COLLEGE PARK, Md. _ Few gave Maryland any chance to beat No. 10 Ohio State on Saturday. About the only respect the Terps might have received before their last home game this season came from Las Vegas, where the Buckeyes were made only 14-point favorites.
Even that might have been more about the skepticism regarding Ohio State in general and redshirt sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. in particular. Both had struggled recently to put away lesser opponents.
Then Maryland nearly did the unimaginable.
After watching redshirt freshman Anthony McFarland Jr.'s two long touchdown runs give the Terps an early 14-point lead, after twice scoring go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the Terps wound up losing in overtime, 52-51.
After 5-yard touchdown run by Haskins _ a play set up by a pass interference on the Terps _ gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, McFarland was ruled down at the 1-yard line on first down.
Sophomore running back Tayon Fleet-Davis scored the touchdown, and interim coach and offensive coordinator Matt Canada chose to try a 2-point conversion. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome rolled to his right and missed freshman receiver Jeshaun Jones, who was wide open in the end zone.
The play ended a wild afternoon during which McFarland, after touchdown runs of 81 and 75 yards on successive plays in the opening quarter and 231 yards by halftime, finished with 298 yards, just short of LaMont Jordan's school record of 306.
It was also the third straight loss _ including the second straight to go down to the end _ for Maryland, meaning that the Terps (5-6, 3-5) will have one more chance, next Saturday at No. 20 Penn State.
Haskins, who returned to the place where many thought he would play his college career after committing to the Terps when Randy Edsall was the coach in 2015, accounted for six touchdowns. He finished 28-for-38 for 405 yards and three touchdowns _ tying J.T. Barrett's school record set last season. He also had 59 yards on 15 carries and three touchdowns, including the game-winner.
McFarland, who last week at Indiana rushed for a freshman school record 220 yards on 29 carries and broke Jordan's freshman rushing mark of 670 yards, picked up where he left off in Bloomington.
After getting stopped for a 1-yard loss on Maryland's first play from scrimmage, McFarland burst through the left side of the line and raced 81 yards for a touchdown _ the longest run for a touchdown by a freshman in school history.
He was far from finished.
When the Terps failed to take advantage of covering a kickoff and recovering at the Ohio State 21 _ freshman wide receiver Jeshaun Jones fumbled on what appeared to be set up for him to throw as he did for a touchdown against Texas _ the Buckeyes cut their deficit to 7-3 on a 36-yard field goal by Blake Haubell.
On Maryland's next snap, McFarland replicated his first touchdown, snaking through the same hole and going 75 yards for a touchdown. His 156 yards in the opening quarter marked the most by a Football Bowl Subdivision player in the first quarter this season.
Not wanting to be completely overshadowed, the Maryland defense made some big plays of its own. After the Buckeyes moved from their own 38 to the Maryland 25, the Terps stuffed backup quarterback Tate Martell on third-and-2 and then nearly intercepted Haskins on fourth down.
With the Buckeyes focusing on McFarland, Pigrome lofted a perfect pass to freshman wide receiver Dontay Demus for a 56-yard gain from the Maryland 22 to the Ohio State 22. Pigrome missed an opportunity to find a wide-open Jones near the goal line and the Terps had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by freshman kicker Joseph Petrino.
Ohio State was quick to answer with a 68-yard touchdown pass from Haskins to senior wide receiver Terry McLaurin, but the Terps answered right back, going on an eight-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a 16-yard run by sophomore running back Javon Leake.
The Buckeyes cut their deficit again with a 1-yard run by sophomore running back J.K. Dobbins and seemed to be on the verge of tying the game when the Terps were forced to punt with 1:36 left and Haskins found junior wide receiver Binjimen Victor for 38 yards. Senior cornerback Ra'Von Davis was penalized for throwing his mouthpiece and then another 15 for holding on the next play.
On first-and-goal from the 7, Dobbins appeared to be heading for another touchdown when he was stripped of the ball. The Terps recovered in the end zone and then ran out the clock. On Ohio State's second play from scrimmage in the second half, Haskins' pass was tipped by senior safety Darnell Savage Jr. and returned by Davis 37 yards for a touchdown.
The Buckeyes again trimmed their deficit to a touchdown. Helped by a pair of penalties on Maryland's defense _ one for a hands to the face and another for pass interference, Haskins led Ohio State on an eight-play, 73-yard drive, with Haskins scoring a touchdown from 2 yards out.
