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The 2008 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the
University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
in the
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the highest level of college football competition in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The regular season began on August 28, 2008 and ended on D ...
. It was the Terrapins' (also officially known as the "Terps") 56th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and its fourth within the framework of the ACC Atlantic Division.
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the U ...
led the team for his eighth season as head coach and was assisted by first-year offensive coordinator James Franklin and third-year defensive coordinator Chris Cosh. It was the first season since the departure of Charlie Taaffe in 2005 that Friedgen did not call the offensive plays himself. Instead, those duties were handled by Franklin, a former Maryland
wide receivers coach In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, assistant coach, and the offensive and defensive coordinators. Common ...
, who returned after a brief stint at
Kansas State Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
and in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). With him, Franklin brought a new system: the
West Coast offense In American football, the West Coast offense is an offense that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running. There are two similar but distinct offensive strategic systems that are commonly referred to as "West Coast offenses". Original ...
. Cosh, whose complex defensive scheme had been criticized as too passive, resigned at the end of the season. The 2008 season in the ACC was described as chaotic, and for Maryland, there was no exception. The Terrapins were within grasp of the ACC Atlantic Division championship at the end of Week 12, but lost their final two games and fell to a four-way tie for third place. Maryland closed the regular season with a 7–5 record—including four wins against Top 25-ranked teams—which was enough to secure
bowl eligibility Bowl eligibility in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level is the standard through which teams become available for selection to participate in postseason bowl games. When a team achieves this state, it is described as "bowl-eligible". ...
. In the postseason, Maryland defeated
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
of the
Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas. Due to mos ...
in the
Humanitarian Bowl The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, previously the Humanitarian Bowl (1997–2003, 2007–2010) and the MPC Computers Bowl (2004–2006), is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually since 1997 at Albertson ...
.


Before the season


Coaching changes

In December 2007, Maryland hired
Kansas State Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
offensive coordinator James Franklin to serve in that same role for the Terrapins.Franklin Hired as Terps Offensive Coordinator
, University of Maryland, December 23, 2007.
From 2000 to 2004, he was the Maryland
wide receivers coach In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, assistant coach, and the offensive and defensive coordinators. Common ...
. In 2003 and 2004, he also served as the recruiting coordinator, and
Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
ranked Franklin as one of the nation's top-25 recruiters both years. Because of the arrival of Franklin, 2008 was the first since 2005 that head coach
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the U ...
did not call the offensive plays himself. At Maryland, Franklin installed a
West Coast offense In American football, the West Coast offense is an offense that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running. There are two similar but distinct offensive strategic systems that are commonly referred to as "West Coast offenses". Original ...
, which was well suited to
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Chris Turner's playing style and an experienced wide receiver corps that included play-maker Darrius Heyward-Bey and sure-handed
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
.


Key losses

Maryland lost several important players from the 2007 team. In January 2008, shortly after
Oregon State Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering col ...
defeated Maryland in the Emerald Bowl,
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
Erin Henderson Erin Henderson (born July 1, 1986) is a former American football inside linebacker that played nine seasons in National Football League (NFL). He is currently an assistant linebackers coach at Avila University. He was signed by the Minnesota V ...
announced that he would forgo his senior year to enter the 2008 NFL Draft. Henderson, the brother of Butkus and
Bednarik Award The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and professional Ameri ...
winner E.J., had recorded an ACC-high four fumble recoveries in 2007 and was the Terrapins' leader in total
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
(133) and tackles for loss (11). The
defensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...
lost
tackles Tackle may refer to: * In football: ** Tackle (football move), a play in various forms of football ** Tackle (gridiron football position), a position in American football and Canadian football ** Dump tackle, a forceful move in rugby of picking u ...
Dre Moore and Carlos Feliciano, while the secondary unit lost both starting
safeties Safety is the condition of being protected against harmful conditions or events, or the control of hazards to reduce risk. Safety may also refer to: Places * Safety Island, Antarctica Government * The Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating t ...
, strong safety Christian Varner and free safety J. J. Justice, as well as
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
Isaiah Gardner. The Maryland offense lost tailbacks Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore who combined for 1,573  rushing yards and 25 
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s in 2007. The
offensive line In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...
saw the departure of
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Lik ...
s Jason Goode and
Joey Haynos Joey Haynos (born August 28, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Maryland. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins, Jack ...
, and
offensive guard Offensive may refer to: * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Offensive (military), an attack * Offensive language ** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict in ...
Andrew Crummey.2008 Maryland Terrapins Football Preview
CollegeSports-Fans.com, retrieved November 16, 2008.

National Champs.net, December 2007, Retrieved November 16, 2008.


Key returns

Despite the loss of some of the previous year's important players, Maryland entered the 2008 season with a seasoned squad. Forty-six of sixty-two
lettermen The Lettermen are an American male pop vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959. They have had two Top 10 singles (both No. 7), 16 Top 10 singles on the Adult Contempor ...
returned (74 percent),'' Phil Steele's 2009 College Football Preview'', vol. 15, p. 118, Summer 2009. which included ten offensive and six defensive starters. The 2008 team contained 31 seniors, which was the largest group since Friedgen became head coach in 2001. Important returnees on the defensive unit included cornerback
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
, who recorded four
interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team ...
s in 2007;
defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is ...
Jeremy Navarre, who had recorded 5.5 sacks; and linebacker Dave Philistin, who had recorded 124 tackles. The offense's returning statistical leaders included
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Chris Turner, who threw for 1,958  passing yards in 2007; wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, who had 786  receiving yards; and running back Da'Rel Scott, who had 135 rushing yards.


Recruiting

The 2008 recruiting class was ranked 52nd in the nation by
Scout.com Scout Media is an integrated sports publishing company that produces Internet content covering hundreds of professional and college teams across America. The company was founded in 2001 and was acquired by Fox Sports in 2005. In 2013, Fox Sports ...
and 38th by
Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
. Scout.com rated three recruits as four-star and six as three-star prospects, while Rivals.com rated six recruits each as four-star and three-star prospects.
Kenny Tate Kenny Tate (born May 15, 1990) is a professional gridiron football defensive end. He signed as undrafted free agent by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2014. He played college football at the University of Maryland as a safety, wide receiver, defen ...
, who was originally recruited as a wide receiver, was the only four-star prospect to see significant playing time in 2008. Before the season, he was converted to safety, a position that had been attrited by the graduation of former starters Christian Varner and J.J. Justice, and Tate also saw action on
special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
. Cornerback Cameron Chism, who saw action in nine games as a reserve, recorded seven tackles on
kickoff return A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in gridiron football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team". The receiving team is then entitled to ''return' ...
s to tie for second on the team in special teams tackles. Tight end Matt Furstenburg saw limited play time on special teams against
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
and
Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the U.S. state of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the ...
, but injured his foot and was awarded a medical
redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Entertainment * ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi * Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after ...
. Wide receiver Kevin Dorsey also sat out the season as a redshirt to recuperate from foot surgery. The other four-star recruits who sat out on redshirt status were wide receiver Kerry Boykins, tight end Devonte Campbell, and defensive tackle Masengo Kabongo. Running back
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
, the son of former New York Giants star Dave Meggett, was the only true freshman to start a game for Maryland in 2008, and he was a significant contributor throughout the season. Meggett was not a highly touted recruit, assessed by Scout.com as a two-star prospect, and his only other
scholarship A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholars ...
offers were from local-area
Division I FCS The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the Football Bowl Subdivision. Sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic ...
schools. In 2008, however, he led all ACC freshman with 5.13 yards per
carry Carry or carrying may refer to: People *Carry (name) Finance * Carried interest (or carry), the share of profits in an investment fund paid to the fund manager * Carry (investment), a financial term: the carry of an asset is the gain or cost of h ...
, and Megett finished the season with 457 yards and four touchdowns as a reserve.


