When Alex Twine sacked Tommy Rees for a  9-yard loss in the second quarter, it was the first sack Notre Dame's offensive line has allowed in five games and 195 attempts.

The Irish entered the game allowing the fifth fewest sacks among Division-I teams. Maryland added to more later in the game.

"It was just a matter of time, when you're throwing the football as much as we do at times, and they're a pretty good front," Kelly said. "They got after us. We missed a block. It was protection, it was a very easy play for us to pick up. We just got beat. It was a physical --- not a mismatch --- but physically we just got beat on an inside game."