Wolfpack tops Terps, ends four-game skid

RALEIGH

N.C. State's players got back to the locker room just in time to watch the tape-delayed broadcast of the game-clinching defensive series on television.

After the month the Wolfpack had, it was a moment worth savoring.

Russell Wilson passed for three touchdowns and ran for another, and N.C. State snapped its four-game losing streak by holding off Maryland 38-31 yesterday in a matchup of the ACC Atlantic Division's worst teams.

In a wild game that featured a combined 752 total yards and five turnovers, Wilson was 25 for 38 for 343 yards and the Wolfpack (4-5, 1-4) -- which went 0 for October -- came up with just enough plays to get their second win against a Bowl Subdivision opponent.

"They go in the locker room, it's like they don't know how to win anymore, it's been so long," said Coach Tom O'Brien of N.C. State.

Wilson overcame a career-worst three interceptions with touchdown passes of 17 yards to George Bryan, 35 yards to Donald Bowens and 18 yard to Darrell Davis. Wilson and Jamelle Eugene each had 2-yard touchdown runs.

Torrey Smith returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, the school-record third of his career. Alex Wujciak returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown, while Davin Meggett and Chris Turner had 1-yard touchdown runs for Maryland (2-7, 1-4).

Nick Ferrara's 31-yard field goal pulled the Terps to seven with 4:56 left, then got the ball back with 59 seconds left. Backup Jamarr Robinson, filling in for injured quarterback Chris Turner, led them to the 34 with 22 seconds left but Michael Lemon sacked him with about 15 seconds left and then drilled him as he passed incomplete on the final snap.

"Things kind of opened up for me," Lemon said.

Turner was 12 of 19 passing for 135 yards, but left late in the first half with what Coach Ralph Friedgen said was an injured medial-collateral ligament in his left knee. Friedgen said the severity of the injury hasn't yet been determined.

Turner didn't return, and for a while, the offense seemed to go with him.

Robinson was 5 of 11 for 27 yards. The Terps, who without injured running back Da'Rel Scott have dropped near the bottom of the ACC in rushing offense, had 9 total yards in the third quarter.

This one shaped up as a shootout because in recent weeks, neither team seemed to show much interest in taking care of the ball or playing defense.

The Terrapins entered ranked 11th in the ACC in both total defense and against the pass. The injury-riddled Wolfpack allowed its previous three opponents to gain at least 480 total yards and score at least 45 points. N.C. State, which has lost 12 injured players for the season, was 11th in the league in turnover margin, ahead of only Maryland, which now has lost four straight and seven of eight.

"The difference in the game was, we get some turnovers and don't come out with points," Friedgen said.

Maryland 14 7 7 3 -- 31
N.C. State 17 7 7 7 -- 38

First Quarter

NCSU--Bryan 17 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 14:08.

Maryland--Meggett 1 run (Ferrara kick), 10:25.

NCSU--Bowens 35 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 8:53.

Maryland--Wujciak 70 interception return (Ferrara kick), 4:57.

NCSU--FG Czajkowski 48, :51.

Second Quarter

Maryland--Turner 1 run (Ferrara kick), 12:52.

NCSU--Davis 18 pass from R.Wilson (Czajkowski kick), 7:02.

Third Quarter

NCSU--R.Wilson 2 run (Czajkowski kick), 10:19.

Maryland--Smith 82 kickoff return (Ferrara kick), 10:09.

Fourth Quarter

NCSU--Eugene 2 run (Czajkowski kick), 13:39.

Maryland--FG Ferrara 31, 4:56.

A--55,631.

TEAM STATISTICS

Maryland NCSU

First downs 14 31

Rushes-yards 27-108 41-139

Passing 162 343

Comp-Att-Int 17-33-1 25-38-3

Return Yards 97 24

Punts-Avg. 3-43.7 1-41.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 2-1

Penalties-Yards 10-91 3-10

Time of Possession 25:05 34:55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Maryland, Robinson 9-38, Porzel 4-31, Meggett 9-24, Turner 2-7, Logan 1-5, Tyler 1-5, Team 1-(minus 2). N.C. State, Baker 19-75, Eugene 12-52, R.Wilson 9-11, Spencer 1-1.

PASSING--Maryland, Turner 12-19-1-135, Robinson 5-11-0-27, Team 0-2-0-0, Williams 0-1-0-0. N.C. State, R.Wilson 25-38-3-343.

RECEIVING--Maryland, Smith 8-64, Cannon 3-41, Tyler 2-33, D.Campbell 2-13, Jackson 2-11. N.C. State, Ja.Williams 7-107, Davis 4-54, Spencer 3-59, Baker 3-21, Howard 2-20, T.Gentry 2-16, Bowens 1-35, Bryan 1-17, Eugene 1-9, J.Smith 1-5.