RALEIGH, N.C.—The gritty Terrapins were able to fight past an early, crucial mistake only to have that mistake cost them in the end as they fell to North Carolina State 31-38.

 

On the first play of the game, Terps senior quarterback Chris Turner threw a pass that was intercepted by NC State defensive end Willie Young. Young’s interception set up quarterback Russell Wilson’s touchdown pass to George Bryan two plays later that put State ahead 7-0 and the Terps in a come-from-behind position with not even one minute expired on the game clock.

Seemingly not shaken by his early interception, Turner drove his offense down the field on the ensuing Terrapin possession completing six of seven pass attempts for 71 yards. Junior running back Davin Meggett was then able to rush from the one-yard-line to put the Terps on the board.

NC State was then able to score from their own 27-yard-line, (after a Terrapin penalty on the kickoff), again in under two minutes with the second of Wilson’s four touchdown passes; this one to wide receiver Donald Bowens.

With State now up 14-7, the Terrapin offense sputtered on its following possession going three and out. State received the ball at their own 32-yard-line and began moving downfield but the Terrapin defense was able to force a punt on a fourth and eleven. However, the Terrapins were penalized with a five yard penalty for running into the kicker. Sensing that their drive had new life, and not yet in their kicker’s range, State decided to go for the first down on fourth and six, but Terrapin linebacker Alex Wujciak had other plans. Wujciak was able to intercept Wilson’s pass and take it 70 yards for a game tying touchdown.

The interception for a touchdown was Maryland’s first since the 2006 season when Erin Henderson did it against Virginia.

NC State was able to add on a field goal later in the first quarter to go up 17-14.

After a 28-yard kick off return by Torrey Smith, Turner was able to lead the Terrapins down the field and eventually run it in himself for a touchdown, rallying the Terrapins past the early interception to put them in front, 21-17.

State was able to answer with another Wilson touchdown pass to a third receiver (Darrell Davis) on another drive that was assisted by Terrapins penalties. On the Terrapins following possession, a Turner completion to Smith for a first and ten from about midfield, turned into a first and 25 thanks to yet another Terrapin penalty.

Three plays later Turner was injured. “I think it's his MCL,” Head Coach Ralph Friedgen revealed. “We're not sure yet how severe it is. He possibly could be done for a couple weeks...just depends on how severe it is.”

NC State gained possession right before half with yet another 15-yard Terrapins penalty but their drive ended on an interception in the endzone by Richard Taylor.

NC State led at half 24-21.

On their first possession after half, NC State was able to methodically drive 82 yards downfield before another Wilson touchdown, this one of the running variety.

On the ensuing kickoff, Maryland’s Smith did some running of his own, taking the return 82 yards for a touchdown. The Terrapins were able to pull within 31-28.

(Torrey Smith is one of the Terps’ few bright spots this season. His 82-yard kickoff return Saturday tied Maryland’s single season record and set the Terps’ career mark at three.)

With Turner injured, the Terps rolled out sophomore Jamarr Robinson to play quarterback and the transition was not a very smooth one. Robinson went 0-4 on his first four pass attempts and kicker Nick Ferrara missed on a 47-yard field goal attempt.

NC State was able to extend their lead to 10 for the second time in the half after a Wujciak pass interference penalty turned a fourth and goal situation into a first and goal situation.

With NC State up 38-28, Robinson, who is from North Carolina, was able to settle in to complete 5-5 passes and had a couple of decent runs to get the Terrapins within range for Ferrara to kick a 31-yard field goal.

Up 38-31 NC State proceeded to whittle down the game clock. The Terrapins were, however, able to receive the ball on a turnover of downs with under a minute remaining.

The Terps seemed to have a chance with Robinson running on plays for 11 and 19 yards but took a crucial sack in mid-drive and eventually came up short on a fourth and 18 incompletion.

“In the two-minute drill, I thought he did some good things for us,” said Coach Friedgen of his young back-up. “You can't take that sack there, but all of this was experience for him. Overall, I thought he made some plays. He gives us some mobility which is good.”

The Terrapins defense was able to force four turnovers on NC State while the offense only relinquished one for the whole game

Saturday’s game was one of the seemingly rare occasions in which theTerrapins were able to win the turnover battle this season but they fell short in the penalty department with 10 for 91 yards, four of which led directly to NC State first downs and scores. The penalties incurred by the Terrapins not only extended drives for NC State but allowed State to gain a time of possession advantage of nearly 10 minutes for the game.

“It's a tough loss. I'm very proud of our guys though,” said Coach Friedgen. “They didn't quit and gave everything they had. They're scrapping out there now. But we couldn't get a break. Seemed like every time we got a positive play, we had a penalty.”

The Terps will try to hold everything together as they return home for their next contest which is against Virginia Tech-ranked 23 in the BCS standings.