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MD : 42                                              Boston College : 35

“I would like to apologize to Great Britian, Russia, and the United States.”  

By Bob W (aka France).

Overall:  All right, there is no way to really sugar coat this one.  I am a weasel.  That’s right a weasel.  I gave up on the Terps.  I truly did.  I wrote in the UNC recap that the season was over, and we were not going to win another game.  When I saw that Maryland was only getting 5.5 points, I (would have, if I gambled) laid down my biggest bet of the year.  I even joked around at the tailgate saying that I could probably be convinced not to even go into the game! 

But in my defense, who would have seen this coming?  Starting a walk on offensive lineman, no Keon Lattimore, a hurt Erin Henderson.  Not to mention all the other guys that have been out for extended periods of time.  As strange as it sounds, I honestly did think we had a chance at this one about two weeks ago, but then FSU beat Boston College, and I said to myself, we’ll there it was.  BC laid an egg, and right before they come to College Park.  If they just could have waited one more week.  I never really seriously considered BC would lose two in a row.  But they did! 

And what a game it was.  I watched the replay yesterday, and I had actually forgotten that we were losing in the third quarter!  But the Terps just keep coming back.  Chris Turner had the best performance of his career, but not only that, all the guys on offense were making plays.  For every drop and mental error that occurred in the last two weeks, there was a great play where a guy stepped up.  It was one of those games that really made you proud of these guys.  And it makes you wonder, what if we were actually healthy all year long?  What if we did have Donnie Wood, and Wesley Jefferson, and Jared Gaither?  That is kind of why you have to give credit to Friedgen even if we do end up short of a bowl bid.  This wasn’t the team we were expecting for the 2007 season.  But if they can turn things around and become bowl eligible, this might be one of the most endearing teams of the Friedgen era.  

The Clemson and UNC games were flat out ugly.  I’m not so sure that the Clemson game was as ugly as it looked because the Tigers are now playing as if they have turned a corner, but I still can’t explain the UNC game.  We have two more chances to get win #6, and as much as I want to get that sixth win, I’m starting to think that we could still get 7.  Sure it makes no sense, but neither did the BC game.  And if we can somehow bring that out for Florida State, and NC State, there is no way either of those teams can beat us.  Of course we have no idea what Maryland team will show up, but at least we now know that the guys we need to knock off 2 top 10 teams, are still alive and kicking.    

What’s it all Mean:  Well, it means we can delete the UNC game recap because everything I wrote in that recap is now a lie.  This win means a lot.  I don’t think I can possibly exaggerate that fact.  Think of what this does to Chris Turners confidence?  Think of what this does to the entire teams confidence?  We are now back to .500.  We can still qualify for a bowl game DESPITE one of the worst injury prone seasons of the Ralph Freidgen Era.  That win was exactly what this team needed.  Heck it’s what all of us needed.   

Game Highlights: I’m going with the Darrius Heyward-Bey reverse.  It not only proved to be the deciding touchdown, but it also was actually a creative play.  How many times do we see Maryland run a play like that and it works?  Not many.  As soon as he turned the corner the whole stadium roared.  It was awesome, and it’s my highlight. 

Game Lowlights:  It’s never easy.  The entire 4^th quarter I was trying to persuade Brian that there was no way we could blow this, I never did convince him, in fact I don’t think I ever really convinced myself either.  Because the on sides kick only went 7 yards (worst on sides kick I have ever seen by the way) we don’t have to worry about what would have happened.   But man is our prevent defense, or whatever you want to call it, lame.   I knew it was bad, but not until I watched the replay and heard the color guy ripping Cosh after every completion did it really hit home.   If we could play tighter at the end of the game is it without reason to think we’d be 7-3 instead of 5-5?  Something needs to be done to fix this problem.   

MVP:  Chris Turner.  The kid played a great game and had 3 TD’s and over 300 yards.  When I watched the replay they put his numbers up against Ryan’s and let’s just say there was no comparision.   

For honorable mention, without a doubt Lance Ball.  It all starts with the run, and Lance opened up the offense.  I feel guilty not putting him up for the MVP, but I just couldn’t bump Chris Turner’s career day. 

Random Thought-   Where was the dance team this year?  Every season they try to talk us into buying some over priced candy, but not this year.  Do you think the upperclassman dance girls warned all the young ones to avoid our tailgate?  I hope not, and though I never buy any candy, I do miss asking them awkward questions like “Can we take your picture to send to our friend in Boston?.....we’ll buy more candy.”. 

Around the ACC:

Game of the Week 

Virginia Tech 40 Florida State 21- Bobby Bowden losses to Virginia Tech for the first time in his career.  Hopefully this won’t fire the old man up for the Terps game this Saturday! 

Virginia 48 Miami 0- File this one under “R U F’ing kinding me??”.  It took the Hurricanes 70 years to get shut out this bad in the Orange Bowl.  I wouldn’t be shocked if when they tear the place down they keep the 2007 team inside it. 

Georgia Tech 41  Duke 24- How funny is it that Duke’s only win is against a Big 10 team, why are we not making a bigger deal out of this?  Tashard Choice ran for over 100 yards in this one as Tech reaches Bowl eligibilty.   

Clemson 44  Wake 10-  Cullen Harper is continuing his great season, as the Tigers take over first place in the Atlantic Division.  Clemson now controls it’s own fate to Jacksonville.  Meanwhile any momentum Wake got from the Maryland win is now long gone.  

North Carolina State 31 North Carolina 27- For those that care this was probably a pretty exciting game, for the rest of us, NC State 31, UNC 27.