Liveblog! NC State @ Maryland -- First Half

[12:00PM] We're just about ready to go, now that another exciting episode of WRAL's Brain Game is over. I'm feeling about as nervous as I have all season.

[12:04PM] Dang, we're going with the white top/red pants combo. I like the all-white on the road.

[12:05PM] By the way, Lincoln Financial's musical intro is worse than College Gameday's. Yikes.

[12:06PM] Martin just called Demarcus Tyler "Demetrius."

[12:08PM] Martin says that every game between these teams over the last five years have been decided by five points or less, which isn't true, right? Didn't we win 13-3 in '04?

[12:12PM] Okay, Maryland with the ball first. Let's see how the run defense looks early. And... twelve yard run for Lance Ball right off the bat. D'oh.

[12:15PM] Three runs so far. Great play by Ray Brooks on second down, setting up third and long. Screen on third down is sniffed out pretty well by the Pack...Maryland must punt. Good work, fellas.

[12:17PM] Andre Brown with a big run on first down! Not quite as much success on the next play.

[12:18PM] False start makes third-and-middle a third-and-long instead. We especially can't afford to do that to ourselves on third down. And we run a safe play on third like Maryland did, netting us absolutely nothing.

[12:20PM] When was the last time we had a good punter?

[12:21PM] Plenty of seats available in College Park.

[12:23PM] Maryland fumbles a reverse but they get it back. Maybe a good omen there?

[12:24PM] More very conservative playcalling on third down for UMD. Hollenbach hasn't been allowed to throw downfield yet.

[12:28PM] Toney Baker is on the field for the second series, gets about six on a pair of runs. Run, run, pass. Blackman makes the catch on third, and should have it with a proper spot.

[12:29PM] And he does...first down. One for two on third downs. Toney Baker is not gettin' much so far.

[12:30PM] Timeout NC State. And we almost made it through the entire quarter without having to call one.

[12:33PM] My favorite running play brings up another third-and-middle. Sure would be nice if we could get first downs without having to go to third all the time.

[12:34PM] Passing game is teh suck so far. Hooray two-yard pass on third-and-four.

[12:36PM] Big gain for Maryland on a screen. Pack's run defense continues to look solid. They needed to hold to get a decent gain.

[12:38PM] Maryland converts a short third down and is officially driving.

[END OF FIRST QUARTER]

[12:41PM] Eighty-one total yards for UMD, 43 for us in the first.

[12:43PM] We look a step slow defensively. Hollenbach finally went downfield and got a nice gainer.

[12:45PM] Five wide for Maryland on third down, we finally get some pass rush. Hollenbach fires it into the endzone while getting hit, but no one is there. Field goal attempt is good. 3-0, Terps.

[12:46PM] 'k, a little offense here would be appreciated. Don't make me beg. We've got one 21-yard run and a whole heap o' nothin'. Andre Brown should be back on the field for this next series.

[12:48PM] Never mind...Brown's got a shoulder injury. Wonderful.

[12:49PM] "I don't think so," says Walker. I thought Baker definitely got the first. Which he did.

[12:51PM] Evans sacked on first down. There goes this possession.

[12:52PM] Draw on second-and-17. Let's just forfeit now if we're going to "play not to lose." It's punting time once more.

[12:54PM] Deraney kicks another lame one. Terps with great field position. Sigh.

[12:56PM] Last week, reverses. This week, screens. We do have a defensive coaching staff, right?

[1:00PM] Okay, well, held them to three again. The way they were rolling up yards, it looked like they'd get seven for sure. Could we WAKE UP now?

[1:03PM] Hey, it's first down pass!

[1:05PM] We've strung a couple of first downs together. Keep throwin' it, I say. Un near midfield after an Evans scramble.

[1:07PM] Brown drops a screen pass, probably for the better. Shotgun draw gets four on second down, setting up another third. Marcus Stone was in the game on third down and handed the ball off to Baker...WTF? I hope Evans is okay.

[1:10PM] Evans injured or moronic third-down playcall? Hopefully the latter. Still, it's hard to imagine them wanting to run a play like that on third-and-6.

[1:12PM] Evans is back, so...was the Stone thing just a moronic playcall? Yeah.

[1:14PM] Stone was put in to run an option play, according to Hogewood. Worst. Goddamn. Call. Ever.

[1:16PM] In other news, the offense has a 3rd-and-8 coming up after the UMD timeout. Please throw the ball here.

[1:18PM] And what I meant by that was, of course, run a draw for a first down.

[1:20PM] Yikes...Evans throws it back across his body to the middle of the field. He was also across the line of scrimmage at the time.

[1:22PM] Very confusing calls at the end here. Throw on first down, then a run and we don't stop the clock. Then we throw on the last play of the half when we're too far for the hail mary? Maybe they coulda returned the INT for a score! Glad we gave them a chance.

[1:24PM] Halftime. I am going to go make a stiff drink.