HERSHEY, PA. — In a double-overtime thriller last season, Maryland defeated Pennsylvania in the Big 33 Classic for the first time since 1991. It was only their second meeting in the series since Maryland had ended a 21-year absence from the all-star game.
Maryland could not defend its title Saturday night, but it had only one half to try. In a rain-shortened 20-3 win at Hersheypark Stadium, Pennsylvania jumped on Maryland on the first play from scrimmage and never looked back in a game that was halted at halftime as a thunderstorm rolled through the area.
With a beating rain dampening the turf from the opening kickoff, both teams tried to lean on their ground game. As both Maryland quarterbacks struggled to combat the weather, though, Pennsylvania quarterback Brett Brumbaugh took advantage of the few opportunities he had. He finished 5-for-7 for 219 yards and three touchdowns.
Maryland's quarterbacks, meanwhile, combined for a pair of interceptions and fell short of a combined 100 yards passing. Oakland Mills' David Pindell, The Baltimore Sun's Offensive Player of the Year, came off the bench and completed just four passes for 20 yards. He also threw an interception.
On the game's first play, Brumbaugh found wide receiver Amechie Walker streaking over the center of the field. Walker took the pass into the end zone, untouched, for a 63-yard score. Pennslyvania had taken just 13 seconds to score.
The pace slowed after the quick touchdown as the defenses settled in. Maryland used a fake-punt pass to keep its first possession alive, but the drive ended after an incomplete fourth-down pass in Pennsylvania territory.
After the Maryland defense forced a three-and-out, the offense took over at its 10-yard line. Running back Ray Gray broke off runs of 32 and 23 yards in a long drive that lasted more than six minutes and included a fourth-down conversion.
Pennsylvania clamped down in the red zone, though, to hold Maryland to a 23-yard field goal by Sean Bowling, an All-Metro selection in 2013.
Maryland's defense remained stout, forcing a fumble recovered by Amir Fenwick (Frederick Douglass) and a three-and-out on back-to-back possessions.
But with Maryland unable to move the ball effectively on offense, Pennsylvania finally broke through for a second time. Maryland lost track of wide receiver Arthur Thompkins along the left sideline, and he took a pass from Brumbaugh 26 yards before somersaulting into the end zone.
Maryland returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards and took over at Pennsylvania's 30-yard line. The offense couldn't take advantage of its best starting field position of the night, though, and lost 18 yards before bringing on the punt team.
The missed opportunity cost Maryland moments later when Brumbaugh found a wide-open D.J. Moore (Maryland) for an 86-yard catch-and-run to give Pennsylvania a commanding 20-3 lead.
Facing a three-possession deficit, Maryland threw interceptions on back-to-back drives. First it was Pindell, who had a deflected ball picked off. Then Kenji Bahar (Calvert Hall), who started the game under center for Maryland, floated a pass along the right sideline that was intercepted and returned to the 5-yard line.
Pennsylvania was unable to capitalize in the final 20 seconds, however, after it fumbled the first snap of the drive. It didn't matter. After players returned from their locker rooms for warmups before the second-half kickoff, lightning struck in the distance, and stadium officials cleared the field for good.
Players and coaches were unavailable to comment postgame.