CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - In the midst of his post-game comments yesterday, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen thought it nice to let the players know that their 59-7 beating of North Carolina made them bowl-eligible for this season.
And to show how things have changed since the Terrapins last played the Tar Heels, the players responded with a sarcastic howl of "yoo-hoo."
Seven games, the threshold Maryland (7-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) cleared yesterday with its first win in Chapel Hill since 1988, now seems much more pedestrian than it did when the team beat Carolina, 23-7, 14 months ago in the season opener.
"Now it's more like what bowl are you going to, that's what we're thinking," senior receiver Scooter Monroe said. "People care, but it's not like it was last year."
In rolling over North Carolina (2-7, 0-5) to set up next weekend's showdown against No. 10 North Carolina State (9-1, 4-1), which lost to Georgia Tech yesterday, 24-17, the Terrapins again showcased their big-play potential that was missing last season (save for running back Bruce Perry). That ability, combined with their mainstay defense, might make the Terps more dangerous than last year's Orange Bowl team.
On the way to scoring the most points by either team in the series, Maryland scored 52 of its points in barely two quarters (30:05). The team fell behind 7-0 early before burying Carolina, using an 80-yard pass play from Scott McBrien to Monroe, another Steve Suter punt return for a touchdown, and two of Chris Downs' four touchdowns.
Overall, the Terps had seven plays of 30 yards or more. The 588 offensive yards - including 388 on the ground - were the team's best of the season and the second-best output during Friedgen's short tenure.
Monroe had three catches for 167 yards (including a 70-yarder that set up another score), McBrien passed for 190 with just six completions and Downs had 157 rushing yards on 19 carries.
"I thought we had playmakers," Friedgen said, "but now you're starting to see."
There's little drama in a 52-point blowout, but Suter provided another highlight with just under six minutes left in the second quarter, streaking down the left sideline amidst penalty flags all against the Tar Heels. The most pertinent of them was on a Carolina defender in Suter's face - violating the halo rule that requires 5 yards of room.
Suter didn't panic, saw teammate Domonique Foxworth blocking for him, went left, shuffled right and back left again toward the sideline and found a crease before accelerating for a 77-yard touchdown.
It was Suter's fourth touchdown off a punt return this year, tying an NCAA Division I-A record that's shared by seven others.
"I guess it means I'm doing my job," said Suter, who also broke the ACC record for punt return yardage with 574. "Because I'm a slot guy, we don't play as much, so I try to help the offense as much as I can on special teams."
Downs, who ran for three touchdowns against Georgia Tech two weeks ago, had already run for a 9-yard score before he took a pitch from McBrien and ran 36 yards for another with 1:11 left in the half. He ran into traffic on the left side before cutting right and bowling past North Carolina lineman Madison Hedgecock and into the end zone from 5 yards out.
After the run - which followed the Suter run for a 31-7 lead - he later had scoring runs of 1 and 6 yards.
"I just wanted to make something happen, not wanting to get hit," Downs said of his longest run. "Once I got to the 5-yard line, I didn't have much space to work with, so I had to lower my shoulder and went off him from there."
There actually was a competitive portion of this game beyond kickoff. Carolina wanted to throw at the Terps and succeeded initially, with passes of 24 and 39 yards by C.J. Stephens to Sam Aiken and Chesley Borders, respectively.
The passes led to a 1-yard sneak by Stephens at the 8:34 mark, only the second first-quarter touchdown allowed by Maryland this season.
"Things looked good for about six minutes, didn't they?" North Carolina coach John Bunting said. "And then they went right down the tubes."
It was also the final time Carolina would make any headway against a defense that entered the game ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense - limiting opponents to 15.9 points a game.
Getting three sacks and eight tackles from Shawne Merriman and getting Curome Cox's second interception in as many games, Maryland didn't need to defend territory beyond its 47-yard line again until the team had been leading by 45 points.
"I didn't think we played as well defensively this week at times," Friedgen said, "but obviously when you hold a team to seven points, you are doing something right."
NOTES: The N.C. State game will start at noon Saturday at Byrd Stadium and will be broadcast on ABC. ... Suter's ACC record breaks the mark of 515 set last year by Georgia Tech's Kelly Rhino. ... Before Downs (now with 13 touchdowns), the last Maryland player to score four rushing touchdowns in a game was LaMont Jordan against Clemson in 1999. ... Josh Allen also chipped in with a 60-yard touchdown run and also had 91 yards on six carries.
Next for Terps
Opponent:No. 10 N.C. State
Site:Byrd Stadium, College Park
When:Saturday, noon
Record:9-1
Yesterday:Lost to Georgia Tech, 24-17
Happy returns
Terps sophomore Steve Suter, from North Carroll, tied a Division 1-A record yesterday with his fourth punt return for a touchdown this year. His scoring returns:
Date Opp. Yds Res.
11-3 UNC 77 W, 59-7
10-26 Duke 63 W, 45-12
10-5 W.Va. 80 W, 48-17
9-7 Akron 81 W, 44-14