Ohio State took care of business against Maryland on Saturday, but the afternoon was not quite as clean or as effortless as the final score might suggest. The fifth-ranked Buckeyes improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play with a 45-16 victory, leaning on another productive afternoon from Julian Sayin, a pair of explosive touchdown catches from Jeremiah Smith and a rushing attack that continues to show signs of becoming a more dependable part of the offense. On the other side of the ball, Ohio State held Maryland to just 146 total yards and only one offensive touchdown, continuing a defensive trend that has looked much more encouraging since the uneven performance against Illinois.

There was a lot to like. Ohio State outgained Maryland 449-146, held the Terrapins to only 2.8 yards per play and controlled possession for nearly 35 minutes. Bo Jackson topped the 100-yard rushing mark, Smith needed only four receptions to score twice and Sayin threw four touchdown passes to three different receivers. Those are the kinds of numbers expected from a top-five team facing an opponent it should beat comfortably at home, and by the middle of the second half, there was never much doubt about the outcome.

The more useful part of Saturday, however, came from the imperfections. Ohio State turned the football over twice, committed eight penalties for 65 yards and allowed Maryland to manufacture 13 points directly or indirectly from Buckeye mistakes. The interception Sayin threw for a touchdown return was the most obvious example, but the larger theme was that Ohio State occasionally gave Maryland opportunities the Terrapins were not creating for themselves. Against this level of opponent, those mistakes became film-room corrections. Against No. 7 Indiana next weekend, they could become the difference between winning and losing.

That makes the Maryland game an interesting one to evaluate. It was comfortable enough to reinforce the idea that Ohio State is clearly improving in several important areas, but sloppy enough to prevent the Buckeyes from feeling too satisfied with themselves. With Bloomington waiting, that may not be a bad place to be.

FINAL WHISTLE: OHIO STATE 45, MARYLAND 16

Ohio State struck first and did so in the fashion that has become increasingly familiar this season. Sayin found Smith for a 33-yard touchdown to open the scoring, giving the Buckeyes an early 7-0 lead and immediately forcing Maryland to account for the most dangerous player on the field. The Terrapins answered with a field goal, and for a brief stretch the game carried a little more tension than many inside Ohio Stadium probably expected.

The Buckeyes responded almost immediately. With Maryland devoting attention to Smith on the outside, tight end Nate Roberts found space down the field, and Sayin hit him for a 68-yard touchdown that pushed the lead to 14-3. It was a good illustration of how Ohio State’s passing game is beginning to evolve. Smith remains the centerpiece, but defenses that overcommit resources toward him are increasingly exposing themselves somewhere else.

Maryland showed some resilience early in the second quarter when quarterback Malik Washington finished a scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown run, cutting the Ohio State lead to 14-10. For a moment, it looked like the Terrapins might be able to settle into the game and turn the afternoon into something more uncomfortable. Ohio State answered in the way championship-caliber teams are supposed to answer. Sayin went right back to Smith, who broke free for a 40-yard touchdown, restoring the two-score advantage and immediately taking some of the energy out of Maryland’s sideline.

Connor Hawkins later added a 40-yard field goal, and Ohio State closed the half with one of its better sequences of the afternoon. Rather than simply allowing the clock to run down and carrying a 24-10 lead into halftime, the Buckeyes remained aggressive. Sayin moved the offense into scoring position and eventually connected with Mason Williams for a one-yard touchdown with 32 seconds remaining, pushing the advantage to 31-10.

That final drive before halftime mattered because it reflected the more aggressive offensive identity Ohio State has been trying to build since the loss at Texas. The Buckeyes did not simply protect a lead. They looked for another score, and they got it.

The third quarter provided the clearest blemish on Sayin’s afternoon. Driving near midfield, he attempted a pass that Maryland defensive back Daniel Wingate intercepted and returned for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 31-16. Maryland’s offense had struggled to generate much of anything on its own, so the defensive score gave the Terrapins a jolt they probably did not deserve based on how the game had unfolded.

