Ohio State did not exactly give anyone a clean, polished masterpiece on Saturday. What the Buckeyes delivered instead was a 45-16 win over Maryland that came with enough mess to keep Ryan Day’s staff busy all week - and maybe, just maybe, that was the point.
Day had already trimmed the lineup by sitting every starter with anything worse than a hangnail, which opened the door for deeper reserves to get real snaps before the back half of the season ramps up. Add in the outer bands of Hurricane Isaias hammering The Horseshoe with rain, and the result was a game that never had much chance to become the kind of showcase people might have wanted. The offense stayed grounded more than flashy, and that was understandable given the conditions.
Even so, the Buckeyes were clunky early. The first quarter looked sloppier than what they’ve put on tape in recent weeks, but things settled down in the second quarter and Ohio State pulled away in a hurry. Jeremiah Smith was once again a major part of the story, even if the box score didn’t scream it: 93 yards and 2 touchdowns on 4 catches, highlighted by a ridiculous one-handed grab on a third down.
Still, the film session is going to have some rough moments. Pass protection was shaky again, though the line was reworked.
Julian Sayin coughed up the ball twice, losing one fumble, and also threw a pick-six. The linebackers missed more run fits than anyone in scarlet and gray would like.
And then there were the flags - eight penalties for 65 yards, most of them in the first half, covering everything from defensive delay of game to offsides on a kickoff to illegal hands to the face.
That’s the frustrating part. It was a comfortable win, but not a clean one.
At the same time, there’s an argument that the Buckeyes may have gotten more out of this version of the game than they would have from a perfect one. If Ohio State had rolled Maryland from start to finish, scored at will, and made the Terps look completely out of their depth, there wouldn’t be much for Day, Arthur Smith, Matt Patricia, and the rest of the staff to hammer home this week. Instead, they get a full menu of teaching points: turnovers, busted assignments, and the constant stream of penalties that can sink a team once the competition tightens up.
That matters because next Saturday brings Indiana in Bloomington, and the Hoosiers are coming off a 20-17 escape in Lincoln. Like Ohio State, Indiana is walking into the week with plenty to clean up.
But the Buckeyes can’t count on the same cushion they had against Maryland. Saturday was a reminder that they were talented enough to survive their own mistakes because the Terrapins were never in position to punish them.
That margin goes away against better opponents.
The silver lining for Ohio State is that most of what went wrong looked fixable. There are real issues up front, and there are still personnel questions to sort out, but a lot of Saturday’s sloppiness was about concentration, execution, and fundamentals. Those are the kinds of problems coaches can attack head-on.
And if the staff had to choose between a pretty blowout and a game full of mistakes they can correct, maybe this version is the one that serves them better in the long run. It was aggravating to watch Sayin give the ball away and to see the officials reach for their flags over and over. But if that kind of afternoon sharpens Ohio State before the trip to Bloomington, the Buckeyes might end up taking more from it than they would have from a spotless romp.
In Other News...
Ryan Day Revealed Ohio State's Bigger Concern After Maryland Win
Ohio States win over Maryland came with a heavier dose of adversity than the final score suggested, as the Buckeyes were down five starters and two reserve players because of injuries and illness. Starting offensive tackle Austin Siereveld was scratched after an illness surfaced just hours before kickoff, and Phillip Daniels was also held out because he was not ready to play, forcing Ohio State to shuffle on the fly in a game where depth mattered more than usual.
Ryan Day pointed to the mix of penalties and availability issues as part of the larger concern, even with the victory in hand. The Buckeyes are also hoping to get some injured players back next week, which makes the immediate injury picture just as important as anything that happened against Maryland. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got Snubbed Before A Huge Top 10 Road Test
Ohio State heads to Bloomington for a top-10 road test against Indiana, but the Buckeyes wont be getting the full College GameDay treatment for it. ESPNs pregame show chose BYU vs. Notre Dame in Provo instead, leaving one of the weekends marquee Big Ten matchups without the extra spotlight that usually comes with a clash this big.
Its the kind of decision that stings a fan base used to being in the center of the national conversation, especially with the Buckeyes entering a stretch where every ranked opponent matters. And with GameDay already heading elsewhere this week, Ohio State supporters may be left wondering whether theyll get another chance to host the crew before the season is over. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Is Still Shaping Texas After That Rivalry Loss
Oklahomas last-second field goal and 10-point rally to beat No. 1 Texas 27-24 sent a jolt through the top of the college football picture, but it did not erase what the Longhorns have already built. Even after the loss, Texas remains in strong shape in the CBS Sports College Football Playoff Forecaster, a reminder that one September setback does not undo a resume that already includes a major win over No. 5 Ohio State.
For Buckeyes fans, that earlier meeting keeps paying off in a broader sense, because Texas is still very much in the playoff mix and still has plenty of chances to strengthen or damage its case. The Longhorns face several ranked opponents down the stretch, and how they navigate that run could matter just as much as the loss in Norman when the committee starts weighing records, quality wins and the full body of work. [Read more 🡒]