Quarterback controversy

There was some controversy at the start of the season when head coach
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the U ...
selected senior Jordan Steffy as the starting quarterback over junior Chris Turner. In 2007, when Steffy suffered a concussion against 10th-ranked
Rutgers Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and w ...
, the relatively untested Turner took over and led Maryland to an upset victory. He then started the remainder of the season, compiled a 4–5 record in games he started, and led another upset against eighth-ranked Boston College. In comparing the practice performances of Steffy, Turner, and third-stringer Josh Portis, offensive coordinator James Franklin said:
It gets hard if one quarterback all through spring and all through summer camp was statistically better in almost every single category, it's hard to rationalize not making him the starter ... because your gut feeling is one thing and the statistics are another. Jordan led by a pretty large amount in
completion percentage The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see ''Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...
... ndthe least
interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team ...
percentage. He didn't lead in yards per ttempt or... percentage of explosive plays. I consider an explosive play a play of 16 yards or more ... Portis led in that and Turner was second and Jordan was third.
In the season opener against Delaware, Steffy suffered an injured thumb, and Turner took over in the fourth quarter. He remained the starter for the rest of the season, and Steffy saw no further game action. Portis saw limited playing time throughout the season, usually being put in for a single option play at a time.


Schedule

The Sagarin computer rating system calculated Maryland's
strength of schedule In sports, strength of schedule (SOS) refers to the difficulty or ease of a team's/person's opponent as compared to other teams/persons. This is especially important if teams in a league do not play each other the same number of times. Computation ...
to be 36th-most difficult out of the 245 Division I teams. The Cosgrove Computer Rankings calculated it as the 56th-most difficult out of the 120 Division I FBS teams. In accordance with conference rules, Maryland faced all five Atlantic Division opponents: Boston College, Clemson,
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
,
NC State North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...
, and Wake Forest. They also faced three Coastal Division opponents: official ACC rival
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
, and
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
. Virginia Tech and Boston College were the ACC champions and runners-up, respectively, in 2007 and again in 2008. Maryland did not play ACC opponents
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...
,
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
, and
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
. Maryland also played four non-conference games. For the season opener, the Terrapins met the 2007 Division I FCS runners-up,
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
.
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
of the Pacific-10 Conference was played for the first time in school history as the first half of a home-and-home series. Athletic director Deborah Yow wanted to play one of the University of Maryland's five academic peer institutions, and to take a two-year hiatus from the 28-year series against
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
. She said, by adding California, "We weren't trying to add to the degree of difficulty f Maryland's schedule we were trying to substitute for West Virginia." Games were also played against
Middle Tennessee State Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight undergraduate colleges as well as a college of graduate studies, together of ...
of the Sun Belt Conference and
Eastern Michigan Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...
of the
Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region (North America), Great L ...
. For the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl, Maryland played
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
in the teams' first meeting.


Personnel


Injuries

Injuries had devastated the Maryland roster the previous year, and while 2008 was more forgiving by comparison, several key players were injured. Starting cornerback
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
suffered a season-ending scapular fracture against Wake Forest and missed the last six games. Sophomore LaQuan Williams and true freshman Kevin Dorsey, both wide receivers, sat out the entire season due to leg and foot injuries, respectively. Leading receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey sat out the Boston College game due to a calf injury, and leading rusher Da'Rel Scott suffered a left shoulder injury in the third game against
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, which plagued him throughout the season, although he missed just one game. Running back Morgan Green, who had contended for the starting position during summer camp, had an injury-riddled season, before seeing his first real action in the bowl game. Starting quarterback Jordan Steffy was put out for the season by a thumb injury on his throwing hand in the first game.


Depth chart



Coaching staff


Game summaries


Delaware

* Opponent pre-game record: 0–0 * Opponent final record: 4–8 * Pre-game line: Lines are not released for games between FBS and FCS teams The previous season, Delaware finished as the Division I FCS championship runners-up and scored more than 40 points in seven of 15 games. However, their star quarterback, Joe Flacco, and running back, Omar Cuff, both graduated and went on to the NFL. Later in the season, the Blue Hens finished 2008 with eight losses for the first time in school history. Delaware kicked off to start the game, and wide receiver
Torrey Smith Torrey may refer to: * Torrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Torrey, Utah * Torrey, New York See also * , a supertanker wrecked off Cornwall in 1967 * Torrey pine * Torrey Pines High School * Torrey Pines Golf Course * Torre ...
returned the ball 23 yards to the Maryland 32-yard line. Quarterback Jordan Steffy then led a Maryland drive, but the series ended when placekicker Obi Egekeze missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. On the next Maryland possession, Egekeze missed another field goal attempt, this time of 45 yards. The teams then exchanged several punts before Maryland took over on the Delaware 48-yard line. Steffy completed a 36-yard pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey, which set up a 12-yard
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
rush also by Heyward-Bey. Delaware drove 44 yards, but then missed their own 46-yard field goal attempt. With 3:33 left in the half, Steffy engineered a 47-yard drive to set up a 41-yard field goal attempt, which Egekeze missed for the third time. On the first play of the second half, Delaware quarterback Rob Schoenhoft threw an
interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team ...
to cornerback
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
, who returned it 10 yards to the Delaware 46-yard line. On the next play, Steffy threw an interception to Erik Johnson, who returned it to the Maryland 49-yard line. The Terrapins' next possession ended when, fourth and 18, Steffy threw another interception at the Delaware one-yard line. Incidentally, this put the Blue Hens in worse field position than if the Terrapins had turned over on downs. Soon after, Delaware punted the ball away. Running back Da'Rel Scott then rushed for a 30-yard gain, which set up a 14-yard touchdown run by running back
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
. Chris Turner took over as Maryland's quarterback on the second series of the fourth quarter after Steffy fractured his right thumb. On Delaware's subsequent possession, Schoenhoft engineered an 80-yard drive, which culminated with a one-yard touchdown rush by running back Johnathan Smith. With 3:20 on the clock, Schoenhoft threw an interception to safety Terrell Skinner. Turner then scrambled for a first down, and Scott converted for a second first down, which allowed Maryland to run out the game clock. Maryland won, with a final score of 14–7.Delaware vs. Maryland Complete Play-by-Play
ESPN, August 30, 2008.
In his first career start, Scott ran for 157 yards, but Friedgen thought he could have done better. Friedgen said, "He was a little tired from camp ... Normally, he would break some of those runs. I don't think he quite had his third gear today." Steffy played a solid first half, but in the second, threw two interceptions before suffering a season-ending thumb fracture. He was replaced by back-up Chris Turner who started for the remainder of the season. Regarding their loss, Delaware head coach
K. C. Keeler Kurt Charles Keeler (born July 26, 1959) is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Sam Houston State University, a position he had held since 2014. Previously, Keeler was the head coach at his alma mater, th ...
said, "This is not like a moral victory. I don't believe in moral victories ... This was not a payday for us ... We play a home game, we make more money than playing this game down here. When we scheduled this game, I thought our program would possibly be in a position to beat a solid ACC school."


