Caleb Rowe, making his first start of the season at quarterback, threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns to lead Maryland to a 35-17 win over South Florida at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md., on Saturday

Rowe, who was 21 of 33 with three interceptions, guided the Terrapins (2-1) to a key nonconference win before a stretch of Maryland games that include West Virginia next week, then Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State all in a row. He replaced fellow junior Perry Hills in the lineup this week after the Terrapins lost to Bowling Green last Saturday.

The Bulls (1-2) dropped their second consecutive game despite a brief rally behind quarterback Quinton Flowers, who rushed for 85 yards and threw for 60 more. South Florida closed to 28-17 late in the third quarter on a 7-yard scramble by Flowers on a fourth-down play. He was sacked six times by the Terrapin defense.

Maryland cornerback Sean Davis got his second interception of the day early in the fourth quarter and returned it 33 yards to set up a key score, Rowe finding freshman tight end Avery Edwards from 22 yards for a 35-17 lead with 10:06 to play.

The Terrapins had struck late in the half to take a 21-10 lead to the locker room. Rowe hit Lavern Jacobs for 49 yards to the two, and one play later Brandon Ross scored on a run with just 10 seconds left. Rowe also had a 70-yard strike to Taivon Jacobs, who was making his first start, and a 1-yard pass to Kenneth Goins Jr. Edwards had a 7-yard scoring reception to start the second half scoring.

The Terrapins travel to West Virginia next week. South Florida hosts Memphis in two weeks.