SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 13, 2012
Maryland 27, Virginia 20: Stefon Diggs returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and the visiting Terrapins never trailed while handing the struggling Cavaliers their fifth consecutive loss.
Maryland (4-2, 2-0 ACC) built a 17-0 first-quarter lead, but had to hold off a late rally by Virginia (2-5, 0-3). Trailing 27-13 with six minutes left, backup quarterback Michael Rocco engineered an 81-yard drive, hitting Jake McGee for a 24-yard touchdown to bring Virginia within 27-20 with 4:10 to go.
The Cavaliers got the ball back and moved to midfield, but Rocco’s pass on fourth-and-15 fell incomplete.
Maryland freshman quarterback Perry Hills completed 14 of 26 passes for 237 yards. He threw a 20-yard touchdown to Justus Pickett in the first quarter, found E.J. Scott on a 20-yard touchdown with 2:45 left in the third and rushed for a 6-yard score two minutes into the final quarter.
Virginia started Phillip Sims at quarterback. He finished 13-of-28 for 139 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Kevin Parks rushed for 129 yards on 17 carries for the Cavaliers.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Maryland finished with minus-2 yards rushing. … Rocco went 5-of-7 for 79 yards on his first drive after replacing Sims, and finished 5-of-11. ... Diggs caught four passes for 89 yards.