Terps Overcome Fourth-Quarter Deficit For 17-14 Win At Wake
10/9/1999 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 9, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland downed Wake Forest 17-14 on Saturday afternoon to raise its record to 4-1 (1-1 ACC) and earn its biggest come-from-behind victory in six years. Trailing 14-7 entering the fourth period, Maryland rode Jordan's rushing and receiving exploits to score the game's final 10 points. (Maryland overcame a 33-19 deficit entering the final period at exactly the same stadium in 1993, to win 33-32 on the game's final play.)
Maryland hosts Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 16 in the first of three straight ACC home games. Kickoff is 1 p.m. The Terps host North Carolina on Oct. 23 and Duke on Oct. 30.
Lewis Sanders Update -- Jim Thorpe Award Candidate
-- Sanders intercepted a pass for the fifth straight game at Wake Forest, stopping a Deacon drive at the 3-yard line to thwart a
potential go-ahead touchdown.
-- Sanders returned his only kickoff 50 yards to raise his season average to 38.1 yards per return. He already has returned one kickoff for touchdown, and has three of 40 yards or better. He led the country in KOR average two weeks ago, and ranked fifth entering the Wake Forest game.
-- His interception was his eighth "takeaway" this season, out of Maryland's 15. The Terps were No. 2 in the country in turnover margin entering the Wake Forest game. Sanders has more takeaways than Maryland's opponents (5).
-- Sanders has already scored two touchdowns in 1999. He boasts a 98-yard kickoff return against Western Carolina, and a 28-yard fumble recovery for TD against West Virginia.
LaMont Jordan Update -- Doak Walker Award Candidate
-- Jordan rushed for 89 yards on 18 carries at Wake Forest, doing most of his damage in the second half which included a 70-
yard receiving touchdown to tied the score at 14. It was the first receiving TD of his career. Following the touchdown catch,
Jordan carried three times for 39 yards on the Terps' game-winning drive which culminated in a 19-yard field goal.
-- Jordan also ran 17 yards for Maryland's first score. For the season, he boasts seven rushing TDs and eight overall. He also passed for a 60-yard score against Georgia Tech. He is on pace to challenge Maryland records for season rushing touchdowns (15) and touchdowns scored overall (16).
-- Jordan is the first Terrapin since 1977 and just the eighth in Maryland history to score touchdowns rushing, passing and receiving in the same season.
-- Jordan has rushed for 1,078 in his last 10 games dating to last season. He has rushed for 2,126 in two-plus seasons. His 531 yards (106.2-yard average) in 1999 are over halfway to becoming just the fourth 1,000-yard rusher in Maryland history. He has two 100-yard games this season, six in his last 10 games and nine overall. He had back-to-back career-highs this season including 164 in a 33-0 win over West Virginia.
Terrapin Notebook
-- Maryland's 27.6-point average (138 points) is its best after five games since a 28.6 average (148) in 1993. Maryland needs
to score only 11 points against Clemson next week to assure its best six-game average since a 31.7-point point average
(190) in 1982.
-- Balance is becoming a key characteristic of the Maryland offense this season. Maryland averages 203.2 yards on the ground and 201.2 yards through the air. The Terps can become just the third team in Maryland history to average 200+ in both categories.
-- For the fourth time in five games, Maryland has held its opponent under 260 yards in total offense (Wake Forest gained 226). It is Maryland's best total defense streak since the Terps posted four straight games of 215 or less in 1980.
-- Excluding the Georgia Tech game, Maryland has held opponents scoreless in 12 of 16 quarters this season.
-- Maryland's fourth-quarter defense at Wake Forest allowed the Deacons just 49 yards on 16 plays. Four series resulted in three punts and a desparation 54-yard field goal attempt on the game's final play.
-- Freshman quarterback Calvin McCall has thrown just one interception in 110 pass attempts. Maryland failed to turn the ball over for the second time this season, and won the turnover battle for the fourth time in five games. The Terps own a +2.0 turnover ration, entering the Wake Forest game ranked No. 2 in the country at +2.25.
-- The Terps have become "pass happy" when compared to its 1998 passing totals. Maryland has recorded a touchdown via the air for the fourth straight game, whereas last year's team recorded passing TDs in just four games overall. What's more, Maryland averages 55.8 yards per TD catch this season. The Terps have scored on pass plays of 76, 72, 70 and 60 yards this season.
-- Maryland's offensive line allowed just its second sack of the season, encompassing 119 throwing situations. Meanwhile, the Terps' defensive line scored three sacks against the Demon Deacons, all by senior "rush end" Erwyn Lyght.
-- By won-loss standards, this is Maryland's best season so far since 1995. Maryland is 4-1 for the first time since 1995. The Terps also were 5-1 in '95 before losing two straight. Maryland has won a pair of road games for the first time since 1995. The Terps' win at Wake Forest was also its first ACC road win over an opponent other than Duke, since 1995. Lastly, Maryland seeks its third straight victory at Byrd Stadium this week against Clemson, a streak that would match the most since 1995.
