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MD : 14        Miami  : 13

“97 Yards”

By Bob W.

Overall:  No that isn’t a misprint on Heyward-Bey’s record setting 96 yard Touchdown, that’s the total offense we put up, not counting Heyward-Bey’s 2 long completions.  Take away those 2 plays and Maryland’s offense didn’t really show much on Saturday.  But you know what’s great?  We don’t have to take away those 2 plays.  The 14 points were enough (though barely) for the Terps Defense who bent all night long, but never broke.  The 2 turnovers at the end of the game sealed any chance the Hurricane’s had of ending their terrible week on some what of a high note.

With this win Maryland now has a little more room for error heading into the inevitable show down with Wake on Thanksgiving Weekend.  As the standings sit now we are tied with the Demon Deacons with 2 games left to play.  Boston still has an outside chance of getting to Jacksonville, but it will have the difficult task of beating the Terps in Chestnut Hill, and then beating the Hurricane’s down in the Orange Bowl.   Not that our row is any easier to hoe.  Wake will also be challenged finishing up hosting the Hokies before traveling up to College Park. 

Game Highlights:  It’s always cool to be able to know at one particular moment that you are going to win.  Whether it is a game winning field goal, like at Clemson, or a blocked kick ala the FSU game, it is always nice to be able to say “OK, now it’s over”.  Well once again we had that moment.  When Maryland was forced to punt with 1:30 left and nursing a 1 point lead, I felt anything but good.  But once JJ Justice (3J) recovered the fumble, forced by Isaiah Gardner, the Terrapin faithful could finally let out a collective sigh of relief. 

The runner up highlight set 2 different records.  When Hollenbach hit Heyward-Bey (or Hey Bey as he will now be known), the Terps quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead and made everyone believe that we could beat Miami.  Hey-Bey also scored the longest passing TD in Maryland history and also scored the longest pass play ever given up by Miami.  Not bad for one play.

Game Lowlights:  Just a crappy all around situation.  This was supposed to be a great game with two top ACC schools meeting up, but the circumstances surrounding the game were distracting to say the least.  It can be debated forever whether it was right for Miami to play the game or not, but it made it hard to cheer against the Hurricanes knowing they lost one of their team mates to a senseless crime.  I feel really bad for the University and their fans and alumni, and I just wish we could have won this with both sides coming in fully ready to play football. 

MVP:  Some weeks are easier to do the MVP award than others.  This one is easy.  Darrius Heyward-Bey with his 5 catches for 175 yards, and 2 TD’s is by far the performance that stuck out.  For the first time in a long time Maryland finally has a deep threat.  This kid is going to be great by the time he leaves College Park.  It is one thing to put up numbers against the William and Mary’s of the world, but Hey-Bey has 4 touchdowns against Miami and Florida State.  I don’t usually have favorite Terps, but Hey-Bey is quickly becoming one I love to watch play.  Lets hope he can keep developing. 

For honorable mention, it would be a crime to not acknowledge the defense in a game we won by only scoring on 2 plays, so you have to give an honorable mention to both Wesley Jefferson and Erin Henderson.  Jefferson had 14 tackles, followed by Henderson who finished with 13.  Every year we lose an “irreplaceable” linebacker, and every year the young guys come in and step up. 

Random Thought-  Not really a random thought this week, more of a factoid, but according to my sources (AKA Forrest), Maryland is the first team to beat both FSU and Miami in the same season since 1985. 

Around the ACC:

Game of the Week

Wake Forest 30 Florida State 0- When NC State and Clemson beat FSU, it really wasn’t that big of a deal.  And when we did it, though I was relieved, again I wasn’t THAT surprised.  But for Wake to go into Tallahassee and beat the living crap out of FSU in front of their own fans, well that is shocking.  Maybe Wake is for real, or maybe FSU has just completely given up.  I hope it is the latter.  Regardless it was the first time the Seminoles were ever shut out at Doak Campbell in all of Bobby Bowden’s 31 years of coaching.

Clemson 20  NC State 14-  Could Chuckies days be numbered in NC State (I can only write that so many more times until it is finally true).  CJ Spiller ran for 154 yards and a TD as the Tigers took over in the 4^th quarter.  Clemson improves to 8-3 on the year, while NC State falls to an unbelievably crappy 3-7.

Georgia Tech 7  UNC 0- Well one half of the ACC Championship game is now settled.  With Tashard Choice getting the job done on the ground (119 yards and 1 TD), GA Tech has clinched the Coastal Division Championship.  The showdown in Jacksonville will now be either Ga Tech-Wake, Ga Tech-Boston College, or my personal favorite Ga Tech-Maryland.

Virginia Tech 23 Kent State 0-  This one was actually a lot closer than it looked, as Kent State refused to go away.  Regardless not many will remember this out of conference yawner, but Tech will take it to improve to 8-2.  Unfortunately for the Hokies, a BCS bid is now out of reach, but a successful season is still theirs for the taking.  Va Tech recorded their 3^rd shut out of the season in this one.

Boston College 28 Duke 7-  The Eagles keep their dream alive of an Atlantic Division Title with L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender rushing for over 100 yards.  However with both Maryland and Wake winning this weekend, Boston College is just one loss away from possibly being eliminated.  Duke on the other hand remains winless on the year.