Ohio State vs. Maryland: Prediction and preview

Ohio State vs. Maryland is set to be a 3:30 p.m. ET clash on ABC in Week 12. The 2 teams are both bowl eligible but are playing for different aspirations at this point in the season.

Ohio State vs. Maryland preview

Mike Locksley’s Maryland squad enters the game in the middle of back-to-back losses while looking particularly outmatched against Wisconsin and Penn State. The Terrapins were shut out by Penn State and have been outscored 53-10 in those 2 losses.

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A key issue for the struggles in that game come from the quarterback position. Taulia Tagovailoa was the catalyst for the offense early in the season but was shut down in the losses.

Tagovailoa has completed just 21-of-45 passes in the two recent losses for 151 yards, 1 touchdown and an interception. Whether or not Tagovailoa is suffering any lingering effects from his injury sustained against Indiana is unclear, but he has not been as sharp since leaving the field against the Hoosiers.

Unfortunately for Maryland, Ohio State has not had those issues offensively, particularly at the QB position. CJ Stroud has not just been efficient for the Buckeyes, he remains a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy.

Through 10 games, Stroud has thrown for 34 touchdowns on over 2,700 yards passing with a better than 8-to-1 TD-to-interception ratio. While Ohio State is looking to get healthy in the backfield, Stroud continues to pace the offense and put up gaudy numbers throughout.

The bigger story for this game is how the Buckeyes approach the road trip to Maryland. As head coach Ryan Day put it this week, it is “sobering” that Ohio State could be 11-0 this weekend but still looking to reach any of the program goals entering the season.

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With all the injury struggles and bigger fish to fry in Week 13 and beyond, the Buckeyes have various options on the table for approaching the game against Maryland. Ohio State could try and get more of its players back on the field against the Terrapins, or the Buckeyes could try and make it through the game cleanly while relying on fill-in options in the backfield and without stressing the banged-up members of the defense.

Ohio State vs. Maryland prediction

Regardless of how Ohio State approaches this game, it’s unlikely to change the final outcome when everything is said and done. The Buckeyes know what is at stake if they just stay focused, and Day’s pushing all the right buttons with his squad in 2022.

Prediction: Ohio State 45, Maryland 20