DEKALB, Illinois (Ticker) -- Maryland may want to wait another 77 years before venturing to the state of Illinois.
After having a potential go-ahead field goal blocked in the waning seconds of regulation, Northern Illinois regrouped in time to score on its first possession of overtime and stunned the 14th-ranked Terrapins, 20-13.
Playing in the state for the first time since 1926, Maryland (0-1) collapsed late and allowed the Huskies to drive for the tying score with 72 seconds to go.
Northern Illinois (1-0) had a chance for a go-ahead field goal with five seconds left, but Curtis Williams blocked a 43-yard attempt, forcing overtime.
In the extra session, Maryland won the toss and opted for defense. But the strategy backfired when Northern Illinois quarterback Josh Haldi found Dan Sheldon with a 20-yard scoring strike.
The Terrapins attempted to force a second overtime possession, but Scott McBrien had his pass deflected and picked off by Randee Drew.
The Terrapins' last trip to Illinois also resulted in a loss, a 21-0 defeat at the hands of the University of Chicago.
Northern Illinois running back Michael Turner carried 30 times for 90 yards but was not much of a factor. Haldi was 21-of-35 for 266 yards and two scores. P.J. Fleck caught 13 passes for 116 yards.
Maryland looked like it was going to roll over the Huskies, taking its first possession and moving 58 yards in eight plays. Josh Allen, filling in for injured starter Bruce Perry, capped the drive by scoring from one-yard out.
Maryland failed to capitalize on good field position for most of the first half and Northern Illinois got on the board nine seconds into the second quarter when Steve Azar converted a 52-yard field goal attempt.
Haldi completed passes of 36 and 40 yards on back-to-back plays midway through the second quarter. After a run went nowhere, Fleck came up with an acrobatic five-yard grab to give Northern Illinois a 10-7 lead.
The Terrapins got even on a 46-yard field goal by Nick Novak just under six minutes into the second half.
Novak then gave Maryland a 13-10 lead with a 50-yard field goal 5:50 into the final quarter. Novak has made 37 of his last 42 field goal attempts with three of the misses coming from beyond 50 yards.
A penalty on the ensuing kickoff left the Huskies at their own 8 with 9:10 to go. But Haldi had a critical completion to Fleck on 3rd-and-5 and carried for a first down on a 3rd-and-1.
The drive stalled at the Maryland 8 and Azar converted a 25-yard attempt with 1:12 left.
Maryland went three-and-out and Northern Illinois took over at its own 31 with 32 seconds left. Haldi found Fleck for completions of 13 and 14 yards around a 16-yard penalty on the Terrapins and Azar was lining up for a 43-yarder with five seconds remaining.
But Williams made a perfectly timed leap and got a piece of Azar's attempt to force overtime.
On the Huskies' first possession, Haldi found Dan Sheldon on a 3rd-and-5 slant and he broke free from Domonique Foxworth for the go-ahead score.
Maryland got a three-yard run to open their possession but McBrien's next pass was deflected and picked off, touching off a wild celebration.
McBrien was 12-of-24 for 110 yards.
Things do not get any easier for the Terrapins, who travel to Florida State for their Atlantic Coast Conference opener on September 6.