Middle Tennessee State

* Opponent pre-game record: 0–1 * Opponent final record: 5–7 * Pre-game line: Maryland −13 The previous week, Middle Tennessee made two rapid-fire fourth-quarter touchdowns in a failed comeback attempt against the eventual Sun Belt Conference champions,
Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...
. The week following the Maryland game, Middle Tennessee nearly upset
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
. The Blue Raiders lost that game, 20–14, after wide receiver Eldred King caught a 61-yard pass only to be ankle-tackled at the Kentucky one-yard line as time expired. After receiving the kickoff, Middle Tennessee quarterback
Joe Craddock Joe Craddock (born September 7, 1985) is a American football coach and former player. He is the offensive coordinator at Troy University, a position he has held since the 2022 season. Craddock played college football at Middle Tennessee State Un ...
led an 80-yard, 10-play drive. It included a fake punt that caught Maryland off-guard, which allowed the punter to complete a 28-yard pass for a first-down conversion. Craddock ended the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass. On Maryland's second offensive play of the game, Da'Rel Scott broke free for a 63-yard run for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Middle Tennessee re-took the lead with a 31-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Turner threw an interception that was returned 25 yards to the Maryland five-yard line, and Middle Tennessee subsequently scored on a rushing play. On Maryland's next possession, Turner completed a short pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey who ran for an 80-yard touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Maryland advanced inside the Middle Tennessee 35-yard line three times, but was unable to capitalize. Middle Tennessee defenders saved two potential touchdowns with interceptions on their own two-yard line and in the
end zone The end zone is the scoring area on the field, according to gridiron-based codes of football. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field. ...
to preserve a Blue Raider victory, 24–14. The game marked Middle Tennessee's first ever win over an ACC opponent, although they had come close in
Charlottesville Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
the year prior, when
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
made a go-ahead field goal with eight seconds remaining. It was Middle Tennessee's fourth win against an opponent from a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) conference. The other three all came against Vanderbilt.Craddock, Middle Tennessee surprise Maryland
ESPN, September 6, 2008.


California (#23)

* Opponent pre-game record: 2–0 * Opponent final record: 9–4 * Pre-game line: Maryland +14 ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' called the previous week's ten-point loss to Middle Tennessee the "worst defeat of alph Friedgen'seight-year tenure," and with the narrow margin of victory over Delaware, most analysts strongly favored 23-ranked California in its first meeting against Maryland. The previous week, California routed
Washington State Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
, 66–3. The game began with a Maryland kickoff to California, who were stopped for a net loss of 4 yards and forced to punt. On Maryland's first possession, it mounted a 60-yard drive that culminated in a 24-yard touchdown rush by Da'Rel Scott. California quarterback Kevin Riley then threw an interception to cornerback
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
, which allowed Scott to rush for his second score of the game. California made a field goal, but on the following series, Maryland drove 60 yards and tight end Dan Gronkowski made a touchdown reception. The Golden Bears made another field goal to end the first half with a score of 21–6, in Maryland's favor. During the second quarter, Riley threw a short
screen pass A screen pass is a play in gridiron football consisting of a short pass to a receiver who is protected by a screen of blockers. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is b ...
to running back
Jahvid Best Jahvid Andre Best (born January 30, 1989) is an Olympic track and field athlete, a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at California, set ...
, who immediately received a hard hit from Maryland cornerback
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
. While still lying on the field, Best rolled to his side to vomit. Footage of the tackle and its aftermath circulated widely on the internet and became a
viral video A viral video is a video that becomes popular through a viral process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.Lu Jiang, Yajie Miao, Yi Yang, ZhenZhong Lan, Alexander Haupt ...
phenomenon. In the third period, Chris Turner completed a pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey for a 27-yard touchdown to end the quarter with Maryland in the lead, 28–6. In the final period, California scored two touchdowns against a preventative defense, before Maryland responded with a fifth score on a one-yard rush by
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
. In the final minutes, Maryland placekicker Obi Egekeze missed a 27-yard field goal which might have clinched the victory. Instead, California scored a third touchdown to close within eight points. With 1:55 remaining to play, California attempted an onside kick, but it bounced out of bounds, and Maryland was able to run out the clock to finish the upset, 35–28. The Maryland offense scored five touchdowns against California, which bettered the combined total of four in the Terrapins' first two games. California running back
Jahvid Best Jahvid Andre Best (born January 30, 1989) is an Olympic track and field athlete, a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at California, set ...
, an early Heisman Trophy contender, ran for 311 yards in his first two games, but was held to 25 yards on 10 carries against Maryland. In total, California's rushing offense was held to 38 yards.Maryland holds Cal without touchdown until closing minute
ESPN, September 13, 2008.
This was the first of four Maryland victories over ranked opponents during the 2008 season.


Eastern Michigan

* Opponent pre-game record: 1–2 * Opponent final record: 3–9 * Pre-game line: Maryland −21 Against
Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region (North America), Great L ...
opponent Eastern Michigan, Maryland showcased its offense, which scored on nine out of thirteen possessions. Starting tailback Da'Rel Scott sat out the game because of a shoulder injury suffered against California, and he was replaced by Morgan Green.Maryland goes on scoring spree, drills Eastern Michigan
ESPN, September 20, 2008.
Linebacker Adrian Moten blocked an Eastern Michigan punt, which gave Maryland excellent field position for their first possession on their opponents' 10-yard line. They were, however, were held to a field goal. Eastern Michigan responded with a 75-yard drive to the Maryland five-yard line, but threw an interception to safety Jamari McCollough. Maryland mounted an 80-yard drive, which included a 35-yard run by Darrius Heyward-Bey and culminated in a one-yard touchdown by Morgan Green. After both teams suffered "
three-and-out A down is a period in which a play transpires in gridiron football. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to other codes of football, but is synonymous with a "tackle" in rugby league. The team in possession of the ...
" possessions, Eastern Michigan quarterback Kyle McMahon threw a second interception to Moten, which set up a second touchdown by Green. Eastern Michigan drove 80 yards in 11 plays, and running back Terrence Blevins ran for a touchdown to bring the score to 17–7.
Torrey Smith Torrey may refer to: * Torrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Torrey, Utah * Torrey, New York See also * , a supertanker wrecked off Cornwall in 1967 * Torrey pine * Torrey Pines High School * Torrey Pines Golf Course * Torre ...
returned the ensuing 59-yard kickoff 57 yards, which set up a 32-yard touchdown pass from Chris Turner to Heyward-Bey. Eastern Michigan then drove 80 yards for another touchdown. On the subsequent Maryland possession, Turner threw an interception to end the half with the score of 24–14. On the kickoff to start the second half, Smith returned the ball 27 yards. On the next play, Heyward-Bey gained 47 yards on a rush attempt, which set up a short touchdown pass to tight end Dan Gronkowski. On the next two series, the teams traded field goals which brought the score to 34–17. Turner threw another interception to start the fourth quarter, but linebacker Trey Covington then recorded a quarterback sack, which forced Eastern Michigan to
turnover on downs In gridiron football, a turnover on downs occurs when a team's offense has used all their downs but has not progressed downfield enough to earn another set of downs. The resulting turnover gives possession of the ball to the team currently on def ...
. Turner was then sacked himself, and Maryland kicked a field goal. Eastern Michigan engineered an 80-yard drive for a touchdown, and closed the deficit to 37–24. Maryland reserve quarterback Josh Portis execute a
lateral Lateral is a geometric term of location which may refer to: Healthcare *Lateral (anatomy), an anatomical direction * Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle * Lateral release (surgery), a surgical procedure on the side of a kneecap Phonetics *Lateral co ...
to wide receiver
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
who in turn passed to receiver Isaiah Williams, which gained a 43-yard touchdown. Eastern Michigan was subsequently forced to punt, and Portis rushed 80 yards over six plays for the final touchdown. In the next series, Jamari McCoullough intercepted an Eastern Michigan pass to end the game, 51–24.


