Saturday, Oct. 16

Maryland (4-1, 1-0 ACC)

at

Clemson (2-3, 0-2 ACC)

Kickoff: Noon ET
Location: Clemson, S.C.
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (80,301).

TV: ACC Network - Steve Martin (pbp), Dave Archer (color) and Mike Hogewood (sidelines) will call the action. The game will air locally on WJZ-TV (Channel 13 - CBS in Baltimore) and WTTG-TV (Channel 5 - FOX in Washington, D.C.). Click here for a complete list of affiliates carrying the game. The game can also be viewed on ESPN3.com or through ESPN Gameplan. Comcast SportsNet will air a replay of the ACC Network broadcast in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore market at 3:30 p.m.

About the ACC Network: Raycom Sports and the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Sept. 7 that beginning this season, the Raycom Sports Regional Syndicated package of league football and basketball telecasts will be branded as the ACC Network. The new marketing initiative features ACC Network graphics and designations. The Network's first telecast was the Duke at Wake Forest which was telecast on Saturday, Sept. 11. The ACC Network branding is part of the new television rights agreements between the ACC, Raycom Sports and ESPN that begins with the 2011 Football season. Raycom Sports and the Conference moved to begin the branding during the final year of the existing contract.

Radio: Terrapin Sports Radio Network - Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Jonathan Claiborne (color) and Tim Strachan (sidelines) have the call. The Toyota Tailgate Show with Gary Stein and Scott McBrien begins at 10:30 a.m. ET. The game can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio Channel 192 and Sirius Channel 214. Click here to Listen Live on-line through Terps TV. The Terrapin Sports Radio Network (15 affiliates): WJZ-FM 105.7 - Baltimore (Flagship); WJZ-AM 1300 - Baltimore (Flagship); ESPN980-AM - Washington D.C.; WWXX-FM 94.3 - Buckland, Va.; WCEM-AM 1240 - Cambridge; WBEY-FM 97.9 - Crisfield; WGOP-AM 540 - Crisfield; WFMD-AM 930 - Frederick; WARK-AM 1490 - Hagerstown; WPTX-AM 1690 - Lexington Park; WVMD-FM 99.5 - Midland; WMSG-AM 1050 - Oakland; WQMR-FM 101.1 - Ocean City; WWXT-FM 92.7 - Prince Frederick, Md.; WTGM-AM 960 - Salisbury.

Tickets: Tickets are available for the game. Fans may call 1-800-IM-A-TERP from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or click here.

Friedgen and the Terps on the Air: Maryland's football broadcasting lineup for 2010 includes the Terrapin Sports Radio Network which has 15 affiliates. The Ralph Friedgen Television Show, which is presented by Outback Steakhouse, airs weekly at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic with the first show airing this weekend. The fast-paced, 30-minute show goes behind the scenes with Friedgen and the Maryland football team. Replays of the show are scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday on Comcast SportsNet, just prior to the rebroadcast of the Terps most recent football game. Comcast SportsNet will carry the official rebroadcasts of all 12 University of Maryland football matchups. Friedgen also appears each Wednesday during the season on Comcast's SportsNite wrap-up show. Comcast goes live "Inside the Coach's Office" with Friedgen at 6:15 p.m. each Wednesday.

