Do not. No. 2 Ohio State survived Maryland’s late scare but still prevailed 43-30 to take an 11-0 lead and a dreadful matchup against No. 2. Nov. 3 Michigan State 26. Although the Buckeyes trailed 13-10 at halftime, they took a 17-0 lead in the third and surged late in the fourth — despite the Terrapins The team went all out – undefeated.
The Terps got a solid performance from quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who completed 26 of 36 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Tagovailoa hit nine different pass-catchers, throwing scores to tight end CJ Dippre and wide receiver Jeshaun Jones.
Maryland’s last-ditch effort attempted to take the lead with less than a minute left, but it allowed a pair of sacks, and Tagovailoa was denied the latter on a fumble in the end zone for a return touchdown.
With the passing game underway, Ohio State turned to freshman running back Darlan Hayden. Hayden rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns to power a crucial 88-yard scoring drive that gave Ohio State control of the game. Quarterback CJ Stroud was inconsistent, completing just 18 of 30 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. OSU’s two second-half touchdowns were fueled by a blocked punt and a lengthy kickoff return.
The win ensures that next week’s game against Michigan will be an 11-0 contest in hopes of earning a trip to the Big Ten championship game. The winner will actually earn a berth to the College Football Playoff.