Ohio State’s response was one of the more encouraging moments of the afternoon. The Buckeyes did not allow the turnover to change the emotional tone of the game. Less than three minutes later, Bo Jackson broke through for a 25-yard touchdown, restoring a comfortable three-score lead and shifting the momentum right back to Ohio State. From there, the Buckeyes leaned more heavily on the run game and defense, with Jackson adding another two-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to produce the final margin.

There was no fourth-quarter drama and no real opportunity for Maryland to turn the afternoon into a game again. Ohio State made a costly mistake, Maryland capitalized, and the Buckeyes responded immediately. That is something this team did not do well enough in Austin earlier in the season, and it is worth noting as a sign of growth.

AN OFFENSE THAT IS BECOMING HARDER TO DEFEND

The most encouraging offensive development over the past month has been the gradual expansion of Ohio State’s identity. Earlier in the season, the offense often felt overly dependent on explosive passing plays from Sayin and Smith while the running game searched for consistency. That made the Buckeyes dangerous, but it also made them somewhat easier to define. If an opponent could slow the passing game and force Ohio State into obvious rushing situations, there were stretches where the offense struggled to sustain drives.

That is beginning to change.

Against Maryland, the Buckeyes showed they could attack a defense in several different ways. Sayin and Smith provided the explosive plays everyone expects. Roberts punished Maryland for shifting coverage outside. Williams caught a short touchdown near the goal line. The Jacksons consistently kept Ohio State ahead of the chains on the ground, and the offensive line created enough movement for the Buckeyes to stay committed to the run even when there was no immediate home-run play available.

Ohio State finished with 207 rushing yards on 48 attempts. Those numbers are not overwhelming in isolation, but they are important because of how the Buckeyes accumulated them. There were not two massive runs inflating the total. Ohio State was simply able to keep handing the football off and repeatedly gain enough yardage to stay on schedule.

That balance changes everything for the offense. If Indiana has to respect the running game next week, it becomes much harder to build an entire defensive plan around Smith. If the Hoosiers bring another defender into the box, Sayin gets more favorable coverage outside. If they devote extra help toward Smith, players like Roberts, Brandon Inniss, Devin McCuin and Williams become more difficult to account for.

Ohio State does not need to become a run-first team. It simply needs the ground game to be credible enough that defenses cannot dictate the terms of the matchup.

Right now, it appears to be getting there.

JULIAN SAYIN: PRODUCTIVE, AGGRESSIVE AND STILL LEARNING

Sayin’s final statistics tell the story of an afternoon that was mostly excellent but still included one mistake Ohio State cannot afford next week. He completed 13 of 21 passes for 242 yards, threw four touchdowns and averaged more than 11 yards every time he attempted a pass. His touchdown passes went to Smith twice, Roberts and Williams, which also speaks to the growing distribution within the offense.

There is a confidence to Sayin’s game that was evident throughout Saturday. The first touchdown to Smith required him to trust the matchup and deliver the ball downfield. The Roberts touchdown showed good recognition of how Maryland was defending Smith, while the second score to Smith demonstrated exactly why Ohio State should continue giving its best receiver opportunities whenever single coverage appears.

The interception is the obvious coaching point. Sayin has been aggressive all season, and Ohio State should not want to remove that part of his game. His willingness to attack is one of the reasons the Buckeyes can score so quickly. But there is a difference between being aggressive and forcing a throw into a situation where the defense has the advantage. Against Maryland, that mistake became six points and a brief moment of concern. Against Indiana, a similar play could dramatically change the game.

That is where Sayin’s development becomes especially interesting. He no longer looks like a quarterback simply benefiting from elite talent around him. Over the last several weeks, he has increasingly looked like one of the reasons the offense works. The next step is becoming consistently disciplined enough to preserve that explosiveness without giving opponents the kind of free opportunities that Maryland received Saturday.

JEREMIAH SMITH NO LONGER NEEDS VOLUME TO DOMINATE

Smith’s statistical line looked modest compared with the enormous performances against Illinois and Iowa. He caught only four passes for 93 yards. On most teams, that would simply be considered a good afternoon.

For Smith, it was another example of how little volume he actually needs to control a game.

Two of his four receptions went for touchdowns. His first score covered 33 yards. His second went for 40. Maryland spent much of the afternoon structuring its secondary around preventing No. 4 from taking over, and he still averaged more than 23 yards every time he caught the ball.

