Max Brosmer started hot on Saturday, but the Gopher quarterback’s performance turned sizzling and special on the second drive of the homecoming game against Maryland at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Brosmer felt pressure from the Terrapins’ defensive line. Back-peddling and off his back foot, the sixth-year senior put a feathery touch on a perfect pass to Elijah Spencer in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown.

Maryland had the Big Ten’s highest-yardage passing game coming into this weekend, but it was Brosmer — not Terrapins QB Billy Edwards — who racked up big yards and several touchdowns in Minnesota’s 48-23 win over Maryland and the worst-ranked pass defense in the conference.

In his most-productive game as a Gopher, Brosmer completed 79% of his passes (26 for 33) for 320 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. His four TD passes were the most since Tanner Morgan produced four against Northwestern in 2019.

With three straight wins, Minnesota (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) is one win away from bowl eligibility after its victory over Maryland (4-4, 1-4). Brosmer has nine total touchdowns and no interceptions during this three-game stretch.

“I don’t know that I’ve been — actually felt like I’m way more comfortable now,” Brosmer said. “I just think it’s a progression that I’ve felt I’ve personally taken, but also the offense has taken. ... We are starting to put it together now and feel it the last three games. We are hitting everything we need to hit: run game-wise and pass game-wise. It’s coming together as a masterpiece.”

The growth of Spencer has complemented top target Daniel Jackson. Each had two touchdown catches and at least 99 receiving yards as Brosmer found seven pass catchers.

The Gophers’ defense — which allowed the second-fewest passing yards in the Big Ten this year — stifled Edwards, who managed 201 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. He left the game soon after being flipped over on a tackle in the third quarter.

After Minnesota’s offense was shut out in the first half against UCLA two weeks ago, the Gophers scored 21 in the first quarter and 34 in the first half on Saturday. The first-half scoring outburst was the highest total in a Big Ten game for them in more than a decade; Minnesota put up 35 on Iowa in 2014.

The Gophers scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time this season.

Previously, Minnesota had two field goals and five punts across seven opening drives this season.

Until Brosmer started to cook on Saturday.

The senior quarterback went 3 for 3 for 47 yards on the first series, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jackson. Brosmer stayed hot on the second drive and might have turned in his best pass of the game — the toss to Spencer in the back of the end zone. He was 9 for 11 for 99 yards and two TDs on the first two series.

Then Minnesota’s defense got in on the scoring, with cornerback Justin Walley returning an interception 32 yards for a touchdown. With 21 points, it was most for the Gophers in a first quarter since a win over Rutgers in 2016.

“Before you knew it, it was 21-nothing,” coach P.J. Fleck said. “It happened like that.”

Koi Perich’s interception and 45-yard return on the next drive set up Dragan Kesich’s 40-yard field goal to make it 24-0.

Another Brosmer-to-Jackson TD connection — this time from 4 yards out — made it 31-3. But Maryland got its first touchdown after a 12-play, 75-yard drive was capped with Edwards’ 3-yard keeper. The game was narrowed only momentarily.

Early in the third quarter, Brosmer found Spencer wide open in the corner of the end zone. It was not as special of a highlight as the first touchdown, but it pretty much sealed the blowout.