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Clemson returns to ACC play against Maryland

Sep 27, 2008 - 10:06 AM Maryland (3-1) at (19) Clemson (3-1), 12:00 pm EDT

CLEMSON, South Carolina (Ticker) -- Clemson hopes running back James Davis is back to the form he showed the previous two seasons while rushing for 1,000 yards.

Fresh off a 54-0 drubbing of South Carolina State, Davis and the 19th-ranked Tigers return to Atlantic Coast Conference play Saturday when they host Maryland.

Davis opted to return to Clemson after considering the NFL draft but had gotten off to a slow start this season, averaging just over 50 yards in the Tigers' first three games.

He finally got on track last week, rushing for 95 yards in limited duty before heading to the bench. Davis had runs of 23 and 25 yards on the Tigers' first possession and scored three touchdowns in the first half, helping the Tigers build a 30-0 halftime lead. But his success came against an overmatched opponent.

"We've just got to continue to get better and better each week," Clemson quarterback Cullen Harper said. "I think our confidence is right where it needs to be going into this stretch of ACC games."

Saturday begins a stretch in which the Tigers (3-1, 1-0 ACC Atlantic) will play seven straight conference opponents.

Picked as the ACC preseason favorite, Clemson opened conference play with a lackluster 27-9 victory over North Carolina State on September 13, a game in which the Tigers were guilty of a number of mistakes.

Saturday marks the conference opener for Maryland, which seems to have turned things around following a slow start in which the Terrapins posted an unimpressive win over Delaware (14-7) and lost to Middle Tennessee (24-14).

But a 35-27 win over California on September 13 seemed to rejuvenate Maryland (3-1, 0-0 Atlantic), which followed up that victory with a 51-24 romp of Eastern Michigan. Chris Turner has four touchdowns in the last two games after tossing three interceptions in the defeat to Middle Tennessee.

"I think we are getting better," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. "This will be a tough stretch for us right now. We go down to 'Death Valley' to play one of the most outstanding teams in the country and then we will go to Virginia, which is always a tough game for us.

"This is an important part of the season for us, and we need to gain momentum."

Last season, Clemson posted a 30-17 victory at Maryland, with the Tigers' backfield tandem of Davis and C.J. Spiller each rushing for more then 100 yards.

Two years ago, the Terrapins posted a 13-12 win at Clemson on Dan Ennis' 31-yard field goal as time expired.