There are different ways to describe dominance. Dropping at least 60 points in back-to-back games is a pretty good place to start. Ohio State did that on Saturday, defeating an overmatched Maryland team 62-3 in College Park. The Buckeyes defeated Nebraska by the same score one week earlier in Columbus. The back-to-back scoring barrages are the first time the Ohio State football program topped the 60-point plateau in consecutive contests since the 1996 season. That year, the Buckeyes swamped Rice 70-7 and then Pittsburgh 72-0 in the first two games of the season.
Curtis Samuel touched the ball only nine times in the game, but he scored three touchdowns. His touches were limited because the game got out of hand in a hurry and he sat the entire second half while younger players got reps. When he did play, however, Samuel was undoubtedly the most explosive player on the field. He hauled in five passes for 74 yards and a touchdown and had four carries for 38 yards and two touchdowns. I noticed Samuel was lined out wide a few times on an island with one of Maryland’s corners. In the past, the Buckeye offensive coaching staff had usually utilized him on slant routes, screens and seam routes. They were betting Maryland didn’t have the personnel to cover Samuel one-on-one and Maryland didn’t. Neither will the remaining teams on Ohio State’s schedule. Samuel now has 637 rushing yards and 750 receiving – the only player in the country to eclipse 500 yards in both statistical categories. With strong showings to close the season, he could become the first player in NCAA history to account for 1,000 receiving and rushing yards. J.T. Barrett played just as well against the Terps. Barrett threw two touchdowns and ran for two more, finishing with 300 total yards before coming out of the game in the third quarter. Joe Burrow entered and the scoring didn't stop. With so much young talent seeping through the cracks and gaining more experience, it isn't a shock anymore when freshmen find the end zone. Ohio State was deeper, faster, stronger and just flat out better than Maryland. With how bleak things looked offensively a month ago in the stunning 24-21 loss at Penn State, the polar opposite happened in back-to-back weeks. The offense racked up 20 first downs in the first half alone on 44 plays, finishing the game with 32 first downs. Third-stringers were in on the offense as freshman Demario McCall got in on Ohio State’s final possession of the first half, catching one pass for eight yards and carrying once for two yards. Ohio State’s offense also racked up 581 total yards while eight Buckeyes tallied at least one play from scrimmage of 20 yards or more. To put it succinctly, Ohio State did whatever they wanted against a hapless opponent.
On defense, Raekwon McMillan had perhaps his best game of the season, leading the team with 10 tackles (6 solos), two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. Marshon Lattimore made a beautiful play and grabbed a pick, looking down to make sure he had his feet inbounds. Backup defensive end Jonathon Cooper recorded his first career sack as well as linebacker Malik Harrison. Keandre Jones saw time and had a pair of tackles. Ohio State’s defense has given up just 10 touchdowns this season and has allowed just three rushing touchdowns on the season, the fewest in the FBS. They also have scored six defensive TDs on the season, second best in the FBS. The Buckeyes forced the Terrapins into 15 third downs during the game and only allowed them to convert one (6.7%). The Buckeyes had 10 different players record a tackle for loss in the game to combine for 12 total, a season high. The defense only allowed 43 rushing yards marking the sixth time this season they have held an opposing offense to under 100 yards.
Back-to-back blowouts thrust the second and even some third-string offensive linemen onto the field in front of Burrow and McCall, with young talent like Binjimen Victor, Austin Mack and K.J. Hill running routes and catching passes. A week earlier against Nebraska, Burrow led a 98-yard drive in the fourth quarter that culminated with his 12-yard touchdown run.
Saturday, the backup quarterback hit Victor for the latter's first career touchdown with 9:30 left in the game—a 25-yard strike that capped a 68-yard drive. Coach Urban Meyer didn't take the foot off the pedal even with the second offense on the field, wanting to get as many game reps as possible to further development. Redshirt freshman Branden Bowen saw time a few weeks ago as a blocking tight end even though his 6-foot-7, 315-pound frame has him in line to step in at tackle likely whenever Jamarco Jones is no longer at Ohio State. He blocked well for McCall, who finished with 53 rushing yards and 48 more receiving.
Ohio State appears to be rounding into form on both sides of the ball, which does not bode well for a struggling Michigan State program, whom the Buckeyes visit next week. With the memory of last year’s stinging defeat that kept them from playing for a second consecutive national title, the Buckeyes still figure to be sky high for this game.
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