BLUE-GRAY GAME : Maryland Quarterback Lifts Blue to Victory Over Gray

A relieved Scott Milanovich sat in an orange city bus behind Cramton Bowl, shaded by the stadium where he had just given a boost to his once imperiled career.

Before the Maryland quarterback’s senior season even began, it looked as if he had played his last college football game. With a 175-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Blue’s 26-7 victory over the Gray on Monday, Milanovich put behind him a season plagued by a gambling suspension and several benchings.

“We had a lot of fun in the second half, man,” said Milanovich, who had to sit out four games this season after a school probe found he bet on college sports. “It’s been a long time since I had such a good time playing. It was nice playing with people that good.”

Milanovich, who completed nine of 20 passes, found West Virginia tight end Lovett Purnell for a 43-yard touchdown in the second quarter, then connected for 36 yards to the Mountaineers’ Kantroy Barber to give the Blue a 19-7 lead in the third quarter.

Purnell also caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Nevada’s Mike Maxwell in the first quarter for the Blue’s first touchdown. Purnell caught four passes for 90 yards.

Milanovich said he would have left school had his initial eight-game suspension not been reduced to four. He showed poise in the pocket and good zip on his passes as NFL scouts watched from the stands.

“People had labeled me a run-and-shoot quarterback,” Milanovich said. “It helped because I was able to be in a drop-back system and take some snaps.”

Louisville linebacker Johnny Frost, who had 12 tackles, was the Gray most valuable player.