First-and-10...
• Maryland has won back-to-back games and is off to one of its best starts under Ralph Friedgen. The Terps, who enjoyed a week of healing and fine tuning with the bye after the Duke contest, begin a stretch Saturday with four of five games on the road. Maryland, which is receiving votes in the USA Today poll, will travel to Clemson to face a squad which has dropped three straight, though two of those losses came against top 20 foes. The Terps have been a gritty bunch this year, winning by making big plays, holding onto the football and coming up with a key stop with the game on the line.
• The Maryland offense, under third-year coordinator and assistant head coach James Franklin, ranks fourth in the ACC (42nd nationally) in scoring (31.8 ppg). RBs Da'Rel Scott and Davin Meggett, and WR Torrey Smith have all produced for an offense which has scored six times this season on plays of 50 yards or more. Scott and Meggett have combined to average 5.7 yards per carry this year, while Smith, one of the most dynamic players in the nation, has five TD receptions (second in the ACC) and is averaging 81.0 receiving yards per game (third in the ACC). The Biletnikoff Award candidate is also first in the ACC in all-purpose yards (123.0 ypg). Danny O'Brien became the first Maryland freshman to start at quarterback in 11 years when he subbed for Jamarr Robinson (shoulder) against FIU. He also started against Duke, though Robinson should be back to full strength this week. The o-line, which was reshuffled following a season-ending knee injury to LT Justin Gilbert, surrendered just one sack the last two games. C Paul Pinegar, LG Andrew Gonnella and LT R.J. Dill (moved from RT) have the most experience along the line. Justin Lewis mans the right guard position, with Bennett Fulper rotating in at that spot and center. Pete DeSouza made his first career start against FIU, opening the game at right tackle.
• The linebacker corps, including two-time All-ACC performer Alex Wujciak, anchors the defense under second-year coordinator Don Brown. The Terps rank first in the ACC and 28th nationally in scoring defense (18.4 ppg), and have surrendered a league-low 11 TDs. They also have the best red-zone defense in the ACC (sixth nationally). Maryland is allowing opponents to gain just 4.8 yards per play, which ranks tied for third in the ACC. A key to the defensive effort is the production of the linebackers. The Terps possess four of the top nine tacklers in the ACC. Wujciak, who is listed among the preseason candidates for five national awards, ranks second in the league and 10th nationally in tackles (11.4 pg). LB Adrian Moten, a playmaker throughout his career (team-best 9.0 TFLs and 6.0 sacks last year), ranks fifth in the ACC in stops (8.2 pg), while LB Demetrius Hartsfield, a 2009 freshman All-ACC pick, is ninth (7.4 pg). First-year starter Joe Vellano is among the more productive linemen in the ACC. He ranks second in sacks (1.0 pg) and fifth in tackles for loss (1.7 pg). A.J. Francis, a 2009 freshman All-America choice, has 14 tackles over the last two games from his nose tackle position. Junior CB Cameron Chism, one of five returning defensive starters, posted a team-best four interceptions in 2009 and ranks tied for fourth in the league in passes defended (1.2 pg), along with Moten and senior Antwine Perez. Junior Kenny Tate has been a playmaker. He is seventh in the ACC in tackles (7.8 pg) and tied for first in forced fumbles (0.60 pg).
• Special teams was expected be a strength this season with all the top performers back and the Terps have demonstrated that over the first five games. Travis Baltz, a 2008 first team All-ACC punter, has handled both kicking chores with an early-season injury to place-kicker Nick Ferrara, a 2009 freshman All-American. Baltz has connected on four of his five FG attempts and is averaging 41.7 yards per punt, with nearly half his attempts (13 of 30) landing inside the 20-yard line. Junior Tony Logan has been one of the top punt returners in the nation. He has returned two punts for scores, becoming one of just three players in ACC history to post consecutive games with a return for a score. Logan is also averaging a nation's-best 27.7 ypr. Smith was one of the top kick returners in the country last season, posting an ACC single-season record 1,309 yards.

