Terrapins Perfect From the Start

Midway through the third quarter, the Maryland fans at Byrd Stadium in College Park, Md., began mimicking the Florida State war chant, chopping their arms in unison.

Bring on the Seminoles!

Unbeaten Maryland will enter next Saturday’s game against Florida State riding a seven-game winning streak and the confidence generated by a 59-17 rout of Duke in an Atlantic Coast Conference game on Saturday.

“Everybody knows you have to knock off Florida State. They’re the champions,” said Maryland’s Tony Jackson, who had five tackles and an interception. “We’re ready to run the table.”

The Terrapins made 34 first downs, amassed 697 yards and punted only once--on the final play of the game.

Shaun Hill passed for 323 yards, ran for 105 and led the 12th-ranked Terrapins to touchdowns on their first six possessions as Maryland (7-0, 5-0 in the ACC) built a 42-10 halftime lead.

The 59 points are Maryland’s second-most in an ACC game--behind only a 62-point effort against Virginia in 1975.

There was speculation the Terrapins might come out flat against the Blue Devils (0-7, 0-5), but Coach Ralph Friedgen had the Terrapins ready to play.

“I guess that answers the question of if we’d have a letdown,” Friedgen said.

The Terrapins, who haven’t been to a bowl game since 1990, are virtually assured of ending that run--regardless of what happens against Florida State. The 7-0 start is the team’s best since 1978 and the seven victories its most since 1985, the last time Maryland won an ACC title.

“Maryland certainly made us look bad, defensively,” said Duke Coach Carl Franks, whose team has lost 19 games in a row. “They had 438 yards at halftime. That’s scary.”

No. 21 Florida State 43, Virginia 7--Bobby Bowden tied Pop Warner for third place on the career victories list with 319, only four behind Bear Bryant and Joe Paterno, as the Seminoles rolled at Charlottesville, Va.

“It’s amazing. It doesn’t mean a dang thing,” Bowden said. “The win is what means something. We won a game.”

The Seminoles (4-2, 3-1) had lost two of three, uncharacteristic for a Bowden team.

After leading, 10-7, at halftime, William McCray scored on a one-yard run and Abdual Howard returned a tipped passed 80 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to get the Seminoles on their way.

The interception essentially secured the outcome and reserves led Florida State to 17 more points in the fourth quarter for a 33-point half against the Cavaliers (3-4, 2-3).

“We finally put a four-quarter ballgame together,” Bowden said. “We hadn’t done it all year. ... Tonight’s the first time we finally came out and did something in the third quarter and the second half.”

Florida State limited Virginia to 148 yards while piling up 396 in the first three quarters. The teams pulled their starters in the fourth. The Seminoles finished with 533 yards, the Cavaliers with only 201.

“When you end up with seven points, it’s hard to say we had a good night,” Coach Al Groh said after the Cavaliers suffered their third loss in a row.

No. 23 Georgia Tech 27, North Carolina State 17--The Yellow Jackets overcame five missed field goals--including two blocks--and held off the Wolfpack at Atlanta.

All-ACC kicker Luke Manget was 10 of 12 entering the game but hooked his three misses that cleared the line of scrimmage. Two bounced off the left upright.

He made a 50-yarder for Georgia Tech’s final points, tying a career long, but also shanked a kickoff out of bounds.

“I think before today, I had never missed more than two kicks in the same game,” said Manget, who attempted a school-record seven field goals. “I hope I got all of my bad kicks out my system.”

George Godsey was 24 of 39 for 256 yards and two touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets (5-2, 2-2).

North Carolina State’s Philip Rivers, who sat out six plays in the third quarter because of cramping, threw for 223 yards, including a 55-yard scoring toss to Jeremy Mebane on his first play back.

The Wolfpack (3-3, 1-3), last in the ACC in rushing, managed only 41 yards on the ground.

“When you can run the ball, it makes the passing game that much easier,” Wolfpack Coach Chuck Amato said. “We’ve got to make plays when we get the opportunity.”