Clemson (#20)

* Opponent pre-game record: 3–1 * Opponent final record: 7–6 * Pre-game line: Maryland +12 Maryland traveled to Clemson to play in "
Death Valley Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the ...
", traditionally one of the most difficult ACC venues for opponents to play. Clemson firmly held the momentum of the game for the first half, and their running backs exploited holes in the Maryland defensive line. During that time, Clemson recorded two touchdowns and a field goal. Despite gaining excellent field position through recovering a fumbled punt on the Clemson 19-yard line and a recovered fumble on the Clemson 30-yard line, Maryland was able to produce just two field goals from those turnovers. The Terrapins drives were also blunted by penalties for two false starts and a holding call. In the first possession of the second half, the Terrapins were forced to punt after a run attempt for loss, a false start penalty, and two incomplete passes. The Maryland defense took the field and stopped a Clemson drive. On the first play of their second series, wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey executed a reverse to gain 76 yards before being stopped at the Clemson four-yard line. This set up a short Chris Turner touchdown pass to receiver
Torrey Smith Torrey may refer to: * Torrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Torrey, Utah * Torrey, New York See also * , a supertanker wrecked off Cornwall in 1967 * Torrey pine * Torrey Pines High School * Torrey Pines Golf Course * Torre ...
, and shifted the game's momentum in favor of Maryland. In the fourth quarter, three completions to
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
set the stage for a one-yard rush into the endzone by Da'Rel Scott. In the second half, the Maryland defense allowed Clemson just 31 rushing yards and zero points, compared with 204 rushing yards and 17 points in the first half. The upset marked the fourth consecutive Maryland win against a ranked opponent (the others: #23 Cal, and, in the 2007 season, #8 Boston College and #10 Rutgers). It was also the fourth consecutive time that the visiting team has won the Maryland–Clemson series.Maryland overcomes second-half deficit to upset No. 20 Clemson
ESPN, September 27, 2008.


Virginia

* Opponent pre-game record: 1–3 * Opponent final record: 5–7 * Pre-game line: Maryland −13.5 Virginia went into the game with a 1–3 record and at the bottom of the ACC. They mustered only 36 points (and just 20 points against Division I FBS teams) in the previous four games, while allowing their opponents 128 points. Their last game had been a 31–3 defeat at the hands of Duke, which finally broke the Blue Devils' 25-game ACC losing streak. The Maryland offense had difficulty converting third downs, and managed only four on 13 attempts, while their defense allowed 226 passing yards and 201 rushing yards. Late in the first quarter, Virginia quarterback Marc Verica completed a pass to receiver
Kevin Ogletree Kevin Ogletree (born August 5, 1987) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and New York Giants. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted ...
for a 51-yard touchdown, the Cavs' first passing score of the season. Virginia was able to score twice more before half, to put the Terrapins into a 21–0 deficit. With seconds left in the second quarter, in a desperate gambit to recoup some points, quarterback Chris Turner attempted a hook and ladder play with a pass to Isaiah Williams who then lateraled to Darrius Heyward-Bey, who in turn lateraled to Da'Rel Scott. The maneuver picked up 45 yards before Scott was shoved out of bounds, and a flag was thrown for a late hit by Virginia. Since a half cannot end on a defensive penalty, time would have been added to the clock, but it was ruled that the foul occurred after time had expired. Therefore, the penalty was assessed after the kick-off, and the Terrapins' trick play was for naught. In the third quarter, things got worse for Maryland as the Cavaliers added a field goal and another touchdown. In a final drive for 46 yards, Maryland attempted to avert a shutout. The effort fell short when a Turner pass was intercepted. The final result was 31–0. It was the first time Maryland was shut out since 2004, when they were similarly defeated by Virginia in Charlottesville, 16–0.Virginia finds its offense in shutout of Maryland
ESPN, October 4, 2008.
It was Maryland's worst shutout loss since losing to Virginia in 1997, 45–0, and the largest margin of loss since losing to Virginia Tech in 2004, 55–6.


Wake Forest (#21)

* Opponent pre-game record: 4–1 * Opponent final record: 8–5 * Pre-game line: Maryland +1.5 After an embarrassing 31–0 loss against struggling Virginia, the Terrapins continued their inconsistent season against nationally ranked Atlantic Division front-runner 21st-ranked Wake Forest. Maryland first scored with a halfback option, when Chris Turner pitched to Da'Rel Scott, who connected with Darrius Heyward-Bey for a nine-yard pass into the end zone. In the second and third quarters, Maryland placekicker Obi Egekeze made four field goals. In the final quarter,
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
brought down a short pass from Turner and ran it in past two defenders for a touchdown totaling 50 yards. Against Wake Forest's best-ranked pass defense in the nation, Chris Turner threw for a season-high of 321 yards and a career-best 68% completion rate (28–41). Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott twice fumbled to give Wake Forest excellent field position, but both opportunities were wasted with missed field goal attempts. Wake Forest's leading scorer, placekicker Sam Swank, was out due to injury. Ralph Friedgen stated that "We finally put a full game together. I think by far it's the best we've played all year." It was Maryland's fifth consecutive defeat of a ranked opponent, and the third of the season, making them 3–0 against ranked opponents, but just 2–2 against all others. The game also marked the first time that Wake Forest had been held scoreless in 124 games when it lost to
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
in 1998, and it was the first time since 1957 that the Terrapins had bounced back to shut out an opponent following a shutout of their own. The last Maryland shutout of a ranked opponent was in 1955 against
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
.Maryland blanks Wake for 5th straight win over ranked team
ESPN, October 18, 2008.


NC State

* Opponent pre-game record: 2–5 * Opponent final record: 6–7 * Pre-game line: Maryland −12 In a frigid driving rain at College Park, NC State brought an inspired effort in an attempt to break a three-game losing streak. In the first series of the game, the Wolfpack used 14 plays and 8 minutes to drive 73 yards and score first. Maryland immediately responded with a drive that ended with a 13-yard Turner pass to Dan Gronkowski. In the following series, NC State again scored a touchdown, and Maryland kicked a field goal in response. NC State running back Andre Brown fumbled on the first play, and Maryland recovered on the Wolfpack 24-yard line. The Terrapins capitalized on the turnover with a
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
run into the endzone. After a Wolfpack field goal, the score was even at halftime, 17–17. In the third quarter, Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott rushed 24 yards for a touchdown. Late in the quarter,
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
fumbled a punt return on the 50-yard line and the Wolfpack recovered. NC State equalized once more with a Russell Wilson pass, which brought the score to 24–24. With 4:50 remaining on the clock, and the ball on their own eight-yard line, Maryland drove 89 yards to the Wolfpack three-yard line, which included a pass to Davin Meggett for 31 yards. This set up a 20-yard field goal attempt by Obi Egekeze with eight seconds on the clock. The kick was good and put Maryland ahead for good, 27–24. The Wolfpack lost its fourth straight game to remain the only ACC team winless in conference play (ACC: 0–4). The favorite Terrapins once again struggled against an underdog opponent, but managed to edge the Wolfpack and secure a sixth win for
bowl eligibility Bowl eligibility in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level is the standard through which teams become available for selection to participate in postseason bowl games. When a team achieves this state, it is described as "bowl-eligible". ...
. With it, Maryland was ranked for the first time since 2006, at 25th on the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
and ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' Coaches' Poll rankings. The fan poll ESPNU Allstate Standings had the Terrapins ranked 14th in the nation, ahead of AP first-ranked Texas and fourth-ranked Oklahoma.Egekeze's field goal with 6 seconds remaining lifts Terps
ESPN, October 25, 2008.
Maryland had a bye in Week 10, while ACC Atlantic rival 16th-ranked
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
lost to
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
. This allowed Maryland to take the uncontested lead in the Atlantic Division and rise in the AP Poll to number-23 and USA Today Coaches' Poll to number-21. Florida State fell to 24th, while once 19th-ranked
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
, 20th-ranked
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, 23rd-ranked
Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
, and 24th-ranked South Florida were all dropped from the rankings after their own loses.


