Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: Sports

CLEMSON, S.C. - The Terrapin defense knew what was coming.

With 5:47 remaining in Saturday's ACC opener at No. 20 Clemson, the officiating crew's measurement showed Tiger running back C.J. Spiller came up just short of the first down marker on a third down reception. As the Tigers pushed into scoring range, the Terps knew if they stopped quarterback Cullen Harper from surging forward on fourth down, they could preserve a three-point advantage and escape one of the conference's toughest environments with a win.

"We knew exactly what was on the line at that point," senior defensive tackle Dean Muhtadi said. "We knew the game was going to come down to that play. If they had gotten that first down, they might've tied the game or worse. We had to stop them there."

Needing less than a yard, Harper attempted his push. Defensive linemen Jeremy Navarre and Dion Armstrong went low while linebacker Alex Wujciak flew in over the top. Harper didn't really go anywhere.

After an official review, the Terp defense had held.

"It was close," said Muhtadi, who was part of a group of Terps crowded around the officials as they performed a second measurement. "Maybe a couple of inches."

They never gave the ball back and held on for an improbable 20-17 win in a stadium best known as "Death Valley." The Terps overcame an 11-point halftime deficit by holding the Tigers scoreless in the second half of a game coach Ralph Friedgen called "weird."

"I don't think we played that well in the second half," Friedgen said. "We won this one with our hearts. We grinded it out with will."

The Terps (4-1, 1-0) spotted Clemson (3-2, 1-1) an early 10-0 lead and could not stop the running back tandem of Spiller and James Davis, who combined for 193 yards and two touchdowns on 21 first-half carries. But they managed to stay within striking distance at 17-6, thanks to three first-half Tiger turnovers and a pair of short field goals by Obi Egekeze.

The Terps were able to reverse fortunes in the second half, holding strong on defense and silencing the orange-clad crowd of 81,500.

The Terp offense was unimpressive for most of the day, especially on the ground as running back Da'Rel Scott was held to 39 yards on 23 carries. But a 76-yard end-around by wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey in the third quarter set up a crucial touchdown and the Terp defense controlled field position. By the end, the Chris Turner-led attack simply had to run out the clock.

Continued...

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