Mike Locksley and Maryland are headed into the kind of Saturday that can tell you a lot about where a season is going. The Terrapins travel to Columbus to face No. 5 Ohio State at the Horseshoe, and for a 2-3 team still searching for rhythm, this is a heavy lift from the jump.
It’s Maryland’s sixth trip to Ohio State and its first meeting with the Buckeyes since 2023. The Terps have actually started fast in Columbus, scoring first in each of their last two visits and in three of the five meetings overall. That’s about the kindest detail in the matchup for Maryland, though, because the bigger picture is much less forgiving.
The Terps are coming off a 48-23 loss at Nebraska after building a lead last week and then watching it disappear. That has become a familiar script over the past 2 1/2 seasons, and the pressure around the program has only grown louder. Locksley didn’t try to sugarcoat it when he met with the media Tuesday.
“Obviously the last three weeks isn’t good enough, and isn’t the standard that we need to have for our program. Our players know it.
We, as coaches, know it. Obviously, I know it.
Nobody’s hanging their heads. Got a lot of work to do.
We’ll keep working through it.”
Maryland’s offense has been leaning on sophomore quarterback Malik Washington, who has thrown at least 30 passes in eight straight games, the longest active streak in the FBS. Among Big Ten quarterbacks this season, only USC’s Jayden Maiava has matched Washington’s volume through five games, and only those two have reached 120 completions so far.
Washington’s top target has been Chris Durr Jr., who has become one of the most productive receivers in the country. He ranks second nationally with 8.4 catches per game, behind only Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith.
Durr is also top five in the Big Ten in receiving yards with 461 and receiving yards per game at 92.2, and he has caught at least six passes in all five games this season. The only Maryland player with a longer streak this century is Tai Felton, who did it in six straight games in 2024.
For Maryland to have any chance of turning this into a real fight, the run game has to show up too. DeJuan Williams gave the Terps a boost last week with 78 yards and a touchdown, and that kind of balance matters if the offense is going to avoid getting stuck in long-yardage trouble.
On the other side, Ohio State brings a passing game that will force Maryland to earn every stop. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith have been piling up numbers, but the Buckeyes’ offensive line has something to prove after allowing four sacks against Iowa last week. Maryland’s front may be the best path to an upset attempt, and the Terps arrive with a pass rush that ranks third in the Big Ten with 14 sacks.
DD Holmes, Derrick LeBlanc, and Eyan Thomas have powered that pressure, with Holmes and LeBlanc each at 2.5 sacks and Thomas at two.
Ohio State is also dealing with injury questions entering the game. Devin McCuin, Brandon Inniss, right tackle Phillip Daniels, linebacker Christian Alliegro, and nickelback Jay Timmons are listed on the injury watch, while safety Leroy Roker III has been ruled out.
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The concern starts in the secondary, where Marylands depth is being tested at exactly the wrong time. Jamare Glasker and Jayden Shipps are doubtful, while Amari Jackson is questionable, leaving the Terps to sort through their options against an Ohio State offense that rarely gives opponents much breathing room. Marylands defensive rotation could also look different with Dontay Joyner in line for a season debut, adding another layer of uncertainty as the Terps try to keep the game manageable long enough to have a chance late. [Read more 🡒]