Ryan Dunleavy

@rydunleavy

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Gary Nova finally defined the undefinable paradox of his career.

Nova is the quarterback who orchestrated the greatest comeback in Rutgers football history to guarantee a winning record in the school's landmark first season of Big Ten football and possibly saved some jobs along the way.

The historically up-and-down Nova completed 28-of-42 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns without an interception Saturday as Rutgers wiped out a 25-point first-half deficit to stun Maryland 41-38 in front of 36,673 fans at Byrd Stadium.

"At the end of it, you just realize it was a really great game, fighting through adversity," Nova said. "Despite some of the (lopsided) scores, we never gave up all season and never stopped fighting."

RELATED:Edelson: Kyle Flood deserves credit for Rutgers football comeback over Maryland

Playing in the final regular-season game of his career, Nova slung the ball all over the field during the 17-minute span between the end of the second quarter and the first play of the fourth when a 35-10 deficit turned into a 38-38 tie score.

"Gary has done a lot in his career and he will go down as one of the all-time greats before this game was ever played," Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said. "I don't think this game defines Gary, but I think it's a great example of who he is and what's he done for our program."

It was the fruition of the best-case scenario when Flood hired offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen to unlock Nova's talents. Friedgen, who was fired in 2010 after 10 seasons as Maryland's head coach, was making his return to campus.

"To me, it's ancient history," said Friedgen of the bad blood stemming from his departure. "I really didn't want this game to be about me. I want our players to play for themselves. I'm just a coach. I want to see them enjoy winning."

RELATED: Rutgers defense key in comeback victory over Maryland

Apparently living off of the Nova-created momentum, Rutgers squeezed out just enough defense to forget a first-half performance – 333 yards and five touchdowns allowed – that had defensive coordinator Joe Rossi in the crossfire.

Touchdowns scored right before the half and at the start of the third quarter eliminated one stop from the equation, but the defense got its shining moment in the final minute.

Rutgers (7-5, 3-5) forced two punts – one down 35-24 and one with the score tied at 38-38 – and tightened up to limit Maryland (7-5, 3-5) to a 49-yard field goal on another possession as the unthinkable neared realistic.

"We came together as a defense and said we have to put our foot down," senior defensive end David Milewski said. "We made some minor adjustments and I thought we played with our hearts."

RELATED: Rutgers football rewind against Maryland

And yet Rutgers still left the door open for heartbreak when it stalled inside the 10-yard line with less than seven minutes remaining and settled for a go-ahead field goal.

And then did so again when, with a three-point lead and after Maryland kicker Brad Craddock missed a field goal for the first time in his last 25 attempts, freshman running back Robert Martin lost a fumble with less than three minutes remaining.

"It definitely took the life out of me," Martin said, "but I just had to count on my defense and thank them as soon as they got the stop."

The stop included consecutive run stuffs on third- and fourth-and-1, with Kemoko Turay and Delon Stephenson combining on the victory-sealing tackle to preserve the last conceivable way the game should have ended given the way it started.

Rutgers will have to wait a week to learn its bowl fate, no longer likely to be the least desirable of the Big Ten's 10 eligible teams as it would have been if it followed a 5-1 start by going 1-5 down the stretch.

The Big Ten only has 10 guaranteed bowl berths if two teams are part of the College Football Playoff selection committee's seven bowls, but suddenly the Foster Farms Bowl (San Francisco), Music City Bowl (Nashville) or TaxSlayer Bowl (Jacksonville) – all against Power Five opponents – are possibilities along with the Heart of Dallas Bowl and the Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit).

"We always fight. We always play hard," wide receiver Leonte Carroo said. "Today we played for more than each other. We played for Coach Friedgen. We're happy to get this win for him."

Rutgers' defense was constantly out of position in the first half – whether frozen by a cut up-field, forced to grab onto a facemask so as not to be left in the dust or generally nowhere in the vicinity of the ball-carrier – as it looked headed to the most unjustifiable of its blowout losses.

Rutgers would have been even more lifeless than a 35-10 score indicated if not for a couple of Maryland drive-extending mistakes on the possession that started the comeback. A roughing the punter penalty on a fourth-and-18 put the offense back on the field and Nova was given a second life by penalty.

Two plays after his interception in the end zone was negated by an offside penalty, Nova rolled out and threw a touchdown pass into a tight spot to Patton, who finished with eight catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

"We get the offside call – which was a blessing – and we score there," Nova said. "At halftime in the locker room everybody was positive."

Janarion Grant had eight catches for 105 yards and Carroo added six for 104 and two touchdowns, tying the school's single-season record with 10 this season.

The previous largest comeback win in school history was against Vanderbilt in 2004, when Rutgers rallied to win after trailing 27-3.

Staff Writer Ryan Dunleavy: rdunleav@gannett.com

Rutgers 3 14 14 10 — 41 Maryland 7 28 3 0 — 38

First Quarter

Md—C.Brown 1 run (Craddock kick), 9:08.

Rut—FG Federico 26, :48.

Second Quarter

Md—Etta-Tawo 71 pass from C.Brown (Craddock kick), 14:51.

Rut—Carroo 7 pass from Nova (Federico kick), 11:16.

Md—B.Ross 9 run (Craddock kick), 9:19.

Md—B.Ross 40 run (Craddock kick), 6:29.

Md—Long 9 pass from C.Brown (Craddock kick), 2:52.

Rut—Patton 1 pass from Nova (Federico kick), :09.

Third Quarter

Rut—Martin 1 run (Federico kick), 13:47.

Rut—Carroo 8 pass from Nova (Federico kick), 5:36.

Md—FG Craddock 50, 3:59.

Fourth Quarter

Rut—Patton 10 pass from Nova (Federico kick), 14:55.

Rut—FG Federico 25, 6:14.

A—36,673.

Rut Md First downs 24 20 Rushes-yards 35-144 36-281 Passing 347 195 Comp-Att-Int 28-42-0 14-24-0 Return Yards 0 3 Punts-Avg. 2-41.0 3-42.0 Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0 Penalties-Yards 7-60 10-72 Time of Possession 32:06 26:54

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Rutgers, Hicks 16-69, Martin 13-57, Grant 1-24, Nova 2-1, Team 3-(minus 7). Maryland, B.Ross 10-108, C.Brown 13-107, W.Brown 9-42, Goins Jr. 2-18, Veii 1-6, Team 1-0.

PASSING—Rutgers, Nova 28-42-0-347. Maryland, C.Brown 14-24-0-195.

RECEIVING—Rutgers, Grant 8-105, Patton 8-101, Carroo 6-104, Kroft 3-28, Martin 1-4, Agudosi 1-3, Burton 1-2. Maryland, Long 7-65, Veii 3-32, W.Brown 3-27, Etta-Tawo 1-71.