Maryland shakes up Atlantic with win over Clemson
October, 3, 2009
Oct 3
3:44
PM ET
Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich
Apparently Virginia wasn't the only team with something to prove today. Maryland, after losing to Middle Tennessee and barely beating James Madison for their lone September win, beat Clemson 24-21. Neither team could run the ball. Both teams turned it over. It seemed like a game neither wanted to win.
And yet the Terps finally came out on top against a legitimate opponent.
Maryland, playing in its first conference game of the season, is suddenly ahead of the game in the Atlantic Division. They did it by concentrating on exactly what coach Ralph Freidgen enforced this week -- cutting down on turnovers and penalties. Clemson had more of both.
Maryland also controlled the clock. This was a game in which Maryland quarterback Chris Turner's veteran experience finally came into play. When neither team could run the ball, Turner had the better day over rookie Kyle Parker. The Terps finally showed off their young receiving corps and proved their struggles weren't for a lack of talent at the skill positions.
Clemson, though, has more talent. And more speed. But that hasn't mattered in the past for Clemson. And it didn't matter again today.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
