The game displayed a much better MSU product than what showed against Florida Atlantic last Friday, especially in the passing game. Chiles, who had his ups and downs, delivered a gritty, clutch performance, in which the good outweighed the bad. For Marsh, it was a coming-out party.

In just his second collegiate start, the transfer quarterback finished 24-for-39 for 363 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. 

“(Chiles) got more explosive offensively, he threw some strikes down the field,” Smith said postgame. “I think a couple of those interceptions are just his footwork. He was just inaccurate on some of them, and again, there's some learning curve there, but the kid is resilient, and Aidan kept on coming back.”

Marsh, in an elevated role after MSU wideout Alante Brown suffered a long-term injury last week, gave a performance that turned heads. The former four-star recruit finished with eight receptions for 194 yards and one touchdown after not being targeted once against FAU.

“(Marsh) has been progressing throughout camp and making a bunch of plays," Smith said. “We had some targets for him in the middle of the field and he comes up huge. But at the same time, he’s catching the ball on the sideline and operating in our two-minute at the end of the half and at the end of the game as a true freshman. He’s mature beyond his years.”

Both stat lines put Chiles and Marsh into Spartan football single-game record books. Chiles’ 363 passing yards ranks eighth in program history, while Marsh’s 194 receiving yards ranks 10th. 

Many times, when the duo connected, a highlight came when it mattered the most. 

In the early stages of the fourth quarter, Marsh beat the Maryland defensive backs down the field, allowing Chiles to throw and complete a 57-yard pass. This would set the Spartans up with a red zone opportunity, which they would fail to convert after a Chiles interception.

However, this long ball was just a precursor to the next.

With less than five minutes left on a "prove it" drive, Marsh got behind the defense again, allowing Chiles to air out a perfectly placed ball for a 77-yard touchdown to tie the game at 24 and send a jolt of electricity through MSU's team and fanbase.

MSU's defense came up with a crucial stop on third and one on the ensuing drive, handing the keys back to Chiles, who delivered in the clutch.

On the final drive, Chiles went 4-for-5 with 37 yards, contributing 10 yards on the ground. Marsh caught two passes for 17 yards while drawing a key pass interference call on third down, extending the Spartans' drive.

Chiles and company set up sixth year kicker Jonathan Kim to boot the 37-yard, game-winning field goal.

Chiles and Marsh weren’t the only Spartans that stood out. Sophomore wide receiver Jaron Glover and senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. combined for 12 receptions, 137 yards and two touchdowns. Junior running back Nate Carter and sixth year running back Kay’ron Lynch-Adams combined for 105 yards on the ground.

While Chiles had three interceptions, he looked much more confident than he did against FAU. He threw the ball with composure, he made the right reads, he showed off his talented arm, as well as his shiftiness in the pocket while extending plays with his feet.

Marsh, who is 6-foot-3, showed off his speed, burning the Maryland defense twice and working the sideline with efficiency.

“It shows the potential, not just of these two, but of this offense,” Smith said. “We can do some things, be explosive, but we have to find a way to be more efficient offensively.”

The Spartans passed their first true test of the season and now prepare for Prairie View A&M coming to Spartan Stadium Saturday, Sep. 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

The late-game heroics from Chiles and Marsh could be a sign of things to come for MSU; with a young and talented sophomore-freshman duo, the ceiling is higher than it was a week ago. Barring a transfer or injury, the Spartans will have at least two more years of a Chiles-Marsh connection.