COLLEGE PARK -- It began fittingly enough with a Rutgers linebacker intercepting Chris Turner's first pass and returning it for a touchdown 13 seconds into the game.
After that, Maryland's turnovers seemed to multiply like the raindrops that pelted the soggy, announced crowd of 43,848 at Byrd Stadium.
Collecting three interceptions and two fumbles, the Scarlet Knights used two defensive touchdowns to defeat the Terrapins, 34-13, sending Maryland to its worst record after four games since Ralph Friedgen became head coach in 2001.
"It's hard," said Turner, the senior quarterback who threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the end zone for a third-quarter Rutgers touchdown. "This is the first time in my career I feel very responsible for the loss."
Four times, Maryland has started 2-2 since Friedgen's first season. But never worse than that.
The schedule turns mercilessly harder for the Terps (1-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who host Clemson (2-2, 1-1) next week in Maryland's first conference game. "If we keep playing like this, we're not going to win a game the rest of the year," Turner said. "We have no other choice but to just fix it."
Maryland had just 28 rushing yards and was penalized 10 times for 85 yards. The penalties and turnovers led to the Terps unraveling in what had been a competitive game until the fourth quarter. Now, Maryland's season is in danger of unraveling, as well.
"I'm very disappointed," Friedgen said. "I'm sure our players are. I'm sure our fans are."
Friedgen had talked last week about how badly his young Maryland team - eight Terps made their first career starts in the opening-game loss to California - needed a win to develop a positive self-image. He said he emphasized avoiding turnovers in practice and guarding against the penalties that had marked the season's opening games. But what Friedgen got from his players Saturday was more of the same.
"Over the years, it's been a trademark of ours that we didn't do things like that. I don't know what our turnover ratio is," the coach said. "It's got to be unbelievable."
Maryland has given the ball away 13 times and forced three turnovers.
Every time the Terps seemed ready to make a statement Saturday, the ball would pop loose and onto the wet grass. A final fumble was recovered by Terps offensive lineman Justin Gilbert in the fourth quarter, sparing further embarrassment.
