SOUTH ROUNDUP : Maryland Steals the Show From Clemson, 53-23

With representatives of the Independence and Aloha bowls watching Clemson, John Kaleo passed for 418 yards and five touchdowns as Maryland ended the Tigers’ bowl hopes with a 53-23 Atlantic Coast Conference victory Saturday at College Park, Md.

Clemson needed victories over Maryland, 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the ACC, and South Carolina next week to qualify for a bowl game.

Maryland’s 53 points were the most allowed by Clemson since South Carolina scored 56 in 1975.

The Tigers (5-5, 2-3) managed only one touchdown against a Maryland defense that gave up 69 points last week to Florida State. Nelson Welch kicked five field goals for Clemson.

The Terrapins led, 39-17, after three quarters, scoring six touchdowns in the middle quarters. After Clemson closed to 39-23 with 12:27 left, Kaleo hit Marcus Badgett with a 15-yard touchdown pass to wrap up the victory.

Kaleo completed 27 of 41 passes, eight to Badgett for 184 yards. He threw scoring passes on plays of 69 yards to Jermaine Lewis and a 38 yards to Badgett as the Terrapins took a 20-12 halftime lead.

Wake Forest 23, Georgia Tech 10--Keith West passed for 238 yards and a touchdown as the Demon Deacons extended their longest winning streak in 48 years to six games by defeating the Yellow Jackets at Atlanta.

Wake Forest (7-3, 4-3), which won its first seven games in 1944, eliminated Georgia Tech (5-5, 4-4) from bowl contention. Coach Bill Dooley registered his 97th ACC victory, the most in conference history, breaking a three-way tie with former Clemson coaches Frank Howard and Danny Ford.

The Deacons built a 23-3 lead on West’s 51-yard touchdown pass play to Bobby Jones, Nel Moultrie’s one-yard scoring run and field goals of 37, 32 and 47 yards by Mike Green.

No. 14 North Carolina State 45, Duke 27--Anthony Barbour scored two touchdowns and became the fifth Wolfpack player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season in an ACC victory over the Blue Devils at Raleigh, N.C..

N.C. State (8-2-1, 5-2) clinched a tie for second place in the ACC in front of scouts from the Blockbuster, Fiesta, Gator and Peach bowls.

Six turnovers contributed to Duke (2-8, 0-7) losing its 12th consecutive ACC game.

The Wolfpack defense gave its struggling offense a boost as Carl Reeves returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown and Damien Covington had a 27-yard interception return for a score. The N.C. State defense has scored at least once in each of the last three games.

Southern Mississippi 13, Virginia Tech 12--Lance Nations kicked a 22-yard field goal with 1:34 left and the Golden Eagles (7-4) kept their bowl hopes alive by beating the Hokies at Blacksburg, Va.

It was seventh consecutive loss for Virginia Tech (2-7-1), its worst stretch since 1951.

East Carolina 35, Arkansas State 18--Junior Smith rushed for 232 yards and two touchdowns in 31 carries as the Pirates downed the Indians (1-9) at Greenville, N.C.

Sean McConnell threw three scoring passes for the Pirates (5-5).