COLLEGE PARK, MD - There is only one word that can be used to describe Saturday's Maryland-Virginia game: sloppy. Cold, persistent rain made for a contest riddled with fumbles, interceptions, and sacks, giving Virginia it’s third straight win over Maryland on Saturday night, 20-9. The Terps have dropped four of their last five games, making a bowl game appearance virtually impossible unless they win four of their next five games.

 

“I'm frustrated, I know the fans are and I know our players are but the only solution I know is to keep working. We have to stay together as a team and not point fingers,” Maryland Head Coach Ralph Friedgen said. “I think everyone has to be accountable and see what we can do individually to improve. I thought we were on the right path and the elements had something to do with it, but that's a fact of life."

Maryland’s defense kept them in the game, going into halftime with a 6-3 lead, holding the Cavaliers to 12 yards on 15 plays in the second quarter.

The Terps scored all of their points on Nick Ferrara field goals, and held a 9-6 lead late in the third quarter, until Virginia defensive end Nate Collins scored on a 32-yard interception return giving the Cavaliers the lead for the remainder of the game.

“The defense only gave up 13 points and I feel like we were playing together well,” Junior Linebacker Adrian Moten
 said. “We wanted to come out and eliminate the big plays on defense and I know our offense wanted to come out and create the big plays. We just had too many turnovers to win the game tonight."

Ferrera kept the Terps in the game with his three field goals, but couldn’t connect on either of his attempts in the fourth quarter. Rashawn Jackson ultimately sealed the game for Virginia, scoring with 1:43 left after quarterback Chris Turner’s incomplete.

Despite the Terps season-high five sacks, the defense was unable to make up for the offenses four turnovers. Turner had two of the four —being intercepted twice.

Maryland headed to the locker room embarrassed and discouraged, as many of their fans were.

"It is frustrating. We practice hard all week and then we come out and we played pretty well defensively. Any other day if there wasn't a torrential downpour and the balls were dry we would have had a better outcome,” Turner said. “We should've, would've, could've, but you can't make excuses that's just the way it was. It just wasn't meant to be.”

The Terps will look to redeem themselves on the road next Saturday at Duke, where they hope to break their two game losing streak.