DeJuan Williams erupts for a 94-yard touchdown run; Maryland rushes for six scores, and the defense holds Hampton to 85 total yards in a dominant 2026 season opener
Maryland overwhelmed Hampton 62-0 on Saturday night at SECU Stadium, extending its nation-leading nonconference winning streak to 19 games while producing one of the most complete season-opening performances in program history.
The Terrapins rushed for 365 yards and six touchdowns, piled up 646 total yards and held Hampton to just 85 yards of offense. Maryland also forced three interceptions, recorded five sacks, and limited the Pirates to six first downs.
It was Maryland’s first season-opening shutout since 2019 and its highest-scoring performance since a 62-0 win over Howard in 2021.
The Terrapins also extended their streak to 16 consecutive season-opening victories against nonconference opponents.
DeJuan Williams Sets the Tone With 94-Yard Touchdown
Maryland’s first points of the season came in spectacular fashion.
Running back DeJuan Williams broke through the defense and raced 94 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest rushing play in school history.
The explosive run immediately shifted the game in Maryland’s favor and helped ignite an offensive performance Hampton never came close to containing.
Williams finished with a career-best 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns, despite needing only three carries to reach that mark.
His second touchdown, an 8-yard run later in the first quarter, helped Maryland build an early 14-0 advantage.
Williams’ 94-yard sprint trails only Steve Atkins’ 98-yard run against Clemson in 1978 on Maryland’s all-time rushing list.
Maryland Ground Game Overwhelms Hampton
Williams was only part of a dominant rushing attack.
Iverson Howard rushed for 66 yards and scored twice, while Harry Dalton III and Jianni Davis added rushing touchdowns of their own.
Maryland’s six rushing touchdowns marked its most in a game since 2019.
The Terrapins averaged 9.1 yards per rushing attempt and finished with 365 yards on the ground, their highest rushing total since gaining 431 yards against Illinois in 2018.
For a Maryland offense looking to establish physicality early in the season, the message was clear.
The Terrapins controlled the line of scrimmage from start to finish.
Malik Washington Passes Career Milestone
Quarterback Malik Washington added another milestone to Maryland’s offensive showcase.
Washington threw for 186 yards and a touchdown, surpassing 3,000 career passing yards in the process.
He became the 20th Maryland quarterback to reach the milestone and finished the night with 3,149 career passing yards.
Washington connected with Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding for a 10-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, sending Maryland into halftime with a commanding 34-0 lead.
His performance was efficient and controlled, allowing Maryland to lean heavily on its running game while spreading the football around.
Twelve different Terrapins recorded a reception.
Reserve quarterback Cardell Williams handled most of the second half and added a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Scott as Maryland continued to build its lead.
Maryland Defense Smothers Hampton
As dominant as Maryland was offensively, the defense may have been even more impressive.
Hampton managed only 45 total yards in the first half and 85 for the game.
Maryland surrendered just 10 rushing yards overall after holding the Pirates to minus-11 rushing yards in the first half.
DD Holmes recorded back-to-back sacks in the first quarter, becoming Maryland’s first player with multiple sacks in a game since Tre Colbert in 2023.
Eyan Thomas added another sack, while Maryland consistently disrupted Hampton’s passing game.
The secondary created just as many problems.
Messiah Delhomme intercepted two passes, and Jayden Shipps added another.
Delhomme became the first Maryland player with two interceptions in a game since 2023.
The Terrapins converted those takeaways into 17 points off turnovers.
Terps Turn Dominance Into Historic Numbers
Maryland’s statistical performance reflected just how one-sided the game became.
The Terrapins finished with 646 yards of total offense, their most since recording 675 against Minnesota in 2020.
Maryland also surpassed 600 total yards for the first time since 2024.
The Terps recorded 31 first downs, went 9-for-10 in the red zone and produced their largest first-half yardage total since 2022.
At the same time, Maryland held Hampton below 100 total yards, something the defense had not accomplished since 2019.
The 62-point margin also represented one of the largest season-opening shutouts in school history.
Maryland’s 62-0 victory was its second-largest season-opening shutout since 1932, trailing only a 63-0 win over Washington College.
Terps Extend Nonconference Dominance
The win strengthened one of the most impressive active streaks in college football.
Maryland has now won 19 consecutive nonconference games, the longest active streak in the nation.
The Terrapins also improved to 24-0 all-time against FCS opponents and 27-5 in season openers since 1995.
Maryland’s 23 victories over FCS opponents since 1980 are the most by a Big Ten program during that span.
The Terps have also won 15 straight nonconference openers dating to 2010 and, excluding the shortened 2020 season, 16 consecutive season-opening games.
Maryland Leaves Little Doubt in 2026 Debut
For coach Michael Locksley, the opening performance offered nearly everything a team could want.
Maryland established the running game, generated explosive plays, forced turnovers, pressured the quarterback, and built a lead large enough to give valuable playing time to its depth.
The result was one of the most complete victories of Locksley’s tenure.
The crowd of 43,421 was Maryland’s second-largest season-opening attendance since 2014, adding energy to a night in which the Terrapins controlled nearly every phase of the game.
Up Next: Maryland Travels to Connecticut
Maryland now turns its attention to its first road test of the season.
The Terrapins travel to face Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 12, looking to extend their nonconference winning streak to 20 games.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
After producing 646 yards, six rushing touchdowns, three interceptions, and a shutout in Week 1, Maryland heads to Connecticut with momentum — and a standard that suddenly looks much higher.
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-- By James W. Thomas
© Copyright 2026 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article cannot be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without written permission.
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