Maryland Football: 3 takeaways from blowout of No. 21 Syracuse

Maryland football asserted their presence as a Big Ten darkhorse on Saturday by blowing out Syracuse. What did we learn from this big win?

In the showdown of former ACC rivals, Syracuse came to College Park with the number next to their name from the AP Top 25. But while the Orange were the ranked opponent in the encounter, it was the hosts that came out looking like a Top 25 team in the end.

Maryland rolled up a 42-13 lead in the first half as Syracuse coughed up a fumble and an interception that led to 14 points for the Terrapins. Even without the turnovers, the Maryland defense prevented their visitors from gaining any momentum. The offense capitalized on nearly every opportunity, scoring on six of their seven first-half possessions.

While the Terrapins got more conservative in the second half, they still racked up another massive margin of victory as they finished up 63-20 at the final whistle.

What should we take away from this dominant performance by the Terrapins at home? What does it say about a Syracuse team that was hoping to make another darkhorse run in the ACC this season? Keep reading for three key takeaways from this early Week 2 showdown.