Ohio State returns home Saturday after delivering its most complete performance of the season in a 31–14 victory at No. 14 Iowa. The Buckeyes controlled possession for more than 38 minutes, outgained the Hawkeyes 484–238, committed no turnovers and held Iowa to only 39 rushing yards. Julian Sayin passed for 324 yards and three touchdowns, Jeremiah Smith added 11 receptions for 206 yards and two scores, and Ja’Kobi Jackson completed a 70-yard fourth-quarter drive with the touchdown that effectively ended the afternoon.

That victory showed Ohio State can remain patient, handle a difficult road environment and close a game after building a lead. It did not produce a completely clean report card. Sayin was sacked four times, the Buckeyes committed nine penalties and several early possessions ended with field goals or empty red-zone opportunities instead of touchdowns.

Maryland arrives in Columbus at 2–3 after three consecutive losses, but the Terrapins are not without playmakers. Quarterback Malik Washington leads the Big Ten with 24.8 completions per game, Chris Durr Jr. ranks second nationally with 8.4 receptions per game and Maryland averages a nation-leading 71.8 offensive plays. The Terps also scored 16 first-quarter points at Nebraska before the afternoon unraveled into a 48–23 loss.

Ohio State is expected to win comfortably, but this matchup contains several interesting tests before the Buckeyes begin the most difficult portion of their schedule. Here are three bold predictions for Saturday’s Homecoming game.

1. Maryland leads 10–7 at the end of the first quarter

Let’s begin with a prediction that will make Ohio Stadium uncomfortable.

Maryland will score on its opening possession, add a field goal later in the quarter and carry a 10–7 lead into the second. It will be the first time this season Ohio State trails after the opening 15 minutes.

The Terrapins have shown that they can begin games aggressively. Durr produced 135 receiving yards in the first quarter against Nebraska, while Washington’s willingness to throw repeatedly allows Maryland to establish tempo before a defense has settled into the matchup. Durr has caught at least six passes in every game this season and is coming off a career-high 149 yards against the Cornhuskers.

That combination will immediately test Ohio State’s secondary, particularly Devin Sanchez. The talented sophomore has been penalized for pass interference twice in each of the past two games, and Maryland will not hesitate to challenge him with Durr on early downs and contested throws downfield.

The concern will not last throughout the afternoon. Matt Patricia will adjust the coverage, Ohio State’s defensive front will begin affecting Washington and the Buckeyes will regain control. Before that happens, however, Maryland will land the early punch it needs to make the first quarter much more interesting than expected.

2. Julian Sayin throws for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns without being sacked

Maryland’s secondary has allowed fewer than 250 passing yards in eight consecutive road games, the fourth-longest active streak in the country. That run ends Saturday.

Our second prediction is that Sayin passes for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns, with each score going to a different receiver. Just as importantly, Maryland will not record a sack.

The yardage would continue an impressive stretch for Sayin, who has now passed for 691 yards and seven touchdowns over the past two games. The protection is the bolder half of the prediction. Iowa sacked him four times and created too many situations in which the quarterback had to protect the football while attempting to extend a play. With road trips to Indiana and USC approaching, the offensive line needs to show that the problems at Kinnick were an isolated issue rather than the beginning of a trend.

Maryland will devote significant attention to Smith after his consecutive 200-yard performances. That may prevent him from producing another video-game stat line, but it should create favorable opportunities for Devin McCuin, Brandon Inniss, Max Klare and the rest of the passing game.

Smith will catch one of Sayin’s touchdown passes, but the other two will go elsewhere. McCuin, who scored the opening touchdown at Iowa, will find the end zone again, while a tight end will account for the third score.

Ohio State will prove that doubling Smith does not remove the passing game. It only changes where Sayin delivers the football.

3. Ohio State forces three turnovers and holds Maryland scoreless after halftime

Maryland’s offensive volume can create problems, but it also creates opportunities for a defense. Washington has attempted at least 30 passes in eight consecutive games, the longest active streak in the FBS, and the Terrapins have shown a tendency to lose efficiency as games progress.

Our third prediction is that Ohio State forces three turnovers—including two interceptions—and prevents Maryland from scoring after halftime.

The first interception will belong to Sanchez. Maryland will challenge him repeatedly with Durr, but the young corner will respond to his recent penalties by playing his most complete game as a Buckeye. He will undercut an intermediate route in the second quarter and give Ohio State a short field.

The second interception will come after halftime, when Maryland is forced to abandon the running game and Washington begins pressing to erase a growing deficit. Ohio State’s third takeaway will be a fumble created by pressure from the defensive front.

The Buckeyes created an immediate scoring opportunity at Iowa when Kenyatta Jackson Jr. recorded a strip sack on the Hawkeyes’ opening possession. Ohio State needs that kind of disruption to become a weekly feature rather than an occasional bonus.

After surrendering 17 points in the first half, Patricia’s defense will make the necessary adjustments and close the game with another strong second-half performance.

Final Prediction

Maryland will create early discomfort. Washington’s tempo and Durr’s playmaking will produce points before Ohio State fully adjusts, and the Terrapins will briefly make the Homecoming crowd wonder whether the Buckeyes arrived too comfortable after their ranked road victory.

That concern will not survive the second quarter.

Ohio State’s offensive line will settle down, Sayin will distribute the football beyond Smith and the Buckeyes will begin finishing drives with touchdowns instead of field goals. Defensively, increased pressure will turn Maryland’s passing volume into turnovers and prevent the Terrapins from sustaining their early success.

The game will be competitive longer than the point spread suggests, but the final margin will still reflect the difference between the two teams.

Ohio State 42, Maryland 17

Ohio State and Maryland kick off at 4:15 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, October 10, at Ohio Stadium. The Homecoming game will air on Big Ten Network. Ohio State is 9–0 all-time against Maryland.

Which prediction are you buying, and which one is a little too bold? Give us your best call for Saturday. Go Bucks!

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