COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Chris Turner threw for 321 yards to back a strong defensive showing by Maryland, which struck a high note in an up-and-down season by beating No. 21 Wake Forest 26-0 today.

It was the fifth straight win over a Top 25 team for the Terrapins (5-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Maryland also defeated California and Clemson this season, but lost 24-14 to unheralded Middle Tennessee State and 31-0 to Virginia.

Turner completed 28 of 41 passes, the last a 50-yard touchdown to Danny Oquendo. Darrius Heyward-Bey had a career-high 11 catches for 101 yards and Obi Egekeze kicked four field goals to help the Terrapins move into a tie atop the league's Atlantic Division.

Wake Forest (4-2, 2-1) was in sole possession of first place before being rendered helpless by a defense that had two weeks to think about its misdeeds against Virginia. The Terrapins' last shutout of a ranked opponent was Sept. 24, 1955, a 7-0 win over top-ranked UCLA.

Riley Skinner, who came in as the league's top-ranked passer, went 14-for-30 for 127 yards.

The Demon Deacons absorbed their first shutout in 124 games since a 42-0 loss to Air Force in September 1998. The last time Wake Forest was blanked in an ACC game was in 1996, 52-0 at Maryland.

The Demon Deacons were without injured kicker Sam Swank (leg), the school's career scoring leader. Redshirt freshman Shane Popham missed field-goal tries from 40 and 47 yards.

Maryland's Da'Rel Scott fumbled three times in the first half, but finished with 70 yards rushing and threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Heyward-Bey.

Turner had 186 yards passing in the first half, and the Terrapins limited Wake Forest to 106 yards in offense in building a 13-0 lead.

Maryland won the toss, elected to receive and proceeded to move 58 yards in nine plays to go up 7-0. Turner went 4-for-5 for 40 yards and Heyward-Bey caught three passes for 27 yards, including a touchdown toss from Scott.

The Terrapins' next possession ended when Scott fumbled a handoff and Wake Forest recovered on the Maryland 25. Four plays later, Popham missed a 40-yard field-goal try.

Scott's third fumble came in the second quarter as he was trying to struggle for extra yards. The Demon Deacons recovered on the Maryland 30, but after tight end Ben Wooster dropped a third-down pass inside the 10, Popham's field-goal attempt from 47 yards sailed left of the uprights.

Two plays later, Turner threw a 41-yard pass to Heyward-Bey, who leaped between two defenders and juggled the ball before making the catch on his back. That led to a 40-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead.

Late in the half, Turner moved the Terrapins 52 yards in 60 seconds before Egekeze kicked a 39-yard field goal.

Maryland's first drive in the second half produced a 35-yard field goal, and Egekeze added a 26-yarder late in the quarter.