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COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (Ticker) -- Any bowl hopes Maryland had were dashed when Dan Ellis found Billy McMullen with a 20-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds remaining, lifting Virginia to a 34-30 Atlantic Coast Conference victory. Maryland (5-6, 2-6 ACC) rallied from a 17-point first quarter deficit and looked like it was going to become bowl elgible for just the second this decade when Brian Kopka booted field goals of 25 and 22 yards in the fourth quarter. The last kick, a 22-yarder with 5:16 left, gave the Terrapins a 30-27 lead. The victory by Virginia (7-4, 5-3 ACC) spoiled a huge effort by Maryland running back LaMont Jordan, who set a school-record with 306 yards on 37 carries. He had TD runs of nine and 90 yards. However, Ellis, capped his big day with his fourth TD pass of the game to give the Cavaliers the victory. Ellis completed 21-of-34 passes for 276 yards and was intercepted once. The Terrapins have not been to a bowl since 1990 when they posted a 34-24 victory over Louisiana Tech in the Independance Bowl. Trailing 17-3 after one quarter, the Terrapins got even before halftime on a nine-yard TD run by Jordan and a 17-yard touchdown pass from Randall Jones to John Waerig. Jordan's 90-yard run early in the third quarter put the Terrapins ahead before David Greene kicked a 43-yard field goal and Ellis found Casey Crawford with an 11-yard TD pass, giving the Cavaliers a 27-24 lead entering the fourth quarter. Thomas Jones, who came into the game leading the nation in rushing, had 91 yards on 28 carries for Virginia, which concluded its season and is bowl eligible. Jones' 1,798 yards this season set a conference record, eclipsing the 29-year mark of 1,720 set by North Carolina's Don McCauley.
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