Why Maryland Football Will Continue to Be Clemson's Nemesis

At this point in the season, the average Maryland Terrapin football fan might feel a little like the neophyte gambler playing craps by himself in a cruise ship casino. Twenty dollars goes on to the table, and 45 white-knuckled minutes later, they've somehow managed to double their money.

At 4-1, the Terps have now doubled last season's win total. And they've been doing it with a gambler's panache, relying on big plays (on both sides of the ball) to secure close games.

To this point, however, the competition has been pretty soft, and the wins have come almost by default. But now, on the horizon, I think I see...oh, no! It's Minnesota Bob and Rusty Nails McGee headed this way, twirling poker chips nonchalantly between their fingers. Time to cash out, methinks.

But then, I look a little closer. Why, that's not Minnesota Bob after all! It's just the Clemson Tigers.

Let it ride.

Now, I'm not saying this Saturday's game in Death Valley is a sure thing. Despite their record and rather modest opponents, the Terps seem at times to be hanging on by one of Tony Logan's shoelaces. The team is in the midst of an I-don't-care-what-the-coaches-call-it-it's-still-a-quarterback-controversy quarterback controversy.

Redshirt freshman Danny O'Brien has been nursing a high ankle sprain and started his first game just two weeks ago. Still, with a 51 percent completion percentage, 500 passing yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions in two starts, he seems to have done more to earn the spot than unseated incumbent Jamarr Robinson, who has an injured shoulder and worse numbers than O'Brien.

And yet, the controversy persists, mainly because Ralph Friegen insists that Robinson can and should still be used, thus refusing to acknowledge the controversy and thereby perpetuating it.

Injuries have added further instability to the Terrapins lineup. Wide receiver Torrey Smith, the team's best player, is playing on a gimpy ankle. Now linebacker and defensive leader Adrian Moten is balky as well. Injuries at tight end and along the offensive line have turned a suspect Maryland blocking game into a pile of oily rags.

These injuries are making Maryland that much more of a gamble. When this team's playmakers go down, you're robbing them of their essence. Maryland ranks 82nd nationally in total defense, but fourth—FOURTH—in red zone defense and sixth in turnover margin.

When they have the ball, the Terps are 94th in total offense, but 51st in yards gained per play. They are tops in punt return yardage (thanks to Logan, the Terps' best return man in almost a decade), and Smith is third in the nation with 23.7 yards per catch. In last weekend's win over Duke, two of Maryland's three touchdowns came on plays of 84 and 71 yards, and the third was set up by an interception in the Terps' own end zone.

That's living on the edge, my friend. When you live by that sword, sooner or later you're going to get cut.

So why the hubris going into Death Valley? Any Maryland or Clemson fan can fill you in; the Terps have bested the Tigers each of the past two years, in three of the past four, and six of their past nine contests. That's not quite "We Own You" status, but it's clear someone has someone else's number. Especially when you consider that Clemson, for years now, has failed to answer the bell in big games, while the Terps have thrived as the underdogs.

And wouldn't you know it, it looks like Clemson football is again a heavy favorite, now receiving a whopping 15 points from the Vegas oddsmakers. Once again, no one believes in this Maryland football team.

So far this season, Clemson is 91st in red zone defense. They produced more offense than North Carolina last week but still managed to lose the game. They were beating a terrific Auburn team before they let it get away in overtime. The coaching staff, and players, don't seem to play with a lot of, uh, conviction.

Still, to be fair, Clemson hasn't been very susceptible to big plays. In other words, then, this team is Steady Eddie...until crunch time, that is.

With two solid running backs in Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington, Clemson may be looking to pound the ball this Saturday. That would seem to favor the Tigers. Clemson's three losses have been close, and they've shown more consistency on both sides than Maryland. But at the same time, if other B/R articles are any indication, fans are dangerously close to panic button mode.  To put it mildly, they are seeing some things they don't especially like.

And when it comes to Maryland, nothing is a sure bet for Clemson.  That's why the Terps should shock some people (again) by pulling out another upset this Saturday in South Carolina.