Virginia Tech

* Opponent pre-game record: 5–3 * Opponent final record: 10–4 * Pre-game line: Maryland +3.5 The two teams met for a Thursday night game at Blacksburg, a time and site where the Hokies have traditionally excelled. In the first quarter, Maryland drove 56 yards, but was held to a 46-yard field goal attempt, which was missed by Obi Egekeze. In the next series, Tech quarterback
Sean Glennon Sean Glennon (born September 5, 1985) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Glennon, was named the starter following the dismissal of Marcus Vick and held that job until being replaced by Tyr ...
led the Hokies on an 80-yard drive that culminated in a short pass to Greg Boone for a score. The next series went into the second quarter, and Maryland was again forced to attempt a field goal, which was made good. Hokies tailback
Darren Evans Darren Evans (born November 9, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Early years Evans attended Warren Centr ...
then broke away for a 50-yard carry to the Maryland 30-yard line, and later capped it with a one-yard rush into the endzone. Before the half, Tech managed a field goal to expand their lead, 17–3. In the second half, Chris Turner hit Darrius Heyward-Bey for a short bubble screen pass behind the line of scrimmage, and Heyward-Bey ran it 63 yards for the score. During the next series, the Terrapins were held three-and-out, but the punt was fumbled and recovered by Maryland on the Hokies 11-yard line. However, the Terrapins were again forced to settle for a field goal, which made it a one-possession lead for VT at 20–13 with 2:29 left in the third quarter. In the final quarter, the Hokies managed another field goal and held onto the lead for a final result of 23–13. Hokies tailback Darren Evans ran for a school-record of 253 yards, and exceeded 100 rushing yards in a game for the first time in his career. The Hokie defense shut down the Terrapins running game and held them to −12 yards on 18 carries. Maryland also proved unable or unwilling to blitz against Sean Glennon, the Tech quarterback hobbled by an ankle injury. Glennon threw for 127 yards and a touchdown.Evans powers Virginia Tech past #23 Maryland
ESPN, November 6, 2008.


North Carolina (#16)

* Opponent pre-game record: 7–2 * Opponent final record: 8–5 * Pre-game line: Maryland +3 In another driving rainstorm at
College Park, Maryland College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and is approximately four miles (6.4 km) from the northeast border of Washington, D.C. The population was 34,740 at the 2020 United States Census. It is best known ...
met 16th-ranked North Carolina. Maryland's first possession ended as a "three-and-out" series, and the Terrapins elected to punt. The ball was
snapped ''Snapped'' is an American true crime television series produced by Jupiter Entertainment. The series depicts high profile or bizarre cases of women accused of murder. Each episode outlines the motivation for murder, whether it be revenge agai ...
high and sailed over punter
Travis Baltz Travis Baltz (born November 18, 1988) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Maryland. Early years Travis Baltz was born on November 18, 198 ...
's head. Baltz recovered it in the Maryland end zone for a
safety Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings There are two slightly dif ...
, which averted a possible North Carolina touchdown. Maryland kicked off to North Carolina, and held the Tar Heels to a field goal. On the subsequent possession, Maryland took the lead, 7–5, after a 76-yard drive that culminated with a short run by Da'Rel Scott. On North Carolina's next possession, quarterback Cameron Sexton threw a long pass, which was tipped by Maryland safety
Kenny Tate Kenny Tate (born May 15, 1990) is a professional gridiron football defensive end. He signed as undrafted free agent by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2014. He played college football at the University of Maryland as a safety, wide receiver, defen ...
, but deflected into the hands of receiver Cooter Arnold hands, who ran it into the end zone for a 59-yard touchdown.
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
powered 57 yards through the opposing defensive line on nine carries for another touchdown, which put Maryland back in the lead. Shortly before halftime, North Carolina kicked another field goal for the game's fifth lead change. The rain and wind let up in the third quarter, but the waterlogged playing field still presented challenging conditions. North Carolina placekicker Casey Barth struck the left upright on an unsuccessful 28-yard field goal attempt, but the Tar Heels soon recovered a fumble from Maryland back-up quarterback Josh Portis. North Carolina failed to capitalize, however, and punted the ball away. Chris Turner engineered a 73-yard drive in 19 plays, which included a scramble for a first down by the typically immobile pocket quarterback. That run put Maryland within field goal range, and Egekeze made the 26-yard attempt with 1:42 remaining to play. North Carolina received the kick and managed a first down, but Sexton then threw a 34-yard interception to safety Jamari McCollough. The Terrapins were then able to run out the play clock to win, 17–15. The victory was Maryland's sixth consecutive against ranked opponents, which set a school record. At the time, Maryland was the only team in the nation with four wins over ranked opponents during the 2008 season. Only
BCS National Championship Game The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, was a postseason college football bowl game, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), first played in the 1998 college fo ...
participants
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
and Oklahoma later finished with more wins against ranked teams. Maryland also improved their home record to 6–0 for the season. Head coach
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the U ...
improved his record against North Carolina to 5–1, and kept North Carolina winless in College Park since 1997.Terps keep North Carolina winless in Maryland since 1997
ESPN, November 15, 2008.


ACC Atlantic Division championship race

The results of that weekend's games improved the clarity of the ACC Championship Game picture, but did not decide it. Maryland improved their ACC record to 4–2 and took the uncontested lead of the Atlantic Division. Florida State lost to Boston College that same day, which meant four teams were still able to secure the division title: Boston College, Florida State, Maryland, and Wake Forest.Heather Dinich
What we (kind of) learned in the ACC: Week 12
ESPN, November 16, 2008.
Boston College (ACC: 3–3) could travel to the ACC Championship Game if they won out by beating both Wake Forest and Maryland. Boston College eventually did just that, and lost to Virginia Tech in the 2008 ACC Championship Game. Florida State (ACC: 4–3) would have won the Atlantic Division if they beat Maryland, Maryland beat Boston College, and Boston College beat Wake Forest. Under those circumstances, Florida State would have finished with a 5–3 record, tied with Maryland, but win the tiebreaker because they had defeated Maryland head-to-head. However, Maryland lost to Boston College, which relegated Florida State to a second-place finish in the division. Wake Forest (ACC: 4–3) would have won the division if they won their last game against Boston College, and both Florida State and Boston College beat Maryland. In that case, Florida State and Wake Forest would have had identical conference records (ACC: 5–3), and Wake Forest would have won the tiebreaker because they defeated Florida State earlier in the season. Maryland (ACC: 4–2) would have won the division title if they had either: (1) beaten both Florida State and Boston College; (2) beaten Florida State, while Boston College lost to Wake Forest; or (3) beaten Boston College, while Boston College lost to Wake Forest. That last scenario would have caused a three-way tie between Maryland, Florida State, and Wake Forest. All would have possessed a 5–3 conference record, and no head-to-head tiebreaker would have been possible. In that case, the winner would have been decided by divisional record, of which the Terrapins would have had the best (ACC Atlantic: 4–1).


