Which team is for real? Ohio State and Maryland have much left to prove
Which Ohio State is the real one? The one that struggled for the first three weeks of the season, or the one that bounced back with consecutive blowouts?
Which Maryland is the real one? The one that started 4-0, or the one that self-destructed in a 37-point loss to Iowa last week?
Those are the questions that will be answered when the Buckeyes and visiting Terrapins meet Saturday.
Ohio State believes it has gotten its act together after the loss to Oregon sandwiched around shaky victories over Minnesota and Tulsa. The Buckeyes believe their inexperienced defense is finding its way. They believe C.J. Stroud’s performance last week in the 5213 rout of Rutgers shows he’s on the path to stardom with an ultra-talented supporting cast.
Maryland is hoping its 51-14 implosion against the Hawkeyes isn’t a harbinger. The Terps’ quarterback, Taulia Tagovailoa, was arguably the Big Ten’s top quarterback in the first month of the season. Then the brother of former Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa threw five interceptions against Iowa, repeatedly forcing the ball into coverage.
As you might expect, Ohio State coach Ryan Day dismissed Maryland’s debacle last week as an aberration.
“Just throw that game out,” he said.
Day heaped praise on Tagovailoa. He described him as a quarterback who can make every throw with a quick release and accuracy.
“You can tell he’s a student of the game,” Day said. “He’s got a little ‘it’ factor to him. He understands situations. He’s a very good quarterback.”
Maryland will be without one of its top players, however. Wide receiver Dontay Demus, who leads the Big Ten with 507 receiving yards, suffered a seasonending injury last week.
That loss will hurt, but the Terps have other threats. Rakim Jarrett has caught four touchdown passes this year. Running back Tayon Fleet-davis is averaging 7.0 yards per carry behind a line that has yielded only six sacks.
On defense, Maryland is averaging seven tackles for loss.
“They have an amazing front seven,” Ohio State left tackle Nicholas Petit-frere said. “They have probably one of the more talented front sevens in the Big Ten and maybe in college football.
“It’s a great challenge. It’s a great opportunity for us to go against a group like that.”
Ohio State has manhandled Maryland in all but one of its previous six meetings. The only Buckeye win over the Terps closer than 21 points came in a 52-51 overtime squeaker in 2018. And some of Maryland’s
gaudy numbers should be put in context. The Terps’ victories came against West Virginia, Howard, Illinois and Kent State, hardly a murderer’s row.
The same could apply to Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ wins won’t excite the College Football Playoff selection committee. The Oregon loss eliminates any margin if OSU wants to make the CFP for the third straight year.
But the Buckeyes believe the adversity they’ve faced already has steeled them for the schedule ahead.
“We’ve still got a very, very young team, and we’ve got to keep developing,” Day said. “But the more we’re investing in these guys, the more work we’re putting in into this team, the stronger we’re going to get.
“It’s one thing to come into the season and win a bunch of games and just kind of cruise along. It’s another thing to go through tough times and find out who people are and where things are at. You’ve got to go earn it every week. Nothing’s going to be given. I think there’s one thing this team and this program understands right now. You’re not just going to show up and beat anybody. You’ve got to show up and you’ve got to play (well).” Brabinowitz@dispatch.com @brdispatch