Ohio State vs. Maryland: Keys To The Game in Week 6

The Ohio State Buckeyes left College Park, MD. last season breathing a huge sigh of relief.

The Maryland Terrapins had a chance to tie and win the game on a potential game-winning drive, but a strip sack and scoop and score from linebacker Steele Chambers helped seal the Buckeyes' 43-30 win.

Maryland returns star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa in 2023 — something Ohio State can't say with C.J. Stroud having moved on to the NFL.

The Terrapins are knocking on the door of becoming a solid program, but for now, they're likely to be punching up to perennial Big Ten East powerhouses in Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State.

The Buckeyes will host Maryland on Oct. 7 at Ohio Stadium on the same weekend they will host their homecoming and Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Ohio State wins if...

... it feeds running back TreVeyon Henderson.

Henderson left last season's contest early with the foot injury that lingered throughout the year, and he never shies away from taking an opportunity to have a chip on his shoulder.

In College Park last season, Henderson was limited to 19 yards on 11 carries but did have a 31-yard touchdown reception to open the scoring early in the first quarter.

In last year's matchup, it was the Dallan Hayden show, as the then-freshman racked up 146 yards and a trio of touchdown runs.

In eight games against the Terrapins, Ohio State has amassed 1,977 yards and 32 touchdowns, averaging 247.1 yards and four scores per game on the ground.

The last two years Ohio State has rushed for 166 and 160 yards, respectively, against Maryland, which could have been a byproduct of having Stroud under center. However, look for Henderson to come back with a vengeance in 2023 against the closest team to his Hopewell, VA. hometown.

Maryland wins if...

... it has quick-strike abilities through the air.

In 2022, Tagovailoa put on a show with his playmaking abilities. He got the ball in the hands of his skill position players, completing an efficient 26 of 36 pass attempts for 293 yards, a pair of scores and no interceptions.

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton and safeties coach Perry Eliano need to go back to the drawing board in the offseason to correct the issues of the secondary last season.

In the four games the Buckeyes were truly on the ropes — Penn State, Maryland, Michigan and Georgia — they gave up 371, 318, 278 and 398 passing yards which were the four most they allowed in a game in 2022.

The Terrapins added receivers Tyrese Chambers and Kaden Prather in the transfer portal in addition to returning leading receiver Jeshaun Jones.

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