CLEMSON, S.C. - The interceptions sat in the middle of Scott McBrien's stat line, standing out ahead of the quarterback's 13 completed passes out of 23 attempts for 153 yards.
The eyes scanning the box went right to the three picks, even ahead of the three touchdowns he threw, or the one score he ran for in Maryland's 30-12 victory over Clemson on Saturday night.
"It's a shame, because he made some great throws, too," coach Ralph Friedgen said after his team's eighth straight win moved the Terrapins (9-2, 5-1) to No. 18 in the latest Associated Press poll.
But the three interceptions, McBrien's college career high for a game, may have better shown his evolution as a quarterback than just the one he had thrown in the previous seven weeks.
McBrien had seen days start like this. His initial throw was incomplete to Chris Downs in the flat. His third, an attempt to Scooter Monroe, was picked up by Clemson's Justin Miller.
Similar setbacks came against Notre Dame and Florida State, where things began badly and went downhill. This time, he showed an ability to bounce back.
"My offense stuck behind me - they knew what I was going through," McBrien said. "They never put their head down, and nor did I."
Clemson's secondary may find those interceptions nice for its scrapbook, but maybe the defenders should have let those passes fall incomplete. After each of his mistakes, McBrien made the Tigers pay his next time on the field.
The first time, he eluded Clemson pass rushers and split for a 54-yard run that set up the Terrapins' first score about nine minutes into the game.
After Mo Fountain batted and caught a pass from McBrien at the start of the third quarter, McBrien completed three of his next four passes. Jeff Dugan caught the last one in the end zone, a 4-yarder, for a 23-9 lead with 5:13 left.
The final 20 minutes were a mere exercise, but McBrien responded to his final interception - Miller's second - by leading Maryland on a 64-yard drive. He ran for a 3-yard touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter.
For as much as Clemson's inability to take advantage of the miscues and Maryland's knack for minimizing the damage on defense played a part in helping McBrien, it was the Maryland quarterback who kept misfortune from snowballing.
"He was struggling," Friedgen said. "But I don't think he panicked at any time. He did some good things, too."
Dugan, not much of an entity in Maryland's passing game, was much more of a presence against Clemson. He nearly had his first touchdown catch in the second quarter. McBrien threw a pass in his direction, but it was Jafar Williams who caught the ball for a 34-yard score.
"He threw it was out there and it looked like it was mine," Dugan said. " ... It just missed my hands, and it went into Jafar's hands."
For the second time in four years, the game between Maryland and Virginia on Saturday in Charlottesville, Va. - won't be for just any old stakes.
If Florida State wins this weekend and gets the Atlantic Coast Conference's Bowl Championship Series berth, the Terrapins and Cavaliers are both playing for the Gator Bowl, which goes to the second-place team.
Maryland can clinch that spot with a win; a loss could still make the Tangerine Bowl a possibility.
Next for Terps
Matchup: No. 18 Maryland (9-2, 5-1) vs. Virginia (7-4, 5-2)
Site: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, Va.
When: Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: ESPN2/WBAL (1090 AM)
Line: Maryland by 8 1/2