Quick Hitters...
• Maryland is off to one of its best starts in Ralph Friedgen's 10 seasons. The Terps are 4-1 for the first time since 2008 and have won at least four of their first five for the third occasion in Friedgen's tenure (5-0 in 2001 en route to a 10-2 mark).
• The Terps won for the 200th time in Byrd Stadium when they knocked off Duke (10/2).
• Friedgen just became the 13th head coach in ACC history to amass 70 career wins with the victory over Duke (10/2).
• Torrey Smith's 23.8 yards-per-catch average is second in the FBS among receivers with at least 15 catches.
• Butkus Award candidate Alex Wujciak has averaged 10.7 tackles per game in his career which is second in the nation among active players.
• Smith has a school-record three career kickoff returns for touchdowns and is one of only two active players in the ACC with more than one (2 by T.J. Graham , N.C. State). Tyron Carrier of Houston (5) is the only player in the nation with more kickoff returns for touchdowns than Smith.
• A disruptive force who looks like he is coming into his own, junior safety Kenny Tate is the leading tackler in the ACC among defensive backs (7.8 per game) and is one of three players in the ACC with a league-leading three forced fumbles.
• Adrian Moten has a career-best three interceptions and leads the FBS in picks among linebackers (0.60 pg). Moten's three interceptions are already the most in one season by a Maryland linebacker in 23 years (four by Karl Edwards in 1987).
• The Terrapins, who have been to six bowl games under Friedgen, have 51 letterwinners, including 12 offensive and defensive starters, all four special teams performers back from 2009. There are eight Terps on the roster who have earned all-conference and/or All-America honors.
• The Terrapins have over 70 percent of the offensive and defensive two-deep back from the end of 2009. There are 17 of 22 offensive players back and 14 of 22 defenders. In addition, all six special teams starters (KR, PR, PK, P, LS, H) are back in uniform.
• The Terps have just eight seniors (Adrian Cannon, Paul Pinegar, Da'Rel Scott, LaQuan Williams, Drew Gloster, Adrian Moten, Alex Wujciak, and Antwine Perez) listed among the 44 players on the current offensive and defensive two-deep. In addition, senior Travis Baltz is the first-team punter and place-kicker.
• There are six bowl teams from last year which appear on the Terps' 2010 schedule: Navy (Texas Bowl), West Virginia (Konica Minolta Gator Bowl), Clemson (Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl), Boston College (Emerald Bowl), Miami (Champs Sports Bowl), and Florida State (Konica Minolta Gator Bowl).

Streaks and Trends...
• The Terps have won two straight games at Clemson.
• The Terps have turned the ball over just four times this season (two interceptions/two fumbles). Only one team in the FBS (Oregon State - 1) has turned it over fewer times. Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Army have also posted just four turnovers.
• The Maryland running backs have yet to fumble the ball (120 carries) this season, while the quarterbacks have not tossed an interception in the last 90 passes.
• Alex Wujciak has started a team-best 30 straight games, all at Mike LB. Torrey Smith's 11 straight starts leads the offense.
• Wujciak has reached double-digit tackles in 20 of his last 26 games.
• The Terps have recorded 14 interceptions over the last 10 games.

Two in a Row for Logan...
A reserve wideout who has solidified his role as a punt returner, Tony Logan has been a game-changer for Maryland this season. The junior is averaging an astounding 27.7 yards per return on 15 chances this season (first in the FBS). Logan is also one of just four players in the FBS who has two punt returns for touchdowns - an 85-yarder against FIU (9/25) and an 84-yarder vs. Duke (10/2). The TD returns came at crucial times for the Terps - his TD against FIU (first punt return for a score since Steve Suter in the 2004 Gator Bowl) broke a 7-7 tie and the one against Duke gave Maryland a 14-9 lead. Logan has four returns over 50 yards and his 415 punt return yards are already the third most in a season in Maryland history and more than 114 of the 120 FBS schools tallied all of 2009. Logan has two of the top three punt returns in school history, trailing only a 90-yard TD by Dick Nolan in 1953. Logan had a career-high 135 punt return yards vs. FIU, his second 100-yard game of the season (also 128 yards vs. Morgan State, 9/11). Logan's 15.7 yard-per-return career average ranks second in the FBS among active players.

Breaking Up is Easier to Do...
The Terps, who rank second in the ACC in passing efficiency defense, have been an aggressive bunch defending the throwing game this season. The defense has already posted 25 pass breakups on the season after tallying 29 all of 2009. Three Terps - Antwine Perez, Adrian Moten and Cameron Chism - rank tied for fourth in the ACC in passes defended (1.2 per game). As a team, the Terps are third in the ACC in both interceptions (seven) and pass breakups. Chism and Perez had two of the best games in the country this season knocking down passes. Chism had four PBUs vs. FIU (9/25) and Perez matched that total vs. Duke (10/2), tallies that are tied for the most in one FBS game this season.

