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COLLEGE PARK, Maryland (Ticker) -- Shaun Hill tossed a pair of touchdown passes as Maryland moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 37-20 win over Clemson. Maryland (9-1, 6-1 ACC) gained a one-game cushion over Florida State atop the conference with one game remaining for each team. The Seminoles lost to North Carolina State on Saturday, 34-28. The Terps, who lost to Florida State earlier in the season, can clinch the ACC title at North Carolina State next week. Maryland's nine wins is its most since 1985, when it went 9-3 and last won the ACC. The Terrapins have nine wins for just the 10th in the program's 109-year history and went 7-0 at home for the first time. "One radio station asked me the other day, 'In your wildest dreams, did you ever think that you could be 9-1?'" first-year Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. "And I said, 'Yes, in my wildest dreams.' I always dream wild." After Curome Cox's interception of Woodrow Dantzler, Hill threw an eight-yard TD toss to Bruce Perry to give the Terps a 24-6 lead with 5:26 to go in the third quarter. Dantzler marched the Tigers back down the field, but Tony Jackson intercepted a pass in the end zone with 1:12 remaining in the third quarter to keep the Terps' lead at 18. Nick Novak's second of three field goals made it 27-6 with 12:22 remaining, and Randall Jones intercepted another errrant throw by Dantzler and returned it to the 2-yard line. Marc Riley ran it in on the next play for his second touchdown of the game to give Maryland a 28-point lead with 10:49 to play. Clemson (5-4, 3-4) had won 16 of its previous 20 games against Maryland, including a 35-14 victory last year. In his last home game, senior Guilian Gary snatched a 10-yard pass from Hill with 56 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Terps a 17-6 lead. Gary caught five passes in the first half for 93 yards, while Hill was 10-of-17 for 177 yards. Hill finished 12-of-21 for 189 yards and two TDs with no interceptions. Dantzler was 11-of-22 for 153 yards with three interceptions before being replaced in the fourth quarter. "I don't think there is any doubt, this Maryland team is for real," Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. "I compare them to our team last year. The ball went our way and you get confident. It's a good feeling. Coach Friedgen and his staff have done a great job." The game was Maryland's first sellout since 1995. After it was over, joyous students rushed onto the field and tore down the goalposts. "It was a little scary out there," Friedgen said. "I just turned around to a couple and said, 'Just calm down.' And they did. I was shocked."
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