Florida State

* Opponent pre-game record: 7–3 * Opponent final record: 9–4 * Pre-game line: Maryland +1.5 After Wake Forest lost to Boston College earlier in the day, Florida State required a win over Maryland to proceed to the ACC Championship Game. The Seminoles also needed Maryland to win against Boston College the following week. As a testament to the must-win nature of the game for Florida State, it was designated as a "Sod Game", where, if won, the team would bring home a piece of Byrd Stadium's sod to be commemorated in their " Sod Cemetery". Maryland received the opening kickoff and pushed into Florida State territory. On third down, Chris Turner was sacked and Maryland was forced to punt. Florida State was held three-and-out and punted. The Terrapins again pushed down field, before, on fourth and four on the Florida State 27-yard line, elected to attempt a field goal. Obi Egekeze's 44-yard attempt went wide of the uprights far to the right. Florida State started a drive in the first quarter for 73 yards which culminated with a seven-yard
Christian Ponder Christian Andrew Ponder (born February 25, 1988) is a former American football quarterback. He played for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at Florida State, and was drafted by the Minnesot ...
pass to Preston Parker for the score. The two teams traded punts, and Terrapins running back Da'Rel Scott fumbled the ball on the Maryland 26-yard line. Seminole linebacker Derek Nicholson picked up the ball and ran it into the endzone to bring the score to 14–0. On the next possession, Chris Turner threw his first interception in five games. Florida State then went three-and-out and punted. Maryland drove for 53 yards before another Turner pass was intercepted by Toddrick Verdell, who returned it for 34 yards. Florida State quarterback Ponder completed a 17-yard pass to Parker, and then ran it himself for 16 yards to the Maryland five-yard line. Two Antone Smith rushes brought the score to 21–0 at the half. At the beginning of the second half, the Terrapins kicked off to the Seminoles before both teams traded field goals. Those were the only points for Maryland all night. In the fourth quarter, Florida State added another field goal. On the next possession, Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott and receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey both made short runs for a first down. Scott lost his second fumble of the night on the Terrapin 43-yard line. Florida State took over and scored another touchdown. After Maryland went three-and-out, Seminoles kicker
Graham Gano Graham Clark Gano (born April 9, 1987) is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State and was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free age ...
made his third field goal of the night. The Seminoles defense accumulated six sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. The loss ended Maryland's aspirations for the Atlantic Division title and, with it, a shot at the ACC Championship. Florida State remained in the running until Maryland lost to Boston College the following week. Three hours before kick-off, Florida State safety Myron Rolle successfully interviewed for a Rhodes Scholarship in
Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
. Rolle then took a private flight to arrive at the game in time to play late in the first half.Maryland picked apart by unranked Florida State
ESPN, November 22, 2008.


Boston College (#20)

* Opponent pre-game record: 8–3 * Opponent final record: 9–5 * Pre-game line: Maryland +6.5 Maryland entered the game having been knocked out of the running for the Atlantic Division title the previous week, but able to play spoiler for Boston College. The Eagles were playing to earn a berth to the ACC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Additionally, competing within a closely contested ACC, Maryland could have greatly improved its standing for bowl selection with an eighth win. The Eagles were the fifth ranked team to face Maryland. The Terrapins were, to that point, 4–0 against top-25 opposition and the only team to beat four ranked opponents in 2008. Boston College was fielding second-string quarterback
Dominique Davis Dominique Dion Davis (born July 17, 1989) is an American professional gridiron football quarterback for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Davis played ...
in his first career appearance. He replaced starter
Chris Crane Christopher T. Crane (born April 18, 1986) is a former American football quarterback who played for the Milwaukee Iron of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college foo ...
, who had suffered a broken collarbone the previous week. Boston College kicked off, and
Torrey Smith Torrey may refer to: * Torrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Torrey, Utah * Torrey, New York See also * , a supertanker wrecked off Cornwall in 1967 * Torrey pine * Torrey Pines High School * Torrey Pines Golf Course * Torre ...
made a 27-yard return to the Maryland 31-yard line. After a Terrapins false start and Eagles offsides penalty, Chris Turner connected with Torrey Smith for 12 yards and a first down. Turner gained another first down with a completion to
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
to put them into BC territory. A rush for no gain and two incomplete passes forced a punt. Boston College responded with a 14-play, 88-yard drive that resulted in a seven-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jarvis. On the next possession, Turner completed passes to Emani Lee-Odai and Torrey Smith for 16- and 43-yard gains, respectively, and placed them at the Boston College one-yard line. Turner capped the drive with a one-yard rush for a score to tie the score, 7–7.Another Flutie makes key play to carry BC into ACC Championship
ESPN, November 29, 2008.
To end the first quarter, Boston College linebacker Mike McLaughlin literally hurdled over 5-ft 8-in 
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
to sack Turner in what was ranked an ESPN SportsCenter "Play of the Day". The Eagles and Terrapins traded punts twice, and then Boston College turned over on downs before Maryland was forced to punt again. After a Boston College punt, Chris Turner threw an interception to
Mark Herzlich Mark Herzlich Jr. (born September 1, 1987) is a former American football linebacker and current sports commentator. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and played all seven seasons of his professional career w ...
. On the next play Dominique Davis threw to Rich Gunnell for a 45-yard touchdown reception. The second half started off with traded punts. Boston College took over with excellent field position on the Maryland 34-yard line, but was held to fourth and eight yards on the Terrapins' nine-yard line. The Eagles faked a field goal attempt, and holder Billy Flutie, nephew of Heisman winner
Doug Flutie Douglas Richard Flutie (born October 23, 1962) is an American former football quarterback whose professional career spanned 21 seasons. He played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CF ...
, rolled right and passed to Jordon McMichael for a nine-yard touchdown. The teams traded punts again, before Turner led the Terrapins on a 70-yard drive into the final quarter. A 13-yard reception by Danny Oquendo brought the score to 21–14. Boston College was then held three-and-out and punted. The Terrapins drove to the Eagles' 19-yard line, but Obi Egekeze missed the 36-yard field goal attempt. Boston College's next drive consisted of ten rush attempts by
Montel Harris Montel Lamar Harris (born October 30, 1989) is American football running back. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles and Temple Owls. Early years Harris played Pop Warner football for the Normandy Cowboys, until his middle sc ...
and burned three minutes off the clock. The Eagles punted and Turner completed three passes to advance to their own 35-yard line. Linebacker Robert Francois intercepted a pass and ran it 36 yards into the endzone. Steve Aponavicius's extra point brought it to 28–14. With 1:42 left, Turner completed eight passes including an 8-yard touchdown toss to Torrey Smith. With 0:14 remaining in the game, Maryland attempted an onside kick, but it bounced out of bounds. Boston College took possession and ran out the clock to end the game, 28–21. Boston College ended Maryland's six-game winning streak against ranked opponents. With a 7–5 record, the Terrapins' postseason bowl game options were also limited. The Eagles secured the ACC Atlantic Division title and, with it, a trip to Tampa for the ACC Championship Game to face Virginia Tech for the second-straight season. Boston College held the Maryland run to −6 yards, forcing reliance on Chris Turner's passing ability. It was the second game of the season the Terrapins were held to negative rushing yards (this had also occurred against Virginia Tech). Turner, however, was able to throw for 360 yards, bettering Boston College's total offensive yardage of 318 yards.


