Terrapins stun, shut out Deacons

AP photo

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland upset No. 21 Wake Forest 26-0 at Byrd Stadium, dominating the Demon Deacons on offense and punishing them on defense.

Unable to muster much against the Terps, the Deacs were handed their first ACC loss of the season.

The Deacs were shutout for the first time since falling to 42-0 to Air Force on Sept. 5, 1998. They were shutout for the first time by an ACC team since falling to 52-0 at Maryland on Oct. 19, 1996.  

The Deacs were without their star kicker Sam Swank who missed his second game of the season with a strained right quadriceps.  Without Swank, the Deacs missed two field goals. 

The Terps (5-2, 2-1 ACC) led 19-0 entering the fourth quarter and held firm to their lead in the fourth, as the Deacs (4-2-, 2-1) struggled to ignite their spread offense.

A 50-yard touchdown reception by Maryland's Danny Oquendo with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Terps.

Maryland fell 31-0 to Virginia on Oct. 4 , but looked nothing like that team. They amassed 470 yards of offense.

Whittling away at the Deacs' defense in the third quarter, the Terps added two field goals, including a 26-yarder by kicker Obi Egekeze - with 1:44 remaining in the quarter - his fourth of the game.

That field goal capped an 11-play, 72-yard drive where the Terps chewed up five minutes, marching down the field with a blend of run and pass, as they had all afternoon.

The Deacs, having scored just one touchdown against two ACC opponents this season, were hard-pressed to find any offensive cohesion during this game despite their defense creating several opportunities by recovering two Maryland fumbles in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Terps opened the offensive playbook and found a healthy, productive balance between runs and passes - even as they committed turnovers in the first half. They also made four field goals.

Egekeze made two second-quarter field goals - from 40 and 39 yards - to give the Terps a first-half 10-0 lead.  

Maryland's offense came as a result of quarterback Chris Turner's control of the game. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 186 yards yards, including finding receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey for eight receptions for 94 yards. 

The Terps scored early in the first quarter and dominated play, though Wake had its chances.

Midway through the second quarter, Maryland's Da'Rel Scott fumbled on his  21-yard line and Wake's Josh Bush recovered.

On the next drive, the Deacs went three-and-out, quarterback Riley Skinner's three passes falling incomplete. Backup kicker Shane Popham, in for senior Sam Swank, missed his second field goal of the game, kicking his 47-yard attempt wide left. 

Late in the first quarter, Wake middle linebacker Stanley Arnoux recovered a fumble on Maryland's 25-yardline, setting up a short field for the Deacs.

Wake, however, could not find the end zone or collect any points on the drive. Two dropped passes forced a 40-yard field goal attempt by Popham. He missed wide right.

Popham, in his second career start, replaced Swank who was listed as questionable for this game with a leg injury.

Maryland went ahead 7-0 at 10:59 in the first quarter after running back Da'Rel Scott teamed with wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey for a nine-yard touchdown pass. Scott took and pitch and rolled right, tossing a high pass into the right side of the end zone that Heyward-Bey leaped high to grab over Wake's Brandon Ghee.

Swank warmed up before today's game, dressed in full uniform before the start, but did not come out in the first quarter to kick or punt. 

He strained his right quadriceps muscle on Oct. 6 and it appears the injury will keep him from his second straight game.

The senior kicker, who is Wake's all-time leading scorer, came out to the field at Byrd Stadium an hour and half before the noon kickoff. He warmed up but did not attempt a field goal. He tried a pooch kick, but mostly watched as Popham booted field goals.