Junior defensive end JT Tuimololau (44) staring down former Maryland tight end C.J. Dippre in last year’s 43-30 win over the Terrapins Nov. 19, 2022. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Lantern File
For the first time ever, the Maryland Terrapins will face the Buckeyes as an undefeated team.
Ohio State (8-0) is undefeated in the all-time series, but this season poses a Maryland team who has scored 31-plus points in each of its contests so far with quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa behind center.
“He’ll [Tagovailoa] do a good job moving the ball around, getting it out fast, giving the defense different looks,” senior safety Lathan Ransom said. “I think that’s a lot of what we’ve been focused on; just making sure we’re all doing our job, being on the same page, communication and just making sure we’re doing the little things right when it comes to games like this.”
The fifth-year Big Ten Player of the Week has rewritten the Terrapins’ quarterback history books in eight categories, some include career-passing yards with 9,343, pass completions with 776 and 14 300-yard passing games, according to the Terrapins’ website.
Maryland has been a sleeper opponent for Ohio State, putting up a lethal fight until the Buckeye offense typically takes over later in the game.
Last season, the Terrapins led the Buckeyes 13-10 at halftime, but Ohio State hit its stride, outscoring them 17-0 in the third quarter to win 43-20.
Sometimes it’s even closer.
In 2018, it came down to a single point. Ohio State won 52-51 in overtime in College Park, Maryland.
Head coach Ryan Day, who was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in that matchup, succeeded Urban Meyer the following season. Under his reign, the Buckeyes have outscored the Terrapins 182-61.
“We have to do a good job in recognizing how they’re trying to attack us,” Day said. “Ultimately it comes down to winning the game up front.”
Through Ohio State’s first four games, the offensive line has allowed four sacks for 19 yards, while Maryland’s has allowed one less, but for 32 yards.
On defense, the Buckeyes sit at 13th in the Big Ten, having only gotten to the quarterback five times. Maryland’s defensive line has made 13 sacks for minus 107 yards, fourth in the Big Ten.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, Ransom, graduate safety Josh Proctor and junior cornerback Denzel Burke said the biggest challenges Maryland presents lead back to Tagovailoa, who is the younger brother of the NFL’s 2023 passing yards leader, Tua.
His ability to extend plays and create something out of nothing is uncommon.
“It puts a lot of strain [on us]we gotta make sure we have our eyes in the right place because one wrong move and — a big play or a touchdown. We can’t let that up,” Proctor said.
Especially when Tagovailoa has thrown to 18 different receivers this season, 13 of which have been touchdown grabs. The Terrapins lead the Big Ten in total offense, averaging 454.8 yards per game. Coincidentally, the Buckeyes take the second place spot, putting up an average of 447.5.
Maryland has a six-player combination of receivers, tight ends and running backs who have each notched 100 receiving yards on 11 or more receptions this season.
The Buckeyes have a strong counter, though. The longest touchdown Ohio State’s defense has allowed this season has been for 2 yards, and it is tied for first place in the nation for allowing the fewest 10-plus yard plays with 36.
“[The] job’s not finished,” Ransom said. “We’ve got a long season ahead. I mean, what we did in the first four games is really good, but like y’all have seen, last year we had one of the best defenses for a lot of games. That don’t matter unless we do it the whole season.”
Ohio State’s defense also tops the nation’s chart for only allowing three plays of 30 yards or more and 40-plus yard plays with zero.
The trio of Ransom, Proctor and Burke have combined for 38 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Burke has also added an interception to his sheet but was only targeted once against Notre Dame.
“I want them to come at me,” Burke said. “I want production and I want to have fun at the same time, be able to make plays on the ball — make the crowd go crazy.”
Since being at Ohio State, Burke is having his best season yet. He is second in the Big Ten with pass breakups and tied for first in passes defended, averaging 1.25 per game.
Maryland’s vertical offense matched with the Buckeyes’ secondary will be a battle of good-on-good, just the way Day likes it, he said.
The game marks Ohio State’s 101st Homecoming Game and 14 former Buckeye athletes will be inducted into the 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame, including football’s Malcolm Jenkins (safety, 2005 to 2008) and Nick Mangold (center, 2002 to 2005).
Saturday’s kickoff is set for noon at Ohio Stadium in Columbus and will be televised on FOX.
2023-10-06 02:06:43
#Maryland #visits #Ohio #Stadium #Saturday
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