Cav-nots

It's difficult to isolate the lowest point in a season replete with embarrassment for the Terrapins football team.

But it can't get much lower than a resounding home loss to a regional rival on senior day that officially eliminated the Terps from postseason eligibility with three games to play.

The Terps lived that nightmare Saturday, surrendering the game's final 24 points in a 31-13 loss to Virginia and walking out of Byrd Stadium for the final time this season after yet another unsightly performance.

With a disjointed offensive attack defined by five turnovers and four quarterback changes, a defense that again couldn't avoid the big play and porous special teams, the Terps ensured a losing season in coach Randy Edsall's first season in College Park.

"I feel bad for the seniors not being able to go out with a win," Edsall said. "It's just disappointing that we didn't come away with a win. There was things that we did out there, and then there were things we didn't do, and that's kind of been the story of the season. Big plays against us on defense have hurt us all year long, and not being able to make some plays offensively is what has hurt us."

It didn't take long for the Cavaliers to jump ahead. After returning the opening kickoff beyond midfield, running back Perry Jones burst through the line for a 47-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

But unlike in recent weeks, the Terps overcame their slow start. After a first-quarter field goal, Edsall replaced starting quarterback Danny O'Brien with C.J. Brown, who orchestrated an 83-yard drive to put the Terps up 10-7 five minutes into the second quarter.

And while the Terps stretched their lead to six points late in the second quarter with a goal-line field goal, their inability to convert on three consecutive runs from within the 2-yard line ultimately swung the tide of the game.

Virginia capitalized on a blown coverage on the ensuing drive for an easy 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Rocco to give the Cavaliers the lead — and the momentum — going into halftime.

They never looked back. Virginia (6-3, 3-2 ACC) finished the game with 24 unanswered points to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007 while effectively ending any hopes for a positive end to a disappointing season for the Terps (2-7, 1-5).

"It was only 13-7, then they come down and score before halftime. That's a big momentum shift," wide receiver Quintin McCree (seven catches, 117 yards) said. "Down the goal line, that's money time. You're only 1 yard from the end zone. You just have to execute. We killed ourselves this game."

Jones finished the game with 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Rocco threw for 307 yards and two more scores.

On the other sideline, things were far less cohesive. While Edsall said he had planned for Brown to come in for a series in the second quarter, the switching didn't stop there. As the Terps struggled to find a rhythm in the second half, a run of seemingly reactionary quarterback switches only made things worse.

Virginia safety Rodney McLeod finished the game with three interceptions as the Terps, yet again, could do little to move the ball.

"It's difficult, but you've got to prepare," Brown said of the constant quarterback changes. "You've got to go in and do what you can do, and unfortunately, today wasn't one of those days where it was easy to stay warm and stay loose."

The loss leaves the Terps in a familiar position entering this week of practice. Losers in five straight games, the team will again spend the week pondering what to do to turn things around.

Only now, it's preparing for the remaining three games with the understanding that this season has already been branded a failure.

"Who takes a loss well?" defensive tackle Maurice Hampton said. "We lost. It takes a team effort. … You see good things happening in the game, but things just aren't working out. It's not coming together, but eventually, at some point in time, it's going to click for everybody."

"We're not going to slog through anything. We're going to go out there and play hard and work to get better," Edsall added. "What we're going to do is be even more determined to try to get better. One of those goals is gone for this year, but it's all up to us to go out and work to get better."

cwalsh@umdbk.com