No. 4 Ohio State plays host to Maryland on Saturday in a Big Ten battle in the Buckeyes’ first game since pulling off a dramatic, last-second come-from-behind win over Notre Dame two weeks ago in South Bend, Indiana. While it may not have looked like it at the beginning of the year, this matchup between undefeated teams is one of the biggest games on the Week 6 slate.
While nobody is surprised the Buckeyes have won their first four games, Maryland has flown under the radar a bit this year. The Terps are off to a 5-0 start thanks to an offense scoring 38.6 points per game. That’s the second-highest scoring average in the Big Ten, trailing only Penn State’s 40.6 and ahead of Ohio State’s 34.5-point average.
Two of those Maryland wins have come in Big Ten play, including last week’s 44-17 win over Indiana. You may remember the Buckeyes struggling (offensively, at least) with the same Hoosiers team in a 23-3 win in the season opener. The Terps have also won a road conference game, blasting Michigan State 31-9 two weeks ago.
Ohio State vs. Maryland: Need to know
Ohio State has won 45 straight at home against unranked foes: It’s not the longest streak in the nation (Alabama hasn’t lost at home to an unranked team since 2007), but it’s still quite impressive. It’s also a nice reminder about how exhausting the College Football Playoff discussion gets because Ohio State’s last loss at home to an unranked team was to Virginia Tech in 2014. You may remember that game as the talking point every fan and pundit who didn’t like Ohio State hammered you over the head with as a reason to keep the Buckeyes out of the playoff. You probably also remember that the Buckeyes made the field and then won the national title. Maybe that’s the secret? Maybe Ohio State has to lose this game to win a national title? I don’t suggest trying it, but the question must be asked.
Taulia Tagovailoa had as many TDs last week as Kyle McCord has all season: It doesn’t really mean anything, but Tagovailoa threw for five touchdowns and rushed for another against Indiana last week. McCord has thrown for six touchdowns all season. Granted, McCord wasn’t named the full-time starter until the third game of the season, but it’s worth pointing out — as is the fact three of McCord’s touchdowns came against Youngstown State. He didn’t throw any on the road against Indiana or Notre Dame. I’m confident this will change going forward, but considering his weapons at receiver, it raises an eyebrow.
Maryland is 5-0 for the first time since 2001: Will the Terps get to 6-0? History suggests otherwise. There isn’t a long history between these programs. The first meeting came in the 2014 season when Maryland joined the Big Ten. They’ve played eight times total and Ohio State’s won all eight, usually by a healthy margin. The Buckeyes have won by an average of 34.75 points per game. Their only one-score game was a 52-51 win at Maryland in 2018. You may remember the game for all the sideline shots of Urban Meyer looking to be an absolute agony.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Maryland live
Date: Saturday, October 7 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Ohio Stadium — Columbus, Ohio
TV: Fox | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Ohio State vs. Maryland prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
The Buckeyes haven’t been great on the road, but they’ve been very good at home, so I like them here. Don’t get me wrong, this Maryland team has played very well on both sides of the ball to start the year and not strictly the result of an easy schedule. That said, I have seen the Terps in spots like this before. It usually doesn’t end well. Tagovailoa has been great, but history suggests he’s prone to mistakes when pressured, and he hasn’t faced a defense that can put him under pressure the way this Buckeyes defense can. I expect a few mistakes from Tagovailoa that keep the Terps from making this one close. Pick: Ohio State -18
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