One controversial call almost cost the Terrapin football team a chance for its biggest win of the season. But Dan Ennis wouldn’t let it.
In the final minutes, Sam Hollenbach led the Terps from their 34 yard line into Clemson territory. He took it himself on a crucial fourth-and-inches play with just over a minute left. From there, the Terps got down to the 11 yard line and Dan Ennis drilled the game-winner from 31 yards away as time expired to give the Terps the 13-12 win.
The Terp players mobbed Ennis and pushed the senior kicker back several yards in celebration.
It was Friedgen’s greatest win since 2003, and he fought back tears in the post-game press conference.
“It was an unbelievable game by our players. They just won’t give in,” Friedgen said. “Our character came through and I’m just really touched by these kids.”
Those kids seemed to be robbed minutes before the wild celebration. Sophomore linebacker Erin Henderson ripped the ball out of the hands of Clemson quarterback Will Proctor and the Terps looked to have a safety as the ball was recovered just over the goal line. But after a very long review, the referees ruled it to be Clemson’s ball on the one-yard line.
Two plays later, Proctor hit tight end Thomas Hunter on a 71-yard pass, and the Tigers scored on a field goal – Jad Dean’s fourth of the game – to take a 12-10 lead.
The Terps led at halftime, 7-6, and after a big stop on Clemson’s fourth down try, looked like they would add another touchdown. Senior quarterback Sam Hollenbach found tight end Jason Goode on a 57 yard pass, where Goode stopped to catch the pass and scampered to the four-yard line. Unable to reach the end zone, the Terps took a 10-6 lead on a 31-yard field goal by senior Dan Ennis.
Will Proctor and Clemson drove on the Terps a couple of times in the third quarter, but finished with only a field goal early in the fourth.
Though they couldn’t score on their first drive, the Terps marched 66 yards for their first touchdown of the game. Coach Ralph Friedgen elected to go for it on 4th-and-6 from Clemson’s 34-yard line and was rewarded, as Sam Hollenbach completed a pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey for the conversion.
Several plays later, Hollenbach zipped the ball to an open Danny Oquendo, who fell backward into the end zone.
On Clemson’s first drive, quarterback Will Proctor connected with receiver Chansi Stuckey on a 60-yard gain. Even with a Terp penalty later, Clemson had to settle for a field goal to go up 3-0.
The Terps held Clemson to its second-lowest point total of the season, not allowing a touchdown.
The Terps (7-2, 4-1 ACC) – for the time being – are on top of the Atlantic Division. Boston College and Wake Forest play tonight at 7:00 p.m. The Terps host Miami next weekend, before ending the season at Boston College and home against Wake Forest.
In preparation for playing two more division games, Friedgen likened this win to playoffs.
“I told the team they just won the first round of the playoffs,” Friedgen said with a bright smile. “This is a very big win for us.”
