Call it the Miracle in Maryland. Ohio State, despite an awful defensive effort, somehow won a street fight against an ornery Terrapins team.
An incomplete pass by Maryland quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome on a two-point conversion that would have won the game for the Terrapins in overtime allowed the Buckeyes to escape with a 52-51 win at Maryland Stadium.
The good news for the Buckeyes:
Dwayne Haskins continues to rewrite Ohio State’s passing record books.
With three touchdown passes in Saturday’s game against Maryland, Haskins has now thrown for 36 touchdowns this season, breaking Ohio State’s single-season school record for touchdown passes set last year by J.T. Barrett.
Haskins now has a chance to become the Buckeyes’ first quarterback to ever throw 40 touchdown passes in a season.
Haskins also broke Ohio State’s single-season record for passing yards.
It’s safe to say that without his dominating performance this season, the Buckeyes would not be 10-1.
Add J.K. Dobbins rushing for 203 yards and a touchdown, and you have a lethal offense that can hang with anyone.
With this win, Ohio State still has a chance to win the Big Ten, and a shot at the College Football Playoffs, if it can earn its seventh straight rivalry game over Michigan next Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
Now the bad news:
The Buckeyes defense has been non-existent since defensive end Nick Bosa, an All-American in 2017 and the Big Ten’s reigning Defensive Lineman of the Year, left the school after an injury earlier this season.
The Terps were able to gain 535 total yards during the game, and they are a 5-5 team.
The Ohio State defense especially struggled in the first half, allowing three plays over 50 yards, ultimately allowing running back Anthony McFarland to rush for 298 yards in the game.
This was not the performance Ohio State was hoping for before The Game.
In addition, cameras were on coach Urban Meyer throughout the game. Several times he was shown bent over, at one point clearly in pain.
Urban Meyer during a timeout.
Meyer says the cause of the discomfort links back to a congenital arachnoid cyst in his brain, which has led to severe headaches this season.
He dodged a question about how he was feeling at the end of the game when asked by a reporter.
Meyer’s health continues to linger as the team marches forward.
NEXT SATURDAY:
The Buckeyes and Wolverines will play in Columbus for a spot in the Big Ten title game and a potential spot in the College Football playoff.