No. 2 Ohio State has one simple goal tomorrow: handle Maryland on the road and return with no new injuries so Ryan Day and company can shift focus to Michigan.
But first thing's first, the Buckeyes do need to take care of business on Capital One Field against a Maryland squad coming off back-to-back road losses at Wisconsin and Penn State by a combined score of 53-10.
To get your mind right for the 3:30 p.m. kick, our own Dan Hope, Kyle Jones and Josh Poloha join the 11W Roundtable to discuss all things Buckeye.
Taulia Tagovailoa hasn’t been very good the last few weeks as he recovers from an MCL sprain but still gives the Buckeyes a bit of a dual threat to defend. Could he bounce back from his struggles the last few weeks or will Ohio State’s defense keep him in check? What kind of day do you expect from Tagovailoa and in general, how are you feeling about Ohio State’s ability to defend quarterbacks who pose at least marginal threat on the run?
Dan: I’m not sure Tagovailoa is healthy enough right now to present a major threat with his legs, and he hasn’t done well passing the ball since he came back from injury either. He’s still arguably the most talented quarterback Ohio State has faced all season, so this will be a test for the pass defense if he's closer to 100 percent this week. My feeling is Tagovailoa bounces back and has some success through the air against the Buckeyes, but he'll have to return to his pre-injury form if he's going to present any real danger to Ohio State on the scoreboard.
Kyle: Given that he has taken 12 sacks in the past 2 games since returning from injury, it's pretty clear that he isn't as elusive as he once was. Add in the fact that his small size diminishes his ability to be used in the traditional zone-read game, and it's unlikely to me that Taulia hurts the Buckeyes with his legs. With the Terp' aforementioned issues protecting him, I don't expect much from him through the air, either, as the Buckeye defensive line has hit its stride over the past month, and should have another big day in its final tune-up before (essentially) postseason play.
Josh: I figured Maryland's passing attack would be one of the toughest the Buckeyes would go against during the regular season, but Tagovailoa's struggles in recent weeks have changed my mind on that. He's clearly not 100% and the Terps' offense has struggled to score because of it. I have full confidence in Jim Knowles and the Silver Bullets' ability to keep Taulia and the rest of Maryland's offense in check, at least while the game is close early on. Maryland might get a cheap score or two late in the game.
Maryland boasts a pretty deep receiving corps led by former five-start wideout Rakim Jarrett and tight end Corey Dyches. The Buckeye cornerbacks face tougher matchups in practice than Jarrett but he’s certainly a talented player. How are you feeling about Ohio State’s cornerback situation right now? Do the Buckeyes have enough talent at corner to matchup with elite receivers, as we look ahead to Michigan and possible CFP opponents? And what about the defense’s ability to defend pass catching tight ends? Luke Schoonmaker at Michigan is having a fine season and certainly a possible matchup with Georgia’s Brock Bowers would be a tough chore.
Josh: I know Kyle has talked about this at times: Ohio State's cornerbacks certainly have the talent, it's just that they are sometimes in the wrong spots, which has turned into big plays for the opposing team. While injuries have certainly been an issue, I'm not worried about the cornerback room if they can just get healthy, at least not yet. The Buckeyes were able to keep Notre Dame's Michael Mayer – one of the best tight ends in the country – in check Week 1 and have only improved as a group since. The linebackers and safeties will be able to do the same against Maryland.
Dan: Assuming Denzel Burke's injury is nothing that will keep him out for any more games, I think Ohio State's cornerback unit is in the best place it's been all season. Burke has played much better in the second half of the season than he did early in the year, Cameron Brown was strong in his return to action against Indiana, Jordan Hancock has been solid in his first few games back from injury and Jyaire Brown has played quite well for a true freshman. I still have concerns about the secondary going up against better receivers, considering the passing defense was not great against the best receivers the Buckeyes have faced all season against Penn State, but I think the defensive backfield is trending in the right direction with Ronnie Hickman and Lathan Ransom also forming an elite tandem at safety.
Brock Bowers is a tough matchup for everyone, but Ohio State has limited talented tight ends like Notre Dame's Michael Mayer pretty well so far this season, so I think this defense is certainly capable of covering tight ends effectively in the passing game. Having the depth the Buckeyes do at safety helps with that as there are a multitude of players who could potentially handle those matchups – though I think they'll look to Ransom, Hickman and Tanner McCalister to take on that responsibility for the most part.
