PASADENA, California — In the past two weeks, Malik Washington couldn’t lead a game-winning or tying drive for Maryland football. Amid a poor performance on Saturday against UCLA, he broke that trend.

The freshman quarterback orchestrated a touchdown drive to tie the game with less than a minute remaining.

It didn’t matter.

The Terps’ defense allowed the Bruins to drive 68 yards in 33 seconds as Maryland lost on a game-winning field goal to UCLA, 20-17, at Rose Bowl Stadium. The Terps’ defense has now conceded 44 points across the last three fourth quarters — with three consecutive losses after leading into the fourth.

“Our defense gave us a chance to win the game today, and I thought the other two phases … did not do their parts in order to complement the way we played good defense,” coach Michael Locksley said. “Our lack of offense in the first half and three quarters, it’s disappointing.”

Maryland recorded only 112 passing yards in the second half against a defense that entered without an interception, last in the Big Ten in sacks and third-worst in opponents points per game.

[Zahir Mathis nearly quit football. Now he’s flourishing at Maryland.]

Washington finished with a season-low 210 passing yards and missed throws throughout the contest — including a pass behind receiver Kaleb Webb resulting in a fourth-quarter interception.

Maryland’s (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) offense scored only three points until Washington’s late drive, including stalling on a few red zone trips. The Terps, who entered averaging the fewest rushing yards in the Big Ten, struggled establishing any ground game.

Running back DeJuan Williams finished with 47 rushing yards on 3.4 yards per carry, though the redshirt freshman did add a team-high 86 receiving yards.

The running woes came after Maryland rushed for nearly five yards per carry against Nebraska in what Locksley said was the team’s best rushing performance this season.

Against the Bruins, Washington led with 67 rushing yards, including 39 on Maryland’s final drive. Locksley said it was by far the best he’d seen the quarterback identify coverage drops and quickly check down or scramble.

“We just got to figure out a way to put it all together,” Washington said. “The past two weeks, we couldn’t get that last drive. This week, we got it, but we needed something earlier in the game.”

Before Maryland’s final drive, the Terps’ sole touchdown came defensively — their fourth of the season and second in two weeks.

[Penalties have been a recurring issue for Maryland football under Michael Locksley]

Cornerback Jamare Glasker intercepted UCLA (3-4, 3-1 Big Ten) quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the third quarter and returned it eight yards for a score. Maryland picked off the sophomore twice and boasts 14 interceptions this season after snagging only nine last year. The Terps’ plus-11 turnover differential ranks atop FBS schools.

But Maryland’s defense, playing shorthanded, allowed 196 yards in the fourth quarter.

Freshman edge rusher Zahir Mathis, who tied for the team’s most sacks across its first six games, missed the contest due to injury. The defensive line was thinned further when edge rusher Trey Reddick was ejected in the first half for targeting.

Leading tackler Daniel Wingate suffered an injury in the second half and safety Jalen Huskey, who notched an interception, was also ejected for targeting. Huskey will miss the first half of the Terps’ next game, while Reddick will not.

“It’s hard, because these are our playmakers, these are our guys who can make a play,” junior defensive lineman Dillan Fontus said.

The conversation three weeks ago revolved around whether Locksley could win after the bye week — which he is now 0-10 after at Maryland after the Washington loss. Recently, it’s shifted more towards the team’s inability to close games, which Locksley said was on him after the loss to Nebraska.

Now, conversations about both will heighten with Maryland on another bye before hosting No. 3 Indiana.