ACC leaves bowl on winning note

Maryland sent the Atlantic Coast Conference out of the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl a winner. The league, which has provided a team to the Boise-based bowl game for the last six years and seven of the last eight, is not under contract to send a team here next season.

The bowl game is contracted with the Mountain West to take its No. 5 team in 2009 and hopes to sign a long-term deal with the Mountain West or Pac-10 beginning in 2010.

With Maryland's win, the ACC - which has participated in seven of 12 H-Bowls -is 5-2 in the game. Maryland was the sixth different ACC team to play in the game, joining Georgia Tech (twice), Miami, Boston College, Virginia and Clemson.

"It's brought the East Coast to Boise, Idaho," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said. "Those are games that wouldn't happen in Bronco Stadium without the bowl."

Members of the East Coast media often deride the game, but the ACC teams almost always have pleasant things to say about the bowl. Maryland was no different.

"I had a great time here, to be honest. A lot of us didn't know what to expect. Idaho's not a state anyone I know has been to," Maryland quarterback Chris Turner said.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT'S BIG DEBUT

Brian White, a third-year graduate assistant, had an auspicious debut as the Terrapins' special teams coordinator.

Freshman Torrey Smith broke a 10-year-old Humanitarian Bowl record with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter. He broke the record of 98 yards set by Idaho's Jerome Thomas in 1998. Smith also broke the ACC single-season record for kickoff-return yards.

The Terrapins also used their special teams to dominate field position throughout the game. The Wolf Pack started eight of their first 11 drives at their own 20-yard line or worse.

"Brian White did an unbelievable job as the special teams coach," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said.

White replaced special teams coach Danny Pearman, who left for a job at Clemson after the regular season.

"Taking a graduate assistant and putting him in that capacity was a little bit scary, but he's an exceptional young coach," Friedgen said. "In my 40 years, he might be one of the best if not the best graduate assistant I've had. I knew he could get the job done. We've been trying to break a kickoff return all year and we finally got one."

It wasn't all smooth sailing for White, though.

On the kickoff after Smith's touchdown, the ball started to fall off the tee as Maryland kicker Obi Egekeze approached. Egekeze kicked the ball as it fell - and it bounced directly to Nevada front-line blocker Andy McIntosh, who rumbled 36 yards to the Maryland 9-yard line.

Egekeze also missed a PAT in the first quarter. Maryland had made 99 straight PATs.

"At that point in time, I'm saying, 'What's next? Good Lord, give me strength,' " Friedgen said.

DOUBLE FUMBLE

Maryland caught a break - although just temporarily - when Turner fumbled but right tackle Scott Burley stripped Nevada linebacker Brandon Marshall.

Burley also recovered the fumble, giving the Terps a first down.

Five plays later, Turner fumbled again - and this time defensive lineman Nate Agaiava safely pounced on the ball.

Nevada defensive end Dontay Moch forced both Turner fumbles.

H-BOWL RECORDS

Here are the records that were set during Tuesday's game:

INDIVIDUAL

Average yards per carry: Da'Rel Scott, Maryland (14-174, 12.4). Old record: P.J. Daniels, Georgia Tech (2003), 9.9

Passing yards: Colin Kaepernick, Nevada (370). Old record: Lee Roberts, Southern Miss (1998), 342

Total offense: Colin Kaepernick, Nevada (385). Old record: Bart Hendricks, Boise State (1999), 361.

Receptions: Mike McCoy, Nevada (13). Old record: Sherrod Gideon, Southern Miss (1998), 12

Punts (tie): Brett Jaekle, Nevada (8) and Travis Baltz, Maryland (8). Old record: Johnny Ayers, Boston College (2005), 8.

Kickoff return: Torrey Smith, Maryland (99). Old record: Jerome Thomas, Idaho (1998), 98.

TEAM

First-half points (tie): Maryland (28). Old record: Idaho (1998), 28.

Punts: Maryland (8) and Nevada (8). Old record; Boston College (2005), Boise State (2002), 8.

GAME

Most points (tie): Nevada-Maryland (77). Old record; Idaho-Southern Miss (1998), 77.

Punts: Nevada-Maryland (16). Old record: Boise State-Iowa State (2002), 15.

QUICK HITS

Maryland posted its 600th win in program history. Maryland defensive lineman Jeremy Navarre finished his career with 47 starts.