Some matchups have drama built in. This one doesn’t. No. 5 Ohio State hosts Maryland on Saturday at 4:15 pm ET in Columbus on BTN, and almost everything points the same way.
A series with only one winner
Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014, and the Terrapins have never beaten Ohio State. The Buckeyes took the first six meetings by a combined 350-134, including a 73-14 win in 2019. They were 8-0 before the 2023 game, then won that one 37-17. That makes it 9-0 going into Saturday.
Columbus has been especially rough for Maryland. Before 2023, Ohio State was 4-0 at home in the series, averaging 62.5 points per game and winning by about 44 points each time. The closest games in the series were the two most recent ones played in College Park.
The current form is just as lopsided
Ohio State is 4-1. Maryland is 2-3 and has lost three straight, including a 54-3 loss to UCLA. Sportsbooks have Ohio State as a 34.5-point favorite, with the total at 56.5. One model gives the Buckeyes about a 98% chance to win.
The one thing that could make it interesting
If Ohio State loses this game, the most likely cause is a bad day from its quarterback. Interceptions and turnovers are how a heavy favorite gives an underdog a chance, and the Buckeyes have the most to lose from a sloppy afternoon. I wouldn’t call it impossible, but it’s unlikely.
Maryland has also made this series uncomfortable before. In 2023, the Terrapins were tied with Ohio State at halftime and led 17-10 in the second half before the Buckeyes pulled away. Michigan’s loss to Minnesota last week is a reminder that turnovers and special teams errors can hurt a team that was favored, even without a quarterback melting down.
My prediction
Ohio State wins comfortably, and the spread is the more interesting question. If the Buckeyes protect the football, I expect them to win by 30 or more. If turnovers pile up, Maryland could keep it closer than the numbers suggest, but I don’t see it winning.
Final prediction: Ohio State 42, Maryland 10.
