After three nonconference wins to open the season, including a physical, double overtime victory at Central Florida Sept. 17, Maryland eagerly awaited the start of the Big Ten schedule and the chance to play at home for the first time in a month.
A date with Purdue, which struggled last year at 2-10 but got off to a 2-1 start this year, stared the Terps in the face throughout a bye week. Senior receiver DeAndre Lane joked during the week that coaches were constantly reminding them of the start of the Big Ten schedule to the point that they called regular drinking water "Big Ten water."
Maryland utilized a dominating rushing performance -- 400 yards rushing, including 216 in the first half -- and a defense that allowed nearly nothing all day to top Purdue, 50-7, as a part of Homecoming at a wet Maryland Stadium Oct. 1. It's the third time Maryland has been 4-0 since 2001 and first time since 2013.
