A Bowling Green receiver takes a knee in the end zone after beating cornerback Sean Davis for a touchdown during Maryland’s 48-27 loss to Bowling Green on Sept. 12 at Byrd Stadium.

The Terrapins football team’s extra defensive conditioning didn’t appear to pay off Saturday.

Last week, Bowling Green’s fast-paced offense ran 85 plays in a 50-39 loss to Tennessee. So while preparing for the Falcons, Terps coaches extended plays in practice to keep the team running.

Despite the preparation, the Terps struggled late against the Falcons’ offense, surrendering 42 points in the second half of a 48-27 loss. The Falcons had 692 yards of total offense, including 445 in the second half.

Though the Falcons ran 105 plays compared to the Terps’ 59, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue didn’t use fatigue as an excuse after the dispiriting loss.

“Of course you’re going to be tired being out there for so long,” said Ngakoue, who had a team-high three sacks. “But we still have to fight and push. That’s what practice is for.”

Throughout the game the Falcons targeted cornerback Sean Davis, who played safety for most of the past two seasons. Wide receiver Roger Lewis was matched up against Davis for much of the game and hauled in 15 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

Lewis’s big day was part of a larger problem. The Terps gave up 36 completions, 491 passing yards and six touchdowns to quarterback Matt Johnson. Aside from Ngakoue, the Terps struggled to make plays in the Falcons’ backfield. Ngakoue had three of the Terps’ four sacks and three of the team’s five tackles for loss.

“We have great DB’s,” Ngakoue said. “When our DB’s are clicking, it gives us, the D-line, a better chance of getting to the quarterback.”

The Falcons compiled 247 yards to the Terps’ 187 in the first half, but trailed by six points after a couple of key-fourth down stops for the Terps defense. Plus, the Falcons missed a 27-yard field goal and had a failed two-point conversion.

The second half began on an ominous note for the Terps. On the Falcons’ first play from scrimmage, Johnson and wide receiver Robbie Rhodes combined for a 64-yard completion. While another missed field goal negated that drive, a touchdown the next drive tied the game at 13.

With the score knotted at 20 late in the third quarter, the Terps started to unravel. In a stretch spanning more 14 minutes, Bowling Green scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions.

Ngakoue said the Terps were prepared for Bowling Green’s high-octane offense. Nothing surprised them.

The Terps defense had chances to get off the field in the second half, coach Randy Edsall said, but struggled in those key situations. In the first half, the Falcons were 3-for-9 on third down conversions and 1 of 3 on fourth down.

Yet in the second half, the Falcons were 5-for-9 on third downs and converted their lone fourth down.

“We did a pretty good job of making some plays in the first half,” Edsall said. “In the second half we just didn’t make any plays. We had opportunities.”