North Carolina State University Athletics
Maryland vs. NC State: It's BIG!
11/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 16, 2001
By Tony Haynes
National television, bowl scouts and a sold out crowd. This one has all the makings of a good one. Ninth ranked Maryland (9-1, 6-1) wants outright possession of the ACC title while NC State (6-3, 4-3) wants national recognition and a sweet bowl trip.
It is absolutely going to be a good one.
There certainly will be no shortage of big game suspense on Saturday night when the Terrapins and Wolfpack clash in one of the most intriguing match-ups the ACC has produced this season. Both teams are playing their best and both have an awful lot at stake.
What more could one want.
This one started looking huge at about 6:55 last Saturday night when NC State became the first team since Florida State entered the ACC in 1992 to beat the Seminoles in Tallahassee. The outcome of that game gave Maryland no worse than a tie for the league title, and it may have also changed the perception of football in the ACC.
Look at it this way: even thought Florida State is facing Florida on Saturday night, it would be hard to argue that the game in Raleigh will be far more attractive to viewers watching throughout ACC territory.
Maryland's ascension to the top of the ACC standings as been as sudden as it has been surprising. After posting a 5-6 record a year ago, the Terrapins went out and hired offensive guru and Maryland alum Ralph Friedgen as their head coach. The rest, they say, is history. If Annie Sullivan was the miracle worker, what exactly does that make Friedgen?
Not only would a win on Saturday give Maryland outright possession of the ACC title, it would also send the Terps to a BCS bowl game. Ladies and gentlemen don't adjust your computer screens.
"I'm a little concerned that our team has never been in this position before going to a bowl game, but the season is not over," Friedgen said. "We have to understand the opportunity that we have, we have everybody telling us how great things are, but we still have another game to play. This might be the test of the year. Every week we have needed to get back up for a game and I think this is one that we have to play if we are to be successful."
Opportunistic has been Maryland's middle name this season. The Terrapins are ranked second in the nation in turnover margin at plus 17. They also happen to lead the ACC in two crucial categories: rushing offense and rushing defense.
"We have a team that's coming in here that's awfully good," said NC State head coach Chuck Amato. "They're 9-1 and are ranked in the top 10. They've got the leading rusher in the conference (Bruce Perry) and it goes on and on and on."
Perry is much like his team, someone who has come out of nowhere to establish himself as one of the best runners in the nation. The sophomore, who has rushed for more yards (1,151) all by himself than Terp opponents (959), is averaging 115 yards per game.
"I think he's a great back," said NC State linebacker Levar Fisher. "But then again I think we play the option better than most teams. That's how he's had a lot of success with the sweep and the option play. He's going to have some moments on Saturday but at the same time, we're going to do everything to put a great plan together and stop their main plays."
The Maryland defense also has something to worry about. With tailback Ray Robinson rushing for more than 100 yards in each of NC State's last three games, the Wolfpack has become a more balanced offensive football team. With Robinson running and quarterback Philip Rivers doing the passing, the NC State offense has averaged 419 yards over its last three games, including a season-high 463 last week in Tallahassee.
[Rivers] is a young guy who is very mature for his age," Friedgen said. "Mechanically, he doesn't do things the typical way, but his results are not typical either. He has an amazing ability to throw the ball and to see the field. He is a tough guy too. He is dangerous and we're going to have our hands full with him."
With two regular season games remaining, Rivers has already passed for more yards (5,144) and touchdowns (39) than any other sophomore quarterback in ACC history.
NC State has won eight of the last 10 meetings and holds a 28-25-4 advantage in the all-time series. After overcoming a 21-7 halftime deficit last season, the Terrapins went on to beat the Wolfpack in double-overtime 35-28.
