| MTSU knocks off Maryland |
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By: By JOSH EZZELL, Post Sports Editor
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Posted: Sunday, September 7, 2008 12:07 am
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MTSU desperately needed a signature win against a big-name program from a big-name conference.
The Blue Raiders got what they desperately needed Saturday against Maryland at Floyd Stadium.
Sparked by excellent defense, MTSU beat Maryland of the Atlantic Coast Conference 24-14 Saturday night in front of 22,605, giving the Blue Raiders their most prestigious win since beating Vanderbilt in 2005. The win is MTSU’s first over the ACC, improving the Blue Raiders’ mark to 1-6 against the power conference. This is MTSU’s fourth win over a program from a power conference. The previous three wins came against Vanderbilt.
“It was a great win for our players, our school and our fans, everyone involved,” said MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill, whose squad improved to 1-1. “I thought it was an awesome win. I’m happy for our players that they could feel the excitement of the fans running on the field to celebrate with them.”
The Blue Raiders showed vast improvement from the season opener against Troy in which they compiled 284 yards of total offense, committed two turnovers and surrendered five sacks. MTSU scored all three times it penetrated the red zone.
“We gave up some big plays, but we kept our composure, and we kept fighting,” MTSU linebacker Danny Carmichael said. “We were not going to let those two big plays affect us. We kept fighting and found a way to win.”
Against Maryland MTSU had 402 total yards, committed only one turnover and didn’t surrender a sack. Maryland, conversely, netted 357 yards, threw three interceptions and gave up three sacks. The Terrapins went 0-for-2 in the red zone.
“We didn’t do a good job coaching or playing,” said Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, whose squad dropped to 1-1. “We didn’t do a good job at all. We are embarrassed with the way we played.”
Leading 17-14 with 22 ticks remaining in the third quarter, MTSU iced the game with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Joe Craddock to Malcolm Beyah.
“(Maryland) hit my leg, and I spun, and my shoe came off,” Beyah said of the touchdown. “I was like, “Forget it.’ I just kept on going.”
Beyah caught four passes for 94 yards, while Wes Caldwell caught six passes for 32 yards. Phillip Tanner led the MTSU rushing attack with 61 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
“These receivers are going to be great,” said Craddock, who was 28-of-40 — the 28 completions mark a career high — for 256 yards and two touchdowns. “They have a lot of talent, and they just need time in the system and they are going to be really fun to watch.”
Carmichael set up the Blue Raiders’ second touchdown by returning an interception to the Maryland 5-yard line. Tanner capitalized with a 1-yard run, giving MTSU a 17-7 lead.
Alex Suber sealed the deal by intercepting Maryland’s Chris Turner in the end zone with 2:18 remaining to play.
“I knew (Darrius Heyward-Bey) was their guy,” Suber said. “They split him out wide. They could one do two things with him — the slant or fade — and I knew the fade was coming.”
MTSU drove 80 yards on 10 plays to start the game, capping the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Craddock to Sancho McDonald. The Blue Raiders made big plays on third down and fourth down during the drive.
On fourth down MTSU faked a punt with Danny DeFatta hitting Alvin Ingle for a 28-yard gain. After two holding penalties by Mark Fisher, putting MTSU in a second-and-goal situation from the 21, Craddock hit Patrick Honeycutt for 16 yards, and MTSU scored on the next play.
“We worked on it all week, and I told (safeties coach) David Bibee, who put it in, that I was going to run it early in the game,” Stockstill said. “We had to do it against their punt safe, and they were in their punt safe, so it was good for us. We executed it well, and it gave us a shot in the arm.”
Maryland answered with a 63-yard touchdown run by Da’Rel Scott, who finished with 123 yards on 11 carries. Maryland’s second score came on an 80-yard pass from Turner to Heyward-Bey.
The Blue Raiders took a 10-7 lead into halftime courtesy of a 31-yard field goal by Alan Gendreau with 6:24 remaining in the first half.
“It’s an awesome feeling knowing the seconds were ticking off and we were going to get this win,” Craddock said. “What a great win for us, our fans, our university.”
MTSU visits Kentucky 6 p.m. Saturday.
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