That is the problem opponents now face.

Smith does not need 12 receptions.

He does not need 15 targets.

He just needs a few opportunities where Ohio State can isolate him against a defender.

When those opportunities appear, Sayin has become increasingly willing to take them.

There is also something encouraging about Ohio State not forcing the football toward Smith simply because of his status. The best version of this offense is not one where every possession becomes an exercise in finding No. 4 regardless of coverage. It is one where defenses spend so much energy trying to stop him that they create opportunities everywhere else.

Roberts’ 68-yard touchdown was the clearest example Saturday.

Maryland could not spend the entire afternoon worrying about Smith without creating another problem.

Indiana will face the same dilemma.

THE RUNNING GAME CONTINUES TO GROW

For the first few weeks of the season, the running game felt like one of the biggest unresolved questions surrounding Ohio State.

Against Ball State, the final numbers looked impressive, but much of the yardage came on two explosive runs. Against Texas, the Buckeyes struggled to create consistent movement when the Longhorns knew Ohio State wanted to run. That became particularly damaging late in the game when Ohio State needed first downs and could not generate them.

Since then, the trend has been much more encouraging.

The Buckeyes ran effectively against Kent State, showed more patience against Illinois, controlled the game on the ground at Iowa and then produced their first 200-yard rushing performance of Big Ten play against Maryland.

Bo Jackson led the way with 107 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, while Ja’Kobi Jackson added 76 yards on 14 attempts. Neither relied on one enormous play to produce the final total. Bo’s longest run was 25 yards. Ja’Kobi’s was 15.

That is exactly what Ohio State needed to see.

The Buckeyes were not relying on defensive breakdowns to create rushing production. They were consistently generating four, five and six yards and giving the offense manageable situations on second and third down.

That kind of run game may not dominate highlight packages, but it wins football games.

It is also the kind of production that becomes especially valuable in road environments. If Ohio State can run efficiently in Bloomington, it can quiet the crowd, control possession and prevent Indiana from dictating the pace of the game.

The running game does not need to become the star of the offense.

It simply needs to become dependable.

Saturday was another strong step in that direction.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE IS BEGINNING TO LOOK DIFFERENT

The improvement in the running game naturally reflects better play up front.

Ohio State’s offensive line was a legitimate concern after Texas. The Buckeyes had talented backs, but too often they were forced to make defenders miss before they could even reach the line of scrimmage. The interior did not consistently create movement, and obvious running situations became difficult.

That has changed over the past few weeks.

Against Maryland, the offensive line looked more comfortable creating space inside and staying engaged through the second level. The Buckeyes were able to repeatedly run the football even when Maryland knew it was coming, particularly in the second half when Ohio State was looking to drain the clock.

That detail matters.

It is one thing to run successfully when the entire playbook is available and the defense has to respect every possibility. It is another to line up late in the game, make it obvious that the goal is to shorten the afternoon and still generate positive yardage.

Ohio State did that.

The line is not a finished product, and Indiana will provide a much more difficult test. But the conversation around the group has changed substantially since September.

The question is no longer whether Ohio State can run the football at all.

The question is whether the Buckeyes can run it consistently against the best teams remaining on the schedule.

That is meaningful progress.

THE DEFENSE CONTINUES ITS RESET

The defensive performance against Maryland was about as dominant as the final statistics suggest.

The Terrapins finished with only 146 total yards.

They threw for just 64.

They rushed for 82.

They averaged 2.8 yards per play and scored only one offensive touchdown.

Maryland’s biggest scoring play came from its defense.

That is a remarkable turnaround from where the conversation stood after Illinois.

The Illini gained 462 yards against Ohio State, including 199 on the ground, and repeatedly found success between the 20s. At the time, the concern was not simply that Illinois moved the ball. It was whether the Buckeyes had developed a structural weakness that better opponents could continue attacking.

The last two weeks have provided a much better answer.

Iowa managed 238 yards.

Maryland managed 146.

Combined, those two opponents gained fewer yards than Illinois did by itself.

The run defense has been especially improved. After surrendering 199 rushing yards to Illinois, Ohio State held Iowa to 51 and Maryland to 82.