Kyle: Health continues to be my greatest concern with OSU's cornerbacks. Personally, I have bought into the idea that Day is saving everyone for next week when TTUN comes to the 'Shoe, but I can't help but be nervous about the lack of reps for both Cam Brown and Denzel Burke this season. Both have shown an ability to play at a high level, but not consistently, and Jarrett could offer a good test for them despite the overall issues with Maryland's passing attack.
Ohio State’s running game had a field day against a bad Indiana defense, even as TreVeyon Henderson sat out and Miyan Williams left early due to a lower leg injury. Maryland won’t likely be a much stiffer test in what is the last tune-up before Michigan. Besides guys getting healthy, what else do you want to see that would give you more confidence in the running game heading into the showdown with the Wolverines?
Kyle: Don't do a damn thing different, no matter what people say on TV or on message boards. Save Henderson and Williams and give all the carries to Hayden and Xavier Johnson. OSU should be able to easily handle Maryland without showing anything new and it's better for this team to save any new wrinkles for next weekend than use them in this game.
Josh: Being able to convert third and fourth-and-short runs for first downs. The Buckeyes racked up 340 yards on the ground last week against Indiana but still struggled in the short-yardage downs, which has been a concern for much of the last month or so. If they can start converting those runs, too, this offense could be unstoppable, honestly. I have a feeling Ryan Day and co. have something up their sleeves to help with that, but still, it's one of the biggest concerns about the Buckeyes' stellar offense so far this season.
Dan: Short-yardage situations are where we really need to see Ohio State have more success running the ball. Even against Indiana, the Buckeyes went just 2-for-7 on third- and fourth-down conversion attempts of two yards or less. Ryan Day acknowledged after the game that he was "stubborn" about calling run plays in those situations because he knows that's an area where the Buckeyes need to improve, and I think he'll be stubborn again this week knowing it's their last opportunity to work through those issues before The Game – along with the fact that Ohio State isn't going to want to give away whatever short-yardage wrinkles it might have holstered for next week.
I'm not sure what I want to ask but I want to talk about him so why don't you just say some stuff about Kam Babb. What an awesome moment to see his and the team's reaction to his first career touchdown last Saturday.
Dan: I'm not supposed to get emotional when I'm covering the game in the press box as a beat writer, but I'll admit that wasn't easy after Babb's touchdown. How could anyone not be happy for Babb to finally have his time to shine after all the injuries he's had to overcome? And seeing how genuinely thrilled the entire team was to see Babb score that touchdown was what truly made the moment special. It's easy for Ohio State players and coaches to talk about how great the brotherhood is in their program, but actions speak louder than words, and the pure joy on the Buckeyes' sideline as they celebrated Babb was perhaps the clearest glimpse we've gotten of how strong Ohio State’s brotherhood really is.
Kyle: As someone who himself has gone through tough injuries sustained while playing this game, I can tell you first hand that those experiences helped me later in life. I didn't just learn that I could overcome difficult obstacles, but I had a reason beyond myself to do so, as I was working to help everyone else on my team. I rehabbed a torn up knee for months so I could help my teammates win, and in turn, they helped me in so many other ways. The world got to see that experience up close last Saturday in Ohio Stadium, as the connection that Kam Babb has with his teammates is special, but not necessarily unique. In a world where everything tries to push us apart, being on a team brings people together and connects them with one another in ways you don't find elsewhere. There's a lesson we can all take from that.
Josh: Kam Babb's touchdown and everything surrounding that moment will be something I will never forget. The play itself, the celebration, the hugs, the tears, and everything that has been written about it in the days that have followed have been exceptional. He deserved all of that and so much more. The Brotherhood. Forever.
Ohio State enters Saturday’s matchup against the Terps as a heavy 27.5-point favorite. Do the Buckeyes cover? Give us your final score.
Josh: Another blowout for the Buckeyes in their final tune-up game prior to The Game. Ohio State 48, Maryland 13.
Dan: I've got the Buckeyes barely covering with a 45-17 win over Maryland. I'm not sure we'll see Ohio State's sharpest football on Saturday, as it has to be nearly impossible not to look ahead to the season-defining game that's just one week away, but I still think the Buckeyes win by a significant margin against a Maryland team that's been trending in the wrong direction with only 10 total points scored in its last two games.
Kyle: The Terps seem to have 'let go of the rope' at this point, and I don't expect much resistance for a determined Ohio State team that is getting tired of people nitpicking their performances. OSU wins 49-7.
