The Terrapins football team had one of its brightest accomplishments in years within grasp Saturday afternoon but squandered the opportunity with a disheartening 33 minutes of football.

The Terps held a 35-10 lead over Rutgers late in the second quarter and seemed geared to coast to a convincing victory on Senior Day that would have clinched an eight-win campaign in their first Big Ten season. It seemed likely the Terps would blow out Rutgers one week after a gutsy triumph at Michigan and cap a successful season in appropriate fashion.

But then the Scarlet Knights scored just before the half, right after the half and again on their next possession while the Terps offense remained silent. Soon enough, Rutgers had tied the game and then taken the lead and then kneeled down to seal a shocking 41-38 comeback win over the Terps.

Here are a few takeaways from the Terps’ collapse:

WHERE’S THE D?

The Terps defense had been dominant all month entering Saturday. The unit was smothering in a 20-19 win over Penn State on Nov. 1, proved to be a bright spot in a loss at then-No. 12 Michigan State two weeks later and was the difference in the 23-16 win over Michigan at The Big House last weekend.

But in the second half against the Scarlet Knights, the Terps defense looked more unstable than the gingerbread house I made — and watched slowly crumble — this time of year as a 7-year-old.

The Terps allowed Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova to complete 14 of 16 passes for 196 yards in the final 30 minutes. They let the Scarlet Knights score touchdowns on the first four drives of the half. And their 25-point lead slipped away in a jiffy.

“They kept driving the ball downfield, and we had a hard time stopping them,” inside linebacker L.A. Goree said, putting the Terps’ struggles lightly.

The performance put a stain on an overall impressive regular season for the Terps defense. And it cost the team its eighth win.

C.J.’S UP-AND-DOWN DAY

Quarterback C.J. Brown played one of his best halves of the season when the Terps jumped out to a 35-17 halftime lead Saturday. He was 10 of 13 through the air for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters and he ran for 65 yards and a score, too.

But in the second half, Brown completed 4 of 11 passes for 30 yards and didn’t lead a single touchdown drive.

Rutgers linebacker Kevin Snyder called his defense’s performance “half of a gem,” but Brown, a sixth-year senior, and the Terps did themselves in. Brown was off-target on some throws and had to face pressures on others.

The Terps running game struggled late, as well, and the team failed to convert on a late fourth-and-1 that essentially seal their fate.

Brown’s got one game left — whatever bowl game the Terps get invited to — in his long career. If he plays the way he did in the first half against Rutgers, he’ll end his tenure on a high note and put the Terps in position for a win. If his performance resembles what he displayed down the stretch Saturday, it’ll be tough for the Terps to compete with, let alone beat, the team they face.

EDSALL’S MISSED SHOT

Had the Terps continued on with their blowout Saturday and strolled to win, I’d write that coach Randy Edsall deserves a contract extension. He’ll have two years on his deal after this season, and had the Terps left Byrd Stadium as winners, he would have shown improvement in his record each year at the helm and posted a surprisingly impressive 8-4 regular-season mark in the team’s first Big Ten year.

Edsall shouldn’t be fired. Honestly, he should be praised for a season in which he’s lead the team to five road wins. But after Saturday’s collapse, he shouldn’t feel all too comfortable about his career in College Park.

A BAD WAY TO GO OUT

The Terps seniors have been through quite a bit during their time in College Park. Most of them played on a 2-10 team in 2011, Edsall’s first year in College Park, and then suffered through the quarterback carousel of 2012.

But the Terps ended their ACC run with a 7-6 season last year and have had their share of great moments this season.

Saturday, their regular-season careers ended on the sourest note possible.

“Us old guys, we were reflecting on all the memories we’ve made, and we were looking forward to making some today,” senior cornerback Jeremiah Johnson said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the job done.”

And that’s the really the story of the loss to Rutgers. The Terps were on the cusp of great memories, but all the good vibes evaporated on a cool fall night at Byrd Stadium and left the team’s seniors with a bitter taste in their mouth entering preparation for a bowl game.