Five Things to Know About Maryland Before Ohio State’s Final Road Game of the Regular Season

The 6-4 Maryland Terrapins bought off to their greatest begin beneath fourth-year full-time head coach Mike Locksley however have struggled as of late and run the danger of dropping a 3rd straight sport in November as they host the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes on Saturday.

Ohio State’s by no means misplaced to Maryland in seven all-time conferences, and apart from 2018’s 52-51 additional time thriller in School Park, none of these matchups have been significantly shut. Ohio Stae has outscored Maryland 139-31 within the two video games since 2018, most lately blowing the Terps out 66-17 in Columbus final season.

This Saturday marks Ohio State’s first journey again to School Park since that one-point win 4 years in the past, however oddsmakers nonetheless favor the Buckeyes to win by a 25-point margin.

Listed below are 5 issues to learn about Ohio State’s subsequent opponent because the Buckeyes prepared themselves for his or her remaining common season highway journey this weekend.

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Bowl-eligible for second straight yr

After going simply 5-12 in his first two full seasons with Maryland, Locksley led the Terps to their highest win complete in seven years in 2021 (7-6). Locksley landed Maryland in a bowl sport for the primary time since 2016 with a win within the remaining week of the common season, and the Terrapins’ 54-10 victory within the Pinstripe Bowl was this system’s first bowl victory since 2010.

This yr, Maryland grew to become bowl eligible should sooner, beginning 6-2 with losses coming solely to Michigan and Purdue by a mixed 9 factors. It was the earliest timeframe during which Maryland had secured bowl eligibility since 2001, and the Terps will play in back-to-back bowl video games for the primary time since 2014.

Maryland kicked off the yr with three straight non-conference wins over Buffalo, Charlotte and SMU earlier than dropping to Michigan, 34-27, in Week 4. That seven-point loss represents the closest any staff has come to beating the Wolverines this season. 

Maryland then gained three of its subsequent 4 Large Ten matchups, beating Michigan State by two touchdowns and knocking off Indiana and Northwestern in the midst of October. Maryland’s solely different loss within the first eight video games was a two-point defeat to Purdue in a sport that the Terps led within the fourth quarter.

Again-to-back poor performances

Regardless of Maryland’s early success in 2022, the wheels have fallen off to start out the common season’s remaining month.

Enjoying at Wisconsin on Nov. 5, Maryland suffered its widest margin of defeat all yr in a 23-10 loss to a Badger staff that entered the sport with only a 4-4 report. The Terps then bought shut out by Penn State in a 30-0 blowout in Glad Valley this previous weekend.

With two straight losses, Maryland has now misplaced back-to-back video games for the primary time all season. Whereas it returns residence for the primary time in 4 weeks, Maryland is hardly enjoying its greatest soccer coming into a matchup with maybe one of the best staff within the convention.

Maryland’s mustered simply 10 complete factors and 323 yards of complete offense prior to now two weeks, failing to crack 200 yards in opposition to both Wisconsin or Penn State. Earlier than this stretch, Maryland hadn’t scored lower than 27 factors all season and was averaging 34.1 factors per sport by the primary eight.

If the Terps hope to threaten Ohio State on Saturday, they higher discover some offense quick, as they face a Buckeye staff that ranks No. 2 within the nation in scoring offense (46.8 factors per sport).

Prime-five passer in Large Ten

Taulia Tagovailoa’s success beneath heart was essential for Maryland within the first seven video games of the season. The third-year Terrapin starter threw for at the least 200 yards and accomplished 64% of his passes in each sport throughout that stretch, cracked 270 yards on 5 events and had three video games with at the least three complete touchdowns.

Nonetheless, an MCL sprain suffered in opposition to Michigan was re-aggravated in Maryland’s win over Indiana, which noticed Tagovailoa carted off the sphere and sidelined for the Terps’ subsequent contest. Since returning to motion in opposition to Wisconsin, Tagovailoa hasn’t been the identical.

Tagovailoa’s had his two worst video games of the season in back-to-back weeks. In opposition to Wisconsin, he accomplished simply 10 of his 23 go makes an attempt and completed with 77 yards, one landing and an interception. This previous weekend he had a season-low 74 yards on 11-for-22 passing and didn’t throw a landing for the primary time for the reason that season opener.

Nonetheless, Tagovailoa’s 2,152 passing yards are the fourth-most within the convention this season. His 68.3 completion share is larger than any Large Ten passer apart from Illinois’ Tommy Devito and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

Weapon at wideout

If Maryland finds success by the air, it’s more likely to dovetail with a giant sport from Tagovailoa’s high goal. 5-star 2020 recruit Rakim Jarrett leads the Terps with 37 catches for 406 yards this season, and whereas he hasn’t been as efficient as he was in 2021, Jarrett’s nonetheless lots able to making massive performs within the passing sport.

Jarrett caught only one go in opposition to the Buckeyes final season, however it went for a 43-yard landing. That was a part of a season the place Jarrett hauled in 62 passes for 829 yards and 5 scores.

Each Maryland loss has come this yr on days the place Jarrett’s influence was restricted. In opposition to Michigan, Jarrett completed with simply 12 yards. Within the Purdue loss, he had 28. Jarrett caught only one go for 5 yards in opposition to  Wisconsin and three for 30 yards on this previous weekend’s loss to Penn State.

However Jarrett has hauled in at the least 4 passes this season on 5 events and completed with at the least 65 yards in three video games. Jarrett’s most up-to-date standout efficiency got here in Maryland’s solely full sport with out Tagovailoa, the place he caught eight passes for 82 yards and a landing in opposition to Northwestern.

Large-time go catchers have gashed Ohio State earlier than this yr, and Jarrett will attempt to do the identical on Saturday.

Unspectacular in most areas

Maryland’s statistical rankings gained’t blow anybody away. The Terps rank outdoors the highest 50 in each main class.

The passing assault talked about above is Maryland’s greatest space on offense, the place it ranks 54th within the nation with a median of 241.5 yards per sport. On the bottom, Maryland ranks sixty fifth with 154.3 yards per sport.

Poor performances the previous two weeks have helped to tank Maryland’s rank in scoring and complete offense. The Terps at the moment are averaging 28.3 factors per sport on offense, which is simply 69th within the nation, and its 394 complete yards per sport rank 63rd.

Maryland’s common allowance of 24.6 factors per sport on protection is 53rd within the FBS. Its rankings in all different main defensive classes are a lot decrease, although. In complete protection, the Terps are 72nd within the nation, with opponents averaging 381 yards per sport. Maryland is 76th in opposition to the go (232.1 yards per sport) and 69th in opposition to the run (148.9).

None of these figures are imposing, and Maryland isn’t more likely to beat the Buckeyes with a mediocre effort on Saturday.