COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Blue Devils went into Byrd Stadium looking to upset the No. 12 team in the country. They left just plain upset.
A week after nearly pulling off a come-from-behind victory against Wake Forest, Duke (0-7, 0-5 in the ACC) extended its losing streak to 19 games by allowing Maryland (7-0, 5-0) to score touchdowns on its first six possessions en route to a 59-17 victory.
The Blue Devils' defense seemed to be stuck in slow-motion, as the Terrapins marched down the field at will, racking up 697 yards of total offense before the final whistle blew.
"The way they just went up and down the field--they have a great team," Duke coach Carl Franks said. "Unfortunately, we are playing with some guys who probably need another year before they should be playing college football. I just thought we played so bad defensively."
Maryland showed its dominance early, scoring 21 points in the game's first nine minutes. Terps quarterback Shaun Hill was instrumental in leading his team, driving it 58 yards in only 2:13 before plunging into the endzone to score the game's first points.
A Bruce Perry run made the score 14-0, and Terrapin fans began to sense the lopsided nature of the game. Wearing "F--k Duke" T-shirts and screaming loudly, the Maryland student section created an atmosphere that only further intimidated the young Duke team. The Blue Devils' very next play from scrimmage resulted in a Tony Jackson interception, and two plays later James Lynch tore through the Duke line for Maryland's third touchdown in as many possessions.
"They were an outstanding offensive football team today," Franks said.
The Terrapins' offensive display was highlighted by Hill, who decimated the Blue Devils both through the air and on the ground. While his 323 passing yards were impressive, it was the senior's option-based ground game that left the Blue Devils bewildered. Hill amassed a team-high 114 rushing yards and scored twice, as Duke could not seem to figure out how to stop him.
"At the beginning it seemed like we couldn't figure out who had the quarterback," Franks said. "Shaun Hill had some big runs.
"I don't know what we can learn from this game except for the fact that we need to learn what to do. We certainly need to learn how to play the option."
The Blue Devils' woes even extended to their special teams play. After Chris Douglas returned a second quarter kick to his team's 23-yard-line, Duke elected to accept a penalty on Maryland and force the Terps to rekick. This time, Kyle Moore had the ball bounce squarely off his chest and onto the ground, where Maryland's Curtis Williams recovered the fumble. Three plays later, Marc Riley plunged in from a yard out to make the score 35-7.
Halftime did little to stop the bleeding, as the Terrapins scored on two of their first three possessions to open the second half. Only after Riley's second touchdown of the game made the score 52-10 did Maryland coach Ralph Friedgan show some mercy, sending backup quarterback Latrez Harrison and tailback Jason Crawford into the game.
"We played about everybody we could," Friedgan said. "I think it's great for the program, especially when it's Homecoming weekend, to give everyone some experience. It's a good feeling."
Even the Terrapin backups were too much for the Blue Devils, as Harrison engineered a 13-play, 77-yard drive that ate up over six minutes before finding paydirt. Only on the last drive of the game did Maryland punter Brooks Barnard see any action, booting a 43-yard punt as time expired.
"It's only the second game I've ever been involved in my life when the other team didn't punt until the last play of the game," Franks said.
After the carnage subsided, an elated Freidgen was anticipating next week's clash against Florida State, while Franks was already looking down the road to next season and another shot at Maryland.
"Hopefully we'll be better prepared and in better shape to give them a better game next year," he said.
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