Off the Cuff: Don’t let off the gas pedal

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We’re entering the dog days of Big Ten season.

Not every matchup will be a marquee one, even though it’s a Big Ten contest. That’s what this weekend’s game against Maryland is.

Ohio State played Illinois on Big Noon Kickoff and Iowa on CBS’s Big Time in their first two Big Ten games. Those are big stages.

The Maryland game is at 4:15 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network. That’s not a marquee slot. Still, the expectations remain the same.

This is a matchup Ohio State should dominate. Maryland is decent, but decent at best. They’ve lost by a combined 76 points in their first two Big Ten games to UCLA and Nebraska. The Terrapins also lost to Virginia Tech the week before Big Ten play started, so they’ve lost three straight games heading into this one.

Malik Washington is an exciting quarterback to watch, but he’s erratic. Washington has seven touchdown passes this season, but he also has six interceptions. Maryland also doesn’t run the ball well. rushing for just 146.8 yards per game.

Numbers can be deceiving for a team like the Terrapins. They’ve allowed opponents to throw for only 198.4 yards per game, but two of those games were against Hampton and UConn. They haven’t seen a passing attack like Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith. Maryland also has just four interceptions and 11 pass break-ups through five games.

Speaking of Jeremiah Smith, he should have another great game on Saturday. Maryland has a really good wide receiver in Chris Durr Jr., who has 42 receptions on the season. That’s solid.

Jeremiah Smith leads all of college football with 44 receptions, 823 yards, and nine touchdowns. No wide receiver or player occupies the same air space as Jeremiah Smith. 

Ohio State should dominate this game, but they have to play with the same intensity and urgency they showed against Illinois and Iowa. Maryland has lost three straight, and they got outscored 34-0 to end the game at Nebraska last week.

They’re reeling; their head coach, Mike Locksley, is on the hot seat, and Ohio State is far and away the better team. Come out and stomp on the Terrapins early, and this game will be well in hand before the sun sets in Columbus.

The sun will set sooner on Maryland when the Buckeyes turn out the lights on them.

Game Prediction: Buckeyes 52 — Terrapins 17

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