Holding Onto the Ball...
The Terps have continued where they left off last season in the turnover department. Maryland ranked 97th in the FBS (-0.50 pg) in turnover margin in 2009, but improved during the latter half of the year, going +7.0 over the last five games. The defense forced 10 turnovers in the last five games of 2009 after inducing seven in the first seven contests. This season, Maryland is first in the ACC and sixth nationally in turnover margin (+1.60 pg). The Terps, plus-8 on the season, have won the turnover battle in all five games. In fact, Maryland has not turned the ball over in its last 155:30 of game action, while gaining six from the opposition in that time span.

Defense Tightens in Red Zone...
The Maryland defense has been at its best when the opposing team reaches the red zone. The Terps lead the ACC and are sixth nationally by allowing opponents to score just 61 percent of the time when they get inside the 20-yard line. Out of 23 trips to the red zone, Maryland has stopped the opponent nine times, including three fumble recoveries, two interceptions and two on downs. Maryland did its best work against Navy (9/6), stopping the Midshipmen on five of its seven trips to the red zone. The Terps' nine stops inside the 20-yard line are tied for first nationally.

Did You Know?...
Maryland and Florida State are the only two teams which rank in the top five of the ACC in both scoring offense and defense. The Terps are fourth in scoring offense (31.8 ppg) and second in scoring defense (18.4). FSU is second in scoring offense (36.7) and first in scoring defense (15.7).

Explosive Plays...
The Terps have been much more effective in making explosive plays to score points this year than they were last season.
• Maryland already has 30 explosive plays (defined as 20 yards or longer) this year, and the Terps have scored 12 touchdowns on those plays. In 2009, Maryland had just 13 TDs off explosive plays the entire season.
• The Terps had four scoring plays over 50 yards against FIU (9/25). Tony Logan had an 85-yard punt return, Davin Meggett had a 76-yard run, Torrey Smith had a 68-yard reception and Da'Rel Scott had a 56-yard run. It marked the first time since 9/13/03 (vs. The Citadel) that Maryland had 50-plus yard TDs on a punt return, rush and pass.
• The Terps have 12 plays of 50 yards or longer this year - four on punt returns, four on passes, three on rushes and one on an interception return. In 2009, Maryland had eight plays of 50 yards or longer all season.

Did You Know?...
In ACC history there have been only two occurrences of back-to-back games with 80-plus yard punt returns for touchdowns. Tony Logan did it this season (85 yards vs. FIU, 9/25; 84 yards vs. Duke, 10/2) and Willie Reid of Florida State was the first league player to perform the feat (83 vs. Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game on 12/3/05; 87 vs. Penn State in the Orange Bowl on 1/3/06).

Clemson At-A-Glance...
• Clemson enters Saturday's matchup at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the ACC, having dropped three straight to then-No. 16 Auburn, then-No. 16 Miami and North Carolina.
• Sophomore running back Andre Ellington leads the team and ranks third in the ACC with 87.0 rushing yards per game. Ellington is averaging 6.6 ypr and is tied for the league lead with seven rushing TDs.
• Junior RB Jamie Harper also contributes to the ground attack, ranking second on the team with 60 carries for 238 yards (47.6 pg). Harper is also third on the team with 10 receptions, including a team-high three TD receptions.
• Overall, Clemson's rushing attack ranks fifth in the league (179.6 ypg). The Tigers have run the ball on 55 percent of their offensive plays.
• The passing attack is led by sophomore quarterback Kyle Parker, who is completing 53.4 percent of his passes. Parker has thrown for 173.2 ypg and has totaled seven touchdowns to four interceptions.
• Defensively, the Tigers average 8.8 tackles for loss per game, which is tied for second in the nation. They are also fourth in the ACC and 19th nationally in sacks per game (2.8).
• Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers leads the ACC and ranks fourth nationally in sacks (1.2 pg). A junior, Bowers is also first in the ACC and third nationally in tackles for loss (2.2 pg).
• Seven different Tigers have made an interception this season, with the team total (7) ranking tied for third in the league.
• Senior corner back Marcus Gilchrist handles kickoff and punt returns and ranks second in the ACC by averaging 13.0 yards per punt return.

