Nov. 27, 2004

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Sam Hollenbach threw for 164 yards in his first college start and Maryland's defense redeemed itself with an impressive performance in a 13-7 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday.

Hollenbach, who spent most of the season as the third quarterback on the depth chart, went 16-for-27 with no interceptions. The sophomore started ahead of the ineffective Joel Statham and injured second-stringer Jordan Steffy.

Despite the victory, Maryland (5-6, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) finished with a losing record for the first time in four seasons under coach Ralph Friedgen.

Hollenbach played well, but the Terrapins won because of a defense that had yielded 55 points in its previous outing against Virginia Tech. Wake Forest's only touchdown came on a 28-yard drive following a turnover.

Wake Forest (4-7, 1-7) trailed 13-7 when Cory Randolph replaced starting quarterback Ben Mauk and drove the Demon Deacons to the Maryland 10 midway through the fourth quarter. But the march ended when safety Chris Kelley forced a fumble at the 1 and the Terrapins recovered with 8:25 remaining.

Maryland then punted, and Wake Forest failed on a fourth-down try from the Maryland 27 with 4:06 to go. The Deacons' final drive ended before they reached midfield.

Nick Novak kicked two field goals for the Terrapins and finished his career with 393 points, most in ACC history and tied for fifth on the NCAA Division-I list.

Chris Barclay ran for 103 yards and scored the lone touchdown for Wake Forest. The 5-foot-10 junior finished with 1,010 yards rushing to become the first Wake Forest player to top the 1,000-yard mark in successive seasons, and his 30th career TD tied a school record.

The Terrapins led 13-0 in the third quarter before a miscue enabled the Demon Deacons to get back in the game. Maryland's J.J. Justice was blocking on a Wake Forest punt when the ball hit him in the foot, and the Deacons recovered.

That set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Barclay, and late in the quarter Jeremy Thompson blocked a 37-yard field goal try by Novak to keep the score at 13-6.

It was 13-0 at halftime, the first time this season the Demon Deacons were held scoreless in the first half.

After Ryan Plackemeier missed a 25-yard field goal for Wake Forest, Hollenbach directed an 11-play, 80-yard drive that produced the Terrapins' first touchdown in 10 quarters. Hollenbach went 3-for-4 for 40 yards before Josh Allen scored on a 13-yard run.

In the second quarter, Hollenbach engineered a 13-play drive that produced a 22-yard field goal by Novak and a 10-0 lead with 2:27 left. Allen carried nine times for 43 yards during the march.

Maryland then forced a punt, and the Terrapins moved 34 yards in seven plays over 40 seconds before Novak kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

Allen gained 74 yards on 18 carries before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the half.