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COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (Ticker) -- It's still tough to tell how good Maryland is. Duke is another story. Shaun Hill and Marc Riley accounted for five touchdowns as the 14th-ranked Terrapins trounced the lowly Blue Devils, 59-17, in an Atlantic Coast Conference mismatch. "Well, I guess that answered the question of whether we would have a letdown," said first-year Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen, whose team travels to Florida State next week. Maryland (7-0, 5-0 ACC) had a 21-0 lead midway through the first quarter and didn't punt until the game's final play, moving within one win of a school-record 8-0 start. What a start it has been for Maryland, a former ACC doormat which is rewriting the school's record book. The Terps had not won seven games in a season or five in the conference since 1985 -- also their last 7-0 start. But now they are in contention to win their first ACC title since that same season. "We are just trying to play all of these games one at a time and get through the season and go 11-0," wideout Scooter Monroe said. Although its year includes last week's win over then-No. 15 Georgia, Maryland has not been tested much, also defeating North Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Virginia. "What's really remarkable about these kids is they have never been in this position before," Friedgen said. "After last week and the euphoria that was around here, they never lost focus. They were ready to play today." Next week is a different story as the Terrapins travel to Florida State. They also host 15th-ranked Clemson on November 10. "I expect to win," Friedgen said of next week's matchup. "This is an opportunity for us, and I know how good Florida State is. It's going to be a war. If we're going to win, it needs to be a war." "We are playing with a lot of confidence and we seem to be getting better every week," Hill added. "I think we are entirely capable of going down there to get a win." Meanwhile, the Blue Devils (0-7, 0-5) are in a familiar position -- winless. Their 19-game losing streak is the longest in the nation. Things started poorly and got worse for Duke, which has been outscored 283-105 this season, allowing 31 points or more in all but one game. "We are playing with some guys who probably need another year before they should be playing college football," Duke coach Carl Franks said. Maryland held a 697-296 advantage in total yardage, rushing for 362 on 54 carries. Hill ran 11 times for 105 yards and two scores and completed 26-of-32 passes for 323 yards with a TD and interception. Hill began the rout 2:40 into the opening quarter, scoring on a two-yard run. Bruce Perry and James Lynch added TD runs 54 seconds apart later in the period for a 21-0 lead. Duke got on the scoreboard late in the opening quarter on a TD pass from D Bryant, but got little else. Bryant was just 12-of-29 for 160 yards and threw a trio of interceptions. Hill added a short TD pass 59 seconds into the second quarter, and Riley turned one of Duke's four turnovers into a one-yard scoring run just 88 seconds later. The Terrapins entered the locker room with a 42-10 lead after Hill's one-yard run with 6:50 left. The Terps had not scored 42 points in a half since November 10, 1984, when Frank Reich led them to the greatest comeback in college football history -- a 42-40 victory over Miami. Riley and Latrez Harrison added touchdown runs in the second half for Maryland, which had its most productive day since a 53-23 win over Clemson on November 14, 1992.
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