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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - N.C. State's Robbie Leonard walked slowly off the field at the end of the game as a light rain fell here Saturday evening.

The Pack's senior linebacker gave a slight wave to relatives who had made the trek from the Pittsburgh area to see him play. But the knowing glance could not mask the frustration, especially among the maligned defensive unit.

"This is disappointing. It is pretty frustrating," said Leonard (six tackles), after Maryland's field goal in the closing seconds secured a 27-24 ACC victory at Byrd Stadium.

"We have to learn how to finish in the fourth quarter. We just need to settle down on defense."

The Pack (2-6, 0-4 ACC) lost its fourth consecutive game and has allowed at least 24 points in every game this season. State is the only ACC team without a conference win.

"Well, another tough ending for us. You can't make it any tougher than we did," said State coach Tom O'Brien, who crumpled up a piece of paper after a Maryland official accidentally gave him the box score of the Oct. 18 Wake-Maryland game as he addressed the media.

Maryland (6-2, 3-1), playing before a wet homecoming crowd, had 329 yards of total offense, and running back Da'Rel Scott ran for 169 yards and a touchdown before 45,018 fans.

"He ran right through several tacklers," O'Brien said. "We didn't do our best tackling. There are questions about our tackling. We aren't good enough. That is what it means right now."

Obi Egekeze's 20-yard field goal, his third of the game, with 6 seconds left was the difference after the Pack defense allowed a 31-yard reception to Scott on a screen pass to set up the field goal.

"Give them credit," O'Brien said. "They took the ball 92 yards with 3 minutes to go and got us in a man situation, threw the flare screen and kicked the ball to win the game."

That came seconds after Pack safety Clem Johnson broke up a potential game-winning touchdown in the end zone by Maryland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. That play stood after officials looked at a replay.

The loss overshadowed a strong offensive performance by State freshman quarterback Russell Wilson, who threw for two touchdowns and ran 13 times for 83 yards.

Running back Andre Brown had 59 yards rushing, a touchdown and caught a game-high five passes.

"It is very frustrating. The ball has not been bouncing our way," Brown said. "This is my senior year. It hurts."

His fumble in the second quarter helped set up a Maryland touchdown.

"It was a costly turnover," Brown said.

Wilson, working out of the shotgun most of the game, had time to pass nearly every snap and said his offensive line continues to make progress. His touchdown pass of seven yards to Darrell Davis tied the game at 24 with 7:38 left in the third quarter. But the end result overshadowed 342 yards of total offense for the Pack.

"It is frustrating," Wilson said.

Said O'Brien: "I think it's probably good that we have a week off, get this out of our system and then we have to get ready to play in the month of November."

State has lost its last three games by a total of 19 points.

"It's still not good enough," O'Brien said. "That's what we are struggling with right now."