Report Card: Buckeye defense shuts down Maryland playmakers and Bo Jackson scores twice

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

The now-No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) took down the Maryland Terrapins (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten) 45-16 on Saturday to set up a showdown next week at the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0).

Here is our report card for some positives and negatives from the contest.

A: Containing Maryland’s playmakers

Maryland is not a great team, but they have guys who can make plays.

Malik Washington is a solid quarterback with skills, and Chris Durr Jr. is genuinely one of the best receivers in the country. Washington was held to 12-for-25 for 64 yards passing and only 19 yards rushing, while Durr finished with four catches for 15 yards, one of those catches going for 12 yards.

B+: Bo Jackson

Jackson takes some criticism that I feel is unnecessary. He is not the explosive back that fans have become used to, like TreVeyon Henderson or Zeke Elliot, but Jackson had 23 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns in this game.

Jackson now has 89 carries for 460 yards and four touchdowns this season, and is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He ran for over 1,000 yards on 6.1 yards per carry as a true freshman last season.

Jackson is a solid running back who has plenty of huge games to really prove himself the rest of the season.

B: Chris Henry Jr.

I can’t give Henry Jr. more than a B after just having one catch in the game, but his stat line for the season is turning out to be very funny.

Henry Jr. caught one pass for 46 yards in this game, and this season he now has four catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. That is 37.8 yards per catch.

The volume isn’t there yet, but when he does get a ball his way, it tends to be a big play.

C: Julian Sayin

It is kind of crazy that Sayin can throw for 250 yards and four touchdowns and it was his worst game of the season, but I think it was — outside of a bad second half against Texas.

To be clear, this wasn’t a bad game, but the level Sayin has set for himself is incredibly high. This game was more on the average side.

D: Penalties

For the most part, this is a section of the game that the Buckeyes have done pretty well with this season. However, in this game, they shot themselves in the foot on multiple occasions.

In the Terrapins’ only touchdown-scoring drive, Ohio State had four penalties on defense, including a roughing the passer on Beau Atkinson.

This team is too good to make it harder on themselves.

F: Injuries

It doesn’t seem like any of the injuries to key players are too serious, and most of them should be back, but any time teams have to play without starters is the worst. Whether it is Ohio State, a team they are playing, or just any team in football, the game is more fun when everyone is healthy.

Injuries stink.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos