled the clock, moved the football and survived Maryland's late push.

For Maryland, the next step is figuring out why that happened at home.

Mike Locksley and his staff now have another week to address the problems.

Because after this loss, the questions aren't going away.

They're getting louder.

Final Ravori Sports Take: Malik Washington showed he can be the quarterback Maryland needs. The problem is that one player cannot fix everything. Virginia Tech exposed Maryland's defense, running game and inability to control possession, and those problems are much bigger than the final 35-26 score suggests.

The Terps have plenty of football left to play.

But Saturday night was a warning.

Maryland wanted this game to be proof that the program was ready for the next level.

Instead, Virginia Tech showed Maryland how much work remains.