By Heath Bradley.

By Heath Bradley

CLEMSON – October 15, 2011 was a day most Clemson fans will look back to and realize it most likely took a few years off of their lives.

On that night, No.8 Clemson traveled to College Park, Md., to take on the 2-3 Terrapins. The 6-0 Tigers found themselves in a dogfight, one that they would not take control of until late, much later than expected.

The Tigers, who will host Maryland Saturday in Death Valley, took an early 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter on an 18-yard Chandler Catanzaro field goal. Clemson was forced into a field goal after the drive stalled at the Maryland 1-yard line.

Clemson did not hold the lead for long as Davin Meggett struck for the Terps, scoring from nine yards out to give the Terrapins a 7-3 lead with just five minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Terrapins lit up the scoreboard again quickly, this time on Cameron Chism’s 46-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The score left the Tigers down 14-3 with just over two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Andre Ellington put the Tigers in the end zone for the first time with a minute remaining in the first quarter, scoring on a 3-yard run to pull the Tigers within four at 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was all Maryland. Meggett reached pay dirt for the second time one minute into the second quarter. The touchdown gave the Terrapins a 21-10 lead, a lead they would not waste any time adding on to.

Maryland quarterback C.J. Brown, who had recently replaced Danny O’Brien as the starter, scampered 21 yards through the Clemson defense to give the Terrapins a 28-10 midway through the second quarter. Down 18 points, Clemson was able to find the end zone before halftime on a 6-yard reception from Nuk Hopkins.

This touchdown shrunk the Terrapins lead to 11, leaving the Tigers trailing 28-17 at the half.

The Tigers did not get off to the start they wanted in third quarter, as Brown hit tight end Matt Furstenburg for a 22-yard touchdown two minutes into the half, stretching the Terrapins lead back to 18 points.

Down 18 points in the third quarter, Sammy Watkins sparked the Clemson offense making a great catch for a 13-yard touchdown to pull the margin to 35-24 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter. After the two teams traded field goals, the score was 38-27 Maryland with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

With just over three minutes remaining Boyd once again hit Watkins, this time for a 15-yard touchdown, and the Tigers also convert the two-point conversion attempt, leaving the Tigers only trailing 38-35 heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter was all Clemson as the Tigers wasted no time finding pay dirt. Boyd found Jaron Brown for 12-yards and a Clemson touchdown to give Clemson a 42-38 lead with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Maryland was not going to go down without a fight however, marching right back down the field, and regaining the lead on a 32-yard pass from Brown to Furstenburg, putting the Terrapins ahead, 45-42, with 7:35 remaining. This lasted only last 11 seconds.

Sammy Watkins took the Maryland kickoff 89-yards down the Clemson sideline to put the Tigers infront, again, 49-45. It was a lead they never relinquish.

Andre Ellington slammed the door shut on the Terrapins with a 44-yard touchdown scamper with under four minutes remaining.

The Tigers escaped College Park with a 56-45 win, moving them at the time to 7-0 and 4-0 in the ACC. Boyd passed for 270 yards and four touchdowns, while Ellington rushed for 212 and two touchdowns. However, true freshman Sammy Watkins stole the show once again for the Tigers, accumulating 345 all-purpose yards, a Clemson record, while scoring three touchdowns.