Virginia Defeats Maryland At Home, 31-23
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Oct. 7, 2000
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A perfect first quarter from Dan Ellis and threefirst-half touchdowns by Tyree Foreman gave Virginia a 28-3 first-half lead,and the Cavaliers held on to beat Maryland 31-23 on Saturday.
Ellis was 6-for-6 for 148 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter asVirginia took a 21-0 lead. But an injury forced Ellis out of the game in thesecond quarter, and the Terrapins came back within a touchdown in the fourthquarter before Virginia’s ground attack locked up the win.
Virginia (4-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) opened the game with a13-play, 80-yard TD drive, capped by Tyree Foreman’s 4-yard run. The drivecontinued thanks to a fourth-and-1 dive by Antwoine Womack on Maryland’s 5-yardline.
Ellis’ pass completions of 41, 23 and 24 yards led the Cavaliers to theirsecond score. Foreman’s 2-yard run capped the six-play, 89-yard drive.
Byron Thweatt set up the Cavaliers’ third TD of the quarter, picking offCalvin McCall’s pass near midfield. Tavon Mason beat Tony Okanlawon for a36-yard TD catch on Virginia’s next play from scrimmage and the Cavs led 21-0.
Virginia led 28-3 and appeared ready to put the game away, driving intoMaryland territory with less than two minutes left in the half, when ShawnForte picked off Ellis’ pass and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. Ellispulled while pursuing Forte and was replaced by freshman Bryson Spinner.
Ellis left the game with a strained right hamstring and did not return. Hefinished 10-of-15 for 208 yards and a touchdown.
The Terps (2-3, 0-2) converted on a Virginia miscue when Okanlawon pickedoff Spinner’s first pass attempt of the game, a long bomb that gave Marylandthe ball at its own 24. Five plays later, Matt Kalapinski took a screen pass 61yards for a touchdown to make it 28-16 with 1:39 left in the third quarter. A2-point conversion attempt failed.
Another freshman, Matt Schaub, replaced Spinner in the fourth quarter.Schaub led the Cavs on a nine-play, 49-yard drive that ended in a 48-yard fieldgoal by David Greene.
McCall answered by leading a 79-yard TD drive. On fourth-and-9, he hit JasonHatala with an 18-yard TD pass to make it 31-24 with 5:44 remaining.
Virginia put the ball on the ground and Maryland didn’t get the ball backthe rest of the game.
LaMont Jordan, who ran for a school-record 306 yards last year againstVirginia, left the game twice because of injuries, the first a hip pointer. Hefinished with 78 yards on 20 carries.