The defensive line is playing with better gap discipline. The linebackers are fitting more aggressively. Tackling at the second level has improved, and the secondary has generally prevented routine completions from turning into explosive gains.

That does not mean the defense has solved every issue.

It does mean the group looks considerably closer to what Ohio State expected entering the season.

MARYLAND COULD NOT THROW THE FOOTBALL

Malik Washington’s final passing numbers might be the clearest illustration of how completely Ohio State controlled the game defensively.

He completed 12 of 25 passes for only 64 yards.

That is 2.6 yards per attempt.

Maryland simply could not threaten Ohio State vertically. The Buckeyes kept the ball in front of them, tackled underneath completions and forced the Terrapins to build long drives if they wanted to score.

They could not.

Maryland’s longest completion went for only 14 yards. Chris Durr Jr. finished with four catches for 15 yards, and the Terrapins never found a receiver capable of consistently stressing the secondary.

That is exactly the kind of defensive structure Ohio State will want next week.

Indiana has shown that it can create explosive plays very quickly. Nick Marsh does not need eight or nine catches to change a game. One missed assignment can be enough.

Ohio State’s secondary has been excellent over the last two weeks.

Now it gets a legitimate test of whether that improvement is sustainable.

THE FINAL SCORE HID SOME SLOPPINESS

This is where Saturday becomes useful rather than simply comfortable.

Ohio State won by 29.

The Buckeyes also gave Maryland several opportunities they did not need to give away.

Two turnovers.

Eight penalties.

Sixty-five penalty yards.

A defensive touchdown.

Those are the kinds of numbers that can disappear inside a comfortable win.

They should not.

Ohio State has spent the last several weeks improving some of its most important weaknesses. The running game is better. The defense is playing much more disciplined football. Sayin is becoming more comfortable. The offense is more balanced.

The next stage is eliminating self-inflicted damage.

The Buckeyes cannot continue assuming they will always be talented enough to overcome those mistakes.

Indiana will not need eight extra opportunities to make Ohio State uncomfortable.

One or two may be enough.

WHAT STILL NEEDS WORK: CLEANER FOOTBALL

Ohio State does not need to reinvent itself before next week.

It needs to become cleaner.

That distinction matters.

There is no major schematic crisis coming out of the Maryland game. The offense moved the football. The defense dominated. The running game worked. The passing game created explosives.

The problems were mostly self-created.

Protect the football.

Avoid the false start.

Do not turn a manageable down into a long-yardage situation with a holding penalty.

Do not give an opponent a defensive touchdown.

Those details become exponentially more important against teams with comparable talent.

Maryland could not consistently take advantage.

Indiana probably can.

That is what Ryan Day and his staff will spend the week emphasizing.

Not some dramatic overhaul.

Details.

PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS: THE PATH REMAINS CLEAR

Ohio State’s playoff picture remains relatively straightforward despite Texas losing to Oklahoma.

The Buckeyes are now 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play, and their only loss remains a one-point road defeat in Austin.

Texas losing changes the perception of that result somewhat, but it does not fundamentally alter Ohio State’s path.

The Buckeyes still control what matters most.

Their own schedule.

Beat Indiana and Ohio State adds a top-10 road victory to the résumé.

Continue winning conference games and the Buckeyes remain firmly in the Big Ten championship race.

Reach Indianapolis with one loss and the playoff conversation becomes very simple.

That is why next Saturday matters so much.

Maryland was another win Ohio State needed to bank.

Indiana is the type of victory that can shape a season.

THE BUCKEYE50 TAKEAWAY

Saturday did not tell us that Ohio State is suddenly unbeatable.

It did show us that the Buckeyes are becoming a more complete football team.

The offense no longer feels entirely dependent on hitting explosive passes.

The running game is beginning to provide consistent production.

The offensive line is creating more movement.

Sayin is growing increasingly comfortable attacking every level of the field.

Smith remains capable of changing a game with only a few touches.

And the defense has looked dramatically better since Illinois.

That is all encouraging.

The mistakes remain the counterbalance.

Two turnovers and eight penalties are not championship football.

Against Maryland, they became footnotes.

Against Indiana, they could become the story.

That is probably the most useful way to view Saturday.

