It looked like No. 1 Ohio State was in for another fight against Maryland, but a second-half surge that featured 28 unanswered points led to an impressive 49-28 victory.
The Buckeyes (6-0) appear to be finding themselves offensively as they piled up 499 total yards on Saturday. But the defense wasn’t sharp, allowing the Terrapins (2-4) to keep things close with an aggressive rushing attack.
Ohio State Buckeyes Grade Analysis
Pass Offense
Cardale Jones continued his upward swing against Maryland, especially in the first half when he completed 15-of-20 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Michael Thomas had it going early, hauling in six receptions for 95 yards through two quarters of play.
That momentum continued in the second half as Jones finished the day completing 75 percent of his passes for a career-high 291 yards with two touchdowns and, more importantly, no interceptions.
J.T. Barrett saw time as a situational quarterback and completed both of his passes for 26 yards.
Run Offense
Maryland came into the game with one of the worst run defenses in the country, allowing an average of 199.8 yards per game, which ranked 103rd nationally. But the Buckeyes had a very hard time finding lanes in the first half, running for just 67 yards on 25 carries, averaging 2.7 yards per carry.
Ezekiel Elliott was bottled up through two quarters, gaining just 29 yards on 12 carries. But just like last week against Indiana, he hit his…
Continue Reading: Maryland vs. Ohio State: Game Grades, Analysis for the Buckeyes
