Maryland upsets #5 Florida State, 20-17

Joel Statham tossed for 333 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown to Josh Allen, as Maryland held on for a 20-17 upset of fifth-ranked Florida State and its first-ever win over the Seminoles. Statham also ran for a score while Vernon Davis had six catches for 99 yards for the Terrapins (4-4, 2-2 ACC), who had dropped the previous 14 meetings between the two schools.

Maryland had never come closer than 14 points against the Seminoles, and it seemed unlikely that the pattern would change during a season in which Statham had struggled to the point of putting his starting job in jeopardy. But the sophomore repeatedly pierced the nation's eighth-ranked defense with slant patterns and screen passes, finding seven different receivers in going 21-for-40 with one interception. On third down, he was 8-for-15 for 134 yards.The Terrapins' defense was equally impressive in their first win over a top 10 team since 1990.

After the teams traded field goals in the opening quarter, the Terrapins outscored Florida State by a 10-0 margin in the second and never looked back. Nick Novak split the uprights from 45 yards out early in the stanza before Maryland found the end zone less than four minutes later. A 35-yard run by JoJo Walker on a reverse put the Terps in enemy territory and a 33-yard hookup between Statham and Davis got the ball down to the two-yard line. Statham ran it in on a sneak two plays later for a 13-3 cushion and the first touchdown allowed by the FSU defense in 13 quarters.

The Seminole defense picked up the offense's slack at the start of the third quarter as Antonio Cromartie picked off a Statham pass to the flat and returned it 40 yards to pay dirt to get his team within three. Maryland answered right back with a big scoring play on the ensuing drive to maintain its breathing room. Allen took a swing pass to the right and weaved his way through the defense for a 72-yard TD.

FSU quarterback Rix found Chauncey Stovall for a scoring strike to pull within 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter. After holding the Terps to three plays and a punt, Rix hit Dominic Robinson for a 30-yard reception to get the ball into field goal range, but Beitia missed again from 45 yards out to take the wind out of FSU's comeback sails. Maryland, though, could not get a first down on the ensuing possession to run out the clock, handing the ball to Florida State at its own 18 with 2:38 to play. After a 14-yard completion to Lorenzo Booker, the Seminoles had four consecutive plays without a gain to seal the Maryland victory.