Ohio State played well enough to win comfortably and poorly enough in certain details that nobody should spend the week feeling satisfied.

That is not a bad combination heading into the biggest game of the season since Texas.

LOOKING AHEAD: INDIANA IS NO LONGER A NOVELTY

There was a time when Ohio State traveling to Bloomington would have been viewed as another conference road game.

That version of Indiana no longer exists.

The Hoosiers are undefeated, ranked No. 7 and riding a 22-game winning streak. They are the defending national champions and enter the Ohio State game with legitimate Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff expectations of their own.

Their 20-17 victory at Nebraska provided another example of why they are so dangerous.

Indiana did not play particularly well.

Nebraska outgained the Hoosiers and controlled possession.

Indiana struggled on third down.

And the Hoosiers still won.

That is what makes championship-level teams difficult to beat.

They find another path when the preferred one is unavailable.

Indiana did exactly that.

NICK MARSH CHANGES THE EQUATION

The player Ohio State’s secondary will spend the most time discussing this week is Nick Marsh.

Indiana’s offense had struggled for most of the Nebraska game before Marsh turned two opportunities into touchdowns of 75 and 44 yards, helping the Hoosiers erase an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit.

That is the challenge.

Ohio State does not necessarily have to allow Indiana to consistently move the football to lose the game.

One coverage mistake can become seven points.

One missed tackle can become seven more.

Maryland had no player capable of creating that kind of stress.

Indiana does.

The Buckeyes need to force Josh Hoover to earn everything underneath and prevent Marsh from turning the game into a series of explosives.

That means disciplined leverage, good tackling and no unnecessary busted coverages.

For a secondary that has played very well the last two weeks, it is an ideal measuring stick.

THE RUN GAME MAY DECIDE HOW COMFORTABLE OHIO STATE CAN BE

The other major matchup is Ohio State’s rushing attack against Indiana’s front.

The Buckeyes have spent the last several weeks building toward a game like this.

Bo Jackson and Ja’Kobi Jackson are becoming a legitimate tandem.

The offensive line is improving.

And Ohio State has shown a willingness to remain patient on the ground even when the first few carries do not create immediate results.

That patience could become extremely valuable in Bloomington.

If the Buckeyes can consistently gain four or five yards on first down, everything becomes easier.

Indiana cannot devote extra bodies toward Smith.

Sayin stays out of obvious passing situations.

The crowd becomes less influential.

And Ohio State controls possession rather than allowing Hoover and Marsh repeated opportunities to attack the secondary.

This is exactly why the improvement in the running game has mattered so much.

The Buckeyes did not spend September trying to become a run-heavy offense.

They spent September trying to become an offense that can run when it needs to.

Next week may be the first real test of whether they have reached that point.

THIS ONE HAS REAL WEIGHT

Ohio State already knows what it feels like to play a major road game this season.

The Buckeyes also know what it feels like to walk out believing they should have won.

That makes Indiana fascinating.

Ohio State is not the same team it was in Austin.

The running game is better.

The defense is more disciplined.

Sayin has more experience.

The offensive line looks more comfortable.

And the Buckeyes have repeatedly shown over the last month that they can respond when an opponent makes a run.

Now all of that has to travel.

Indiana will believe it can win.

The crowd will believe it can win.

The Hoosiers are no longer hoping to pull an upset against Ohio State.

They are trying to beat another conference contender and protect their own championship path.

That changes the atmosphere entirely.

This is not simply another game Ohio State should win because Ohio State has more blue-chip recruits.

This is a top-10 Big Ten matchup with conference championship positioning and playoff consequences.

Exactly the kind of game Ohio State says it wants to play.

Final: No. 5 Ohio State 45, Maryland 16

Ohio State Record: 5-1 (3-0 Big Ten)

Julian Sayin: 13-of-21, 242 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT

Bo Jackson: 23 carries, 107 yards, 2 TD

Jeremiah Smith: 4 catches, 93 yards, 2 TD

Next: No. 5 Ohio State at No. 7 Indiana — Saturday, October 17

Maryland gave Ohio State another conference win and another week of evidence that this team is improving.

Indiana will tell us how much that improvement actually means.

Photo Credit: Ohio State Football