Clemson rebounded in the second quarter with ten unanswered points, giving the Tigers a 16-7 lead heading into halftime.
Albert Reid started the quarter with a 23-yard run, bringing the Terps to the Clemson nine-yard line. Two plays later, Caleb Rowe was intercepted in the end zone by Jayron Kearse, who returned it to the 25.
Clemson drove down the field with relative ease, setting up another crucial third-down opportunity near the goal line. The Terrapin defense held up for the third time on the day, forcing a third Chandler Catanzaro field goal. Clemson took the lead 9-7 on the 25-yarder.
Maryland's next drive stalled with Ricardo Young getting quite a few snaps. On third-and-three, he took a zone read up the middle but was stuffed, forcing a punt.
Clemson opened up on their next drive when Boyd completed a third-down screen pass to Sammy Watkins, who powered forward for a 21-yard gain. The Terrapins came through with another huge third down stop, as Yannick Ngakoue broke through for a sack of Tajh Boyd. That turned an almost guaranteed scoring opportunity into a punt, giving the Terps the ball.
Maryland went three-and-out with the help of a false start penalty, giving Clemson the ball near midfield. With nine seconds left in the half, Boyd found Jordan Leggett in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown, making it 16-7.