Bowl selection process

Maryland achieved
bowl eligibility Bowl eligibility in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level is the standard through which teams become available for selection to participate in postseason bowl games. When a team achieves this state, it is described as "bowl-eligible". ...
through its sixth win against
NC State North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...
. The Terrapins finished the regular season with a 7–5 overall record and 4–4 record against ACC opponents. Maryland's conference record was identical to four other ACC teams, and the league fielded an NCAA record of ten bowl-eligible teams. For the 2008 season, there were eight non- Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl games with ACC
tie-ins A tie-in work is a work of fiction or other product based on a media property such as a film, video game, television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. Tie-ins are authorized by the owners of the original prope ...
: the Gator Bowl, the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the
Champs Sports Bowl The Pop-Tarts Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at Camping World Stadium. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Citrus Bowl and the Florida Classic ...
, the
Music City Bowl The Music City Bowl is a post-season American college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played in Nashville, Tennessee, since 1998. Since 2020, it has been sponsored by TransPerfect and is officially known as the ''TransPer ...
, the
Humanitarian Bowl The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, previously the Humanitarian Bowl (1997–2003, 2007–2010) and the MPC Computers Bowl (2004–2006), is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually since 1997 at Albertson ...
, the Emerald Bowl, the Meineke Car Care Bowl, and the
EagleBank Bowl The Military Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that has been played annually each December in the Washington metropolitan area since 2008. The game was originally held ...
. After Maryland suffered a fifth loss in the season closer against Boston College, it was very unlikely that the team's preferred postseason game, the Meineke Car Care Bowl, was going to extend an invitation. The game's selection committee in
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
was eager to secure nearby
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
(8–4).Jeff Barker
Terps eye bowl possibilities
''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by T ...
'', December 1, 2008.
Meanwhile, the EagleBank Bowl, hosted by RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., not far from the Maryland campus, secured in-state rival
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
, but the game date conflicted with Maryland's final exams. Soon after Maryland's regular season finale, sportswriters and analysts speculated that the Humanitarian Bowl in
Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ar ...
, was the most likely postseason destination. Bowl officials there worked to secure a game of undefeated teams between the hometown team, Boise State, and Ball State of the
Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region (North America), Great L ...
. However, Ball State rejected the proposal to play at Boise State's homefield as unacceptable. On December 7, 2008, Maryland accepted a bid to play in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl against
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. The
Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas. Due to mos ...
(WAC) team likewise finished with a 7–5 record. Nevada was ranked the number-five total offense and number-two rushing offense in the nation with 510.6 total yards per game. In 2008, running back
Vai Taua Vai or VAI has several possible meanings: * Vai people ** Vai language ** Vai syllabary ** Vai (Unicode block) * Vai (Crete) * Văi, a village in Lupșa Commune, Alba County, Romania Abbreviation * VAI, Video Artists International, a classical ...
ran for 1,420 and quarterback
Colin Kaepernick Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and football quarterback who is a free agent. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he knelt du ...
for 1,115 yards, and the latter threw for an additional 2,479 yards.Jeff Barker, "Maryland will go bowling vs. Nevada in Boise", ''The Baltimore Sun'', December 7, 2008. The Humanitarian Bowl executive director, Kevin McDonald, said, "We look forward to welcoming a Maryland eamthat defeated four Top 25 opponents and spent three weeks ranked ... Nevada comes in having played two teams,
Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
and
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, that were then ranked nationally in the top ten. They also gave ninth-ranked Boise State their toughest ACgame."Maryland Headed to Humanitarian Bowl
, University of Maryland, December 7, 2008.


Nevada (2008 Humanitarian Bowl)

* Opponent pre-game record: 7–5 * Opponent final record: 7–6 * Pre-game line: Maryland +1.5 Prior to the game, Maryland head coach
Ralph Friedgen Ralph Harry Friedgen (born April 4, 1947) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the special assistant coach for Rutgers in 2015 after serving as their offensive coordinator in the 2014 season. He was the head coach at the U ...
placed a partial-game suspension on seven players who violated the team's pre-bowl curfew, including leading rusher, Da'Rel Scott, and senior wide receiver
Danny Oquendo Daniel Oquendo, Jr. (; born July 8, 1987) is a former American college football player. He was a wide receiver for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland. After the death of his autistic half-brother, Avonte Oquendo, in October 2 ...
. Consequently, a much younger line-up started for Maryland, including, according to Friedgen, some who probably would not have seen playing time otherwise. The game started with Maryland receiving the kick-off and on the first series, quarterback Chris Turner linked up with freshman Adrian Cannon for a 59-yard touchdown. However, placekicker Obi Egekeze missed the extra point. Nevada quarterback and
Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Texas. Due to mos ...
offensive player of the year,
Colin Kaepernick Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and football quarterback who is a free agent. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he knelt du ...
, responded with a drive which included a 68-yard pass to the Maryland 3-yard line. The Terrapin defense stopped two rushing attempts by
Vai Taua Vai or VAI has several possible meanings: * Vai people ** Vai language ** Vai syllabary ** Vai (Unicode block) * Vai (Crete) * Văi, a village in Lupșa Commune, Alba County, Romania Abbreviation * VAI, Video Artists International, a classical ...
, but a short pass was good for the score, and with the extra point, Nevada took the lead 6–7. The Wolf Pack then kicked a 69-yard kick-off to Torrey Smith, who returned it 99 yards for a second Maryland touchdown. Egekeze made good the extra point and Maryland regained the lead, 13–7. On the next kick-off, Egekeze attempted to kick the ball as it fell off the tee, resulting in a short squib, which was returned to the Terrapins' 9-yard line. Kaepernick threw into the endzone where it was intercepted by Maryland safety
Kenny Tate Kenny Tate (born May 15, 1990) is a professional gridiron football defensive end. He signed as undrafted free agent by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2014. He played college football at the University of Maryland as a safety, wide receiver, defen ...
for a
touchback In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their end zone) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to tra ...
, but the Terrapins were soon forced to punt. Kaepernick advanced the ball downfield before a Taua 17-yard touchdown run. In the next series, Maryland sophomore Morgan Green rushed for three yards and then a 53-yard touchdown breakaway. Later, Turner converted on third down with a 16-yard toss to Ronnie Tyler and threw again to Tyler for a 14-yard touchdown. Turner tallied a
two-point conversion In gridiron football, a two-point conversion or two-point convert is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point conversion immediately after it scores a touchdown. In a two-point conversion attempt, the team that just scored must run ...
with a throw to
Davin Meggett Davin Meggett (born March 22, 1990) is an American former running back football player. He played college football for the University of Maryland. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Washingto ...
, and Maryland led at halftime 28–14. Wolf Pack running back Taua was able to capitalize after a Turner-thrown pick and narrow their deficit, 28–21. A sack against Turner knocked the ball loose, was recovered by Nevada, fumbled again, and finally recovered by the Terrapins' Scott Burley. Turner then connected with Darrius Heyward-Bey for an 11-yard first down and a fresh Da'Rel Scott made his first touch of the game for another first down on the Nevada 23. Turner was again sacked and fumbled, and Nevada recovered. Kaepernick then completed 38-yard and 21-yard passes to even the score, 28–28. Turner converted on third down with a 26-yard toss to Torrey Smith. Scott was soon able to break open down the middle for a 49-yard touchdown run. On the next Maryland series, Da'Rel Scott was handed the ball four times in succession and scored his second touchdown. With 4:01 remaining, Kaepernick led a drive starting from the Nevada 23, before a scramble for a touchdown made it a one-possession game with 2:19 remaining. Jaekle attempted an on-side kick, but it was recovered by Maryland. Scott picking up a first down and clinched a 42–35 Maryland victory.Scott benched early, then leads Maryland past Nevada
ESPN, December 30, 2008.
Maryland freshman wide receiver Torrey Smith, with his 99-yard kickoff return touchdown, broke the all-time ACC record for single-season kickoff returns with 1,089 yards. Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott rushed for 174 yards, earning Most Valuable Player honors alongside Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick who threw for 370 yards. Scott set the University of Maryland's record for rushing yards in a bowl game, in what was just one-and-half quarters of playing time due to his curfew suspension. He also broke the 1,000-yard per season barrier, making him one of just seven players in school history to do so. Four Maryland back-ups who saw significant play due to the curfew suspensions also scored touchdowns: second-string X-receiver Torrey Smith, second-string slot receiver Ronnie Tyler, third-string slot receiver Adrian Cannon, and third-string running back Morgan Green.Maryland Holds Off Nevada, 42–35, to Win Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
University of Maryland, December 30, 2008.


Rankings

In Week 9, after defeating Wake Forest to improve to a 6–1 record, Maryland was ranked 25th by both the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
and the Coaches' Polls. It was the first time the team was ranked since Week 11 in 2006. Maryland rose in the polls, and entered the
Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle of ...
and BCS rankings after beating NC State the following week. However, after the loss to Virginia Tech, the Terps fell out of the rankings altogether. Maryland made one final poll appearance after the win over North Carolina, before losing to Florida State.