Maryland-Clemson Series History...
• Saturday's game will mark the 59th meeting between the Terrapins and Tigers. The two teams met for the first time in 1952, and have played every year since, with Clemson owning a 30-26-2 edge in the all-time series. Maryland is 13-16 vs. Clemson in games played in Death Valley. The Terps have won the last two in Memorial Stadium.
• The Terps are 6-3 against the Tigers under Ralph Friedgen, including a 13-12 win in 2006 in Clemson and a 20-17 victory in 2008. Prior to Friedgen's arrival, Clemson had taken eight straight and 13 of 14 in the series.
• The series has been extremely close in recent years with five of the last fix games being decided by four points or less.
• Four years ago, Maryland won 13-12 at No. 19 Clemson after Dan Ennis nailed a 31-yard field goal as time expired.
• Clemson won 30-17 in 2007 at College Park, but the Terps rallied for 20-17 win over the 20th-ranked Tigers the next season in Death Valley. Chris Turner threw a TD pass and Da'Rel Scott scored the go-ahead touchdown. Clemson QB Cullen Harper was stopped short on fourth-and-1 with 5:36 remaining.
• Last season in College Park, Turner passed for two touchdowns and Maryland overcame two late missed field goals by Clemson in a 24-21 win. The Tigers' had their final drive snuffed out at the 28 with a sack and fumble recovery by Demetrius Hartsfield with 27 seconds to play. Clemson cut the score to 24-21 with 4:11 left in the third quarter after C.J. Spiller scored on a 92-yard kickoff return. The Tigers could have tied and taken the lead but Richard Jackson missed field goals from 47 and 48 yards away.

By The Numbers...
0... Number of points the opposition has scored off four Maryland turnovers this season. In contrast, the Terps have scored 38 points off 12 opponent turnovers.

2... Joe Vellano ranks second in the ACC in tackles (5.8 per game) among interior defensive linemen.

2... Alex Wujciak is one of only two players in the nation (also Nick Bellore, CMU) to post 130 or more tackles each of the last two seasons.

2... Tony Logan's punt-return average of 27.7 yards more than doubles every other specialist in the ACC. Marcus Gilchrist of Clemson is second at 13.0 ypr.

3... The Terps have won of the last four times they have played Clemson, and three of the last four times they have visited Death Valley.

3... Number of full-time punters (Brooks Barnard, Adam Podlesh and Travis Baltz) the Terps have employed in the last 10 years. Nick Ferrara started for Baltz in five games last season due to injury.

6... Number of graduates on the 2010 roster. Michael Carter, Emani Lee-Odai, Adrian Moten, Joey McQueeney, Antwine Perez and Da'Rel Scott have each earned a degree.

9... The Terps have placed a punter on the Academic All-ACC team in each of the last nine seasons. Travis Baltz has been a member for the last three years (Adam Podlesh 2003-06; Brooks Barnard 2001-02).

11... Number of true freshmen who have started during Ralph Friedgen's 10 years (2001 - Domonique Foxworth, Randy Starks; 2003 - Vernon Davis; 2005 - Jeremy Navarre, Danny Oquendo, Jared Gaither; 2006 - Cory Jackson; 2007 - Travis Baltz; 2009 - Nick Ferrara, Bennett Fulper; 2010 - Desmond Kearse).

27... The Terps have 27 players on NFL rosters (plus three on practice squads), which ranks tied for second among ACC squads (also FSU), trailing just Miami (42). See list on page 22.

98... Number of offensive plays by FIU (9/25), the most by a Maryland opponent since Clemson had the same amount in a 53-23 loss to the Terps on 11/14/92.

128... The Terps have not had a punt blocked since the Florida State contest on 11/13/99, a stretch of 128 games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.