EVANSTON, Illinois – Already, the Wildcats’ offense looks much improved from last year, as the Wildcats steam rolled past the Maryland Terrapins in their season opener.

Northwestern’s offense combined for three first half rushing touchdowns, beating the Terrapins 43-3 in Mike Bajakian’s first game as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator.

The Wildcats averaged 16 points per game last year. It took them 21 minutes to reach that mark Saturday. They were 126th in scoring last season.

The knockout blow came with 5:43 left in the second quarter when Isaiah Jacobs of Maryland fumbled a kickoff. This led to a Northwestern field goal, resulting in a back breaking lead of 27-3.

Northwestern’s coaching staff came into the game confident in the depth that they have at the running back position and rightfully so. The Wildcat’s finished the night with a total of 325 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Running back Drake Anderson led the way with 103 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Northwestern’s transfer quarterback Peyton Ramsey had himself a night as well. In his first game for the Wildcats, Ramsey finished with 259 total yards and two touchdowns.

Maryland’s offense on the other hand, left a lot to be desired after they couldn’t get anything going against the Wildcats’ defense.  They finished the with just 171 total yards.

The Terps didn’t do their defense any favors, turning the ball over three times in the first half. Two of them came as interceptions from Maryland transfer quarterback, and brother of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Taulia Tagovailoa. He would throw a third interception in the fourth quarter.

Over on the defensive side, the Wildcats were stout all night and held the Terrapins to 114 yards passing and 57 yards rushing. They collected a total of four forced turnovers.

The first one came on the Terps second drive of the game as an interception by A.J. Hampton. JR Pace would get his eighth career interception on the very next drive of the Terrapins.

For the Terrapins, their defense looked abysmal to say the least. They would lose Durell Nchami, who is regarded as Maryland’s best pass rusher by coaches, in the first quarter.

Overall it was a very balanced attack on both sides of the ball for Northwestern and the complete opposite for Maryland.

This win marked Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald’s 100th career win as a head coach.

“It’s about the players,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s all about them and their families. This is a great start, but there’s a lot of work to do.”

It certainly looks like 2019 is going to be an anomaly for the Wildcats as jump out to a1-0 start.

Both teams will be back in action next week as the Wildcats travel to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes, and the Terrapins head back home to College Park to take on No. 21 Minnesota.