Postseason


Coaching changes

At the end of the regular season, but before the postseason bowl game, Maryland lost two members of its coaching staff. On December 5, 2008, the school announced that defensive coordinator Chris Cosh would return to
Kansas State Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
to take over as assistant coach and co-defensive coordinator. He joined the staff of the recently re-hired
Bill Snyder William D. Snyder (born October 7, 1939) is a retired college football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University from 1989 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2018. Snyder initially retired from the p ...
, who was Kansas State's head coach from 1996 to 2005. Cosh previously served under Snyder as his
linebackers coach In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, assistant coach, and the offensive and defensive coordinators. Common ...
from 2004 to 2005. For the bowl game, Maryland appointed outside linebackers coach Al Seamonson as the interim defensive coordinator.Eric Detweiler
Terps adjusting to coaching losses
''
The Diamondback ''The Diamondback'' is an independent student newspaper associated with the University of Maryland, College Park. It began in 1910 as ''The Triangle'' and became known as ''The Diamondback'' in 1921. Now a weekly online journal, ''The Diamondback ...
'', December 10, 2008.
Maryland also lost its special teams and
tight ends coach In American football, a position coach is a team official in charge of coaching a specific position group. Position coaches have more specialized duties than the head coach, assistant coach, and the offensive and defensive coordinators. Common ...
, Danny Pearman, who was hired by new Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney. Pearman was a Clemson alumnus and played there as a tight end from 1984 to 1987. At
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
, he coached special teams and the offensive and defensive tackles from 1990 to 1997, during which time Swinney played there as a wide receiver. For Maryland's bowl game, third-year intern Brian White acted as interim tight ends coach, and he assisted head coach Ralph Friedgen in directing the special teams. After the bowl game, in February 2009, the athletic department named offensive coordinator James Franklin the "head coach-in-waiting", meaning that he would be the eventual successor to Ralph Friedgen. Upon the expiration of Friedgen's contract in January 2012, Franklin will be offered the position or paid a US$1 million contractual buyout. In June 2009, Friedgen said he might like to stay an additional two years past his current contract, but
athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches an ...
Deborah Yow responded that the school could not afford the buyout. She said that any extension would have to be worked out between Friedgen and Franklin.


All-star games

Five Maryland players were selected by postseason all-star games. Defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre appeared in the Texas vs. The Nation Game. Offensive linemen Edwin Williams and
Jaimie Thomas Jaimie Franklin Thomas (born August 24, 1986) is a former American football guard. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft after playing college football for Maryland. Early years Thomas was born on Au ...
participated in the East–West Shrine Game. Linebacker Moise Fokou played in the
Under Armour Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports and casual apparel. Under Armour's global headquarters are located in Baltimore, Maryland, with additional offices located in Amsterdam (European head ...
Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. Pr ...
.
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
was also selected to participate in the Senior Bowl very early in the season before he suffered a scapular fracture. He attended the game, but did not play due to his injury.Five Terps Headed to Postseason All-Star Games
, University of Maryland, January 12, 2009.


NFL Draft

Five former Maryland players were selected in the
2009 NFL Draft The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 25 and 26, 2009. ...
, which tied North Carolina for the most of any Atlantic Coast Conference team. Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, who ran the fastest
40-yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed and acceleration of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time can have a h ...
time at the combine of 4.30 seconds, was selected by the Oakland Raiders as the seventh overall pick, far higher than most analysts had anticipated. Cornerback
Kevin Barnes Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
, who had scored the highest grade on the
intelligence test An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a total score derived from a set of standardized tests or subtests designed to assess human intelligence. The abbreviation "IQ" was coined by the psychologist William Stern for the German term ''Intelligenzqu ...
at the combine, was selected in the third round by the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. Linebacker Moise Fokou, guard
Jaimie Thomas Jaimie Franklin Thomas (born August 24, 1986) is a former American football guard. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft after playing college football for Maryland. Early years Thomas was born on Au ...
, and tight end Dan Gronkowski were all selected in the seventh round. Additionally, several former Terrapins were signed by NFL teams as free agents shortly after the draft. These consisted of: linebacker Dave Philistin, center Edwin Williams, wide receiver Isaiah Williams, defensive end Jeremy Navarre, offensive tackle Scott Burley, linebacker Chase Bullock, offensive tackle Dane Randolph, and defensive lineman Dean Muhtadi.


Awards


All-conference honors

All-ACC honorees were selected by a 67-member committee from the Atlantic Coast Conference Sports Media Association (ACSMA). Maryland tied with Atlantic Division Co-Champion Boston College for most All-ACC honorees at nine. Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech each secured eight All-ACC honors.Maryland Football Places Nine on All-ACC Teams – Terps join Boston College for most all-league honorees
, University of Maryland, December 1, 2008.
Three Maryland players were selected to the first team: punter
Travis Baltz Travis Baltz (born November 18, 1988) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Maryland. Early years Travis Baltz was born on November 18, 198 ...
, running back Da'Rel Scott, and center Edwin Williams. Linebacker
Alex Wujciak Alex Wujciak ( ) (born April 15, 1988) is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Maryland Terrapins football, Maryland. Early years Wujciak was born on ...
was named to the second team. Offensive linemen Scott Burley and
Jaimie Thomas Jaimie Franklin Thomas (born August 24, 1986) is a former American football guard. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft after playing college football for Maryland. Early years Thomas was born on Au ...
, tight end Dan Gronkowski, wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, and defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre were named as honorable mention All-ACC players.


Players of the Week

*
Travis Baltz Travis Baltz (born November 18, 1988) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Maryland. Early years Travis Baltz was born on November 18, 198 ...
(P): ACC Football Player of the Week for special teams, September 29, 2008 * Bruce Campbell (OL): ACC Football Player of the Week for offensive lineman, October 20, 2008Two Terps Earn ACC Football Player of the Week Honors
, University of Maryland, October 20, 2008.
* Chris Turner (QB): ACC Football Player of the Week for offensive back, October 20, 2008 * Edwin Williams (C): ACC Football Player of the Week for offensive lineman, November 17, 2008


Other awards

* Obi Egekeze (K): Lou Groza Star of the Week (awarded for top-three placekicks), October 18, 2008 * Chris Turner (QB): ESPN/
Pontiac Pontiac may refer to: *Pontiac (automobile), a car brand *Pontiac (Ottawa leader) ( – 1769), a Native American war chief Places and jurisdictions Canada *Pontiac, Quebec, a municipality ** Apostolic Vicariate of Pontiac, now the Roman Catholic D ...
Game Changing Performance nomination, November 15, 2008


Watch lists

* Dan Gronkowski (TE): 2008 Draddy Trophy semifinalist * Dan Gronkowski (TE): 2008
John Mackey Award The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end. Established in 2000 by the Nassau County Sports Commission, the award is given annually to the tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, a ...
watch list * Dave Philistin (LB): 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list * Dave Philistin (LB): 2008 Rotary
Lombardi Award The Rotary Lombardi Award is an award for college football in the United States. Awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas annually to the college football player "who best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lomba ...
watch listPhilistin, Williams Named to Lombardi Award Watch List
University of Maryland, August 27, 2008.
* Da'Rel Scott (RB): 2008
Maxwell Award The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best al ...
watch list * Edwin Williams (OL): 2008
Rimington Trophy The Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded to the player considered to be the best American football center in college football. Dave Rimington was a center who played at the University of Nebraska from 1979 to 1982. A member of the National College ...
watch list * Edwin Williams (OL): 2008 Rotary
Lombardi Award The Rotary Lombardi Award is an award for college football in the United States. Awarded by the Rotary Club of Houston, Texas annually to the college football player "who best embodies the values and spirit of NFL's legendary coach Vince Lomba ...
watch list


Statistics


Team statistics


Offense


Passing


Rushing


Receiving


Kicking


Defense


Special teams

Sources:Cumulative Season Statistics
, University of Maryland, retrieved January 4, 2009.


References

{{Maryland Terrapins football navbox
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
Maryland Terrapins football seasons Famous Idaho Potato Bowl champion seasons Maryland Terrapins football