It took until week five, but Ohio State finally looked like the well-rounded team that we all thought it was going to be. The Buckeyes did look good against Akron, but let’s be honest, it was Akron.
Beating up on Rutgers might not feel all that energizing, but the Scarlet Knights are a much-improved team. Just ask Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan fan base. After the Wolverines squeaked by Greg Schiano’s bunch a week earlier, you would’ve thought Rutgers was the second coming of the Crimson Tide.
I think Buckeye Nation understands that a win over the Scarlet Knights shouldn’t be confused as a program-defining win. However, fans should be encouraged simply because the Bucks did exactly what they were supposed to do, dominate an inferior opponent.
Maryland comes to town next as Ohio State will face another stiff challenge from a much improved Terrapin football team — aside from the turnover-laden game last week against Iowa.
NEXT … Records and broadcast information
Records
Ohio State (4-1), Maryland (4-1)
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Saturday, Oct. 9
Game Time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
Network: Fox
Venue: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio) Capacity: 104,944
All-Time Series: Ohio State leads 6-0
Last Meeting: Ohio State defeated Maryland 73-14 in 2019
Next … The game plan
Ohio State game plan for victory
Saturday marked two games in a row that the Buckeyes looked like the team that was advertised as a pre-season College Football Playoff contender. We get it, Akron and Rutgers aren’t necessarily perennial powers, but Ohio State did exactly what they were supposed to do against teams of that nature… dominate.
As Maryland prepares to come to town, it seems like the Bucks are starting to hit their stride. And that should have the rest of the Big Ten trembling. The Terrapins got a dose of reality when Iowa came to College Park and thoroughly embarrassed the home team.
The Terps now come to Columbus to see if they can right the ship. Maryland’s offense begins with their all-star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. Before the Hawkeye defense rudely dismissed him, Tagovailoa was starting to get some Heisman talk. But five interceptions in one game will quiet that talk real fast.
Even with some of the luster gone, Ohio State will need to account for the Terrapin passing game. Tagovailoa has two NFL caliber receivers in Rakim Jarret and Dontay Demus Jr. The Buckeye defense will need to keep pressure in the backfield to keep the Maryland air attack in check.
Offensively, C.J. Stroud looked like a totally different quarterback after resting a sore shoulder against Akron. Stroud missed on only six attempts against Rutgers and threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns. That adds up to good news after Maryland’s defense gave up 259 yards and three touchdowns to Iowa’s Spencer Petras.
TreVeyon Henderson opens up the passing game, but all signs point to Stroud having another huge game against a week Maryland pass defense.
Next … The key players for Ohio State
Two Key Players For Ohio State
Garrett Wilson – Wide Receiver: Chris Olave just tied another OSU great in Chris Carter on the all-time touchdown list with 27. But Garrett Wilson is equally as good. While Olave garners most of the attention with opposing defensive backs, Wilson is more than capable of carrying the Buckeye receiving game as he’s shown with his four touchdowns and 462 yards so far in 2021.
Sheeeeesh 🥵 @GarrettWilson_V #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/iSx2J0l9Ou
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) September 26, 2021
Denzel Burke – Cornerback: Denzel Burke looks like he could be the next great cornerback to come out of Ohio State. The true freshman has six pass breakups and one interception early on in his young career. He’ll draw coverage of one of the two outstanding Maryland receivers and will be counted on to keep his man in check.
Denzel Burke Pick-Six. Ohio State up 14-0. The Buckeyes defense just looks different the past two weeks. pic.twitter.com/IjXz5yWCpN
— The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) October 2, 2021
Next … How it’ll all go down
The prediction
Ohio State has looked like a different team over the past two games. While those Buckeye opponents aren’t the epidemy of powerhouse teams, the Buckeyes just had a look they didn’t have earlier in the season.
Maryland comes to Columbus after being embarrassed at home by Iowa. That usually gives me a feeling that the opposition will be a little more focused and do everything in its power to not have a repeat performance.
However, Ohio State knows that it has to be impressive the rest of the way, especially now that Oregon has a loss to an average Stanford team. The Bucks looked like a team on a mission with a healthy Stroud under center, TreVeyon Henderson running wild, and a revamped defense.
OSU will score early and often as they continue to roll and look to reclaim the reputation of Big Ten bully.
Final Score
Ohio State 62, Maryland 23
Tipico Line
Ohio State – 21
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