Five Ohio State stats that mattered against Terrapins

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Ohio State has found a way to win this season, despite slow starts, a slew of injuries and some weird weather conditions.

The Buckeyes did it again at Maryland Saturday when they came back from a 13-10 halftime deficit and fended off a fierce second-half push from the Terrapins with heroics from a mix of youth and experience.

Without further ado, Lettermen Row has the five stats that mattered in the 43-30 victory.

143

SECOND-HALF RUSHING YARDS RECORDED BY DALLAN HAYDEN: Ohio State needed every bit of Dallan Hayden in the second half against Maryland. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was OK but didn’t have his best stuff. The Buckeyes leaned on their run game late to put away the Terps. Without Miyan Williams and the kind of TreVeyon Henderson Ohio State fans are accustomed to, head coach Ryan Day turned to Hayden, who went over the century mark on the ground for the second straight week. Hayden had one carry in the first half because Henderson got the nod after missing the last two contests with his nagging foot injury. Henderson was clearly still affected, as he logged a mere 19 yards in 11 carries. Meanwhile, Hayden racked up 143 yards in the back half of play, not to mention three touchdowns. While Henderson was indecisive and, at times, lacking vision, Hayden could do no wrong. He barreled inside and registered 96 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus. It was a statement game for the true freshman.

11

PENALTIES RECORDED BY THE BUCKEYES: Penalties have occasionally been a problem for Ohio State this season. The Buckeyes combined for 16 infractions in the first two weeks and had eight flags at Penn State. But, at Maryland, they had the most dirty laundry they’ve had all year: a season-high 11 penalties. Some were worse than others. The one that sticks out the most is the delay of game penalty on Ohio State’s two-point attempt near the start of the fourth quarter. It forced the Buckeyes to settle for a PAT, which was blocked by Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks and returned 80 yards to the house by fellow Terps defensive back Jakorian Bennett. Ohio State finished with three delay of game penalties, two false starts and two unsportsmanlike conduct infractions. For what it’s worth, Maryland had 10 penalties, including an offsides call that kept the Buckeyes’ clock-draining fourth quarter drive going.

9

MARYLAND RECEIVERS WHO CAUGHT A PASS: Credit to Maryland and head coach Mike Locksley because the Terps did everything they could to stage an upset Saturday. Part of that was an excellent offensive game plan that saw quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa — now Maryland’s all-time leading passer — to spread the ball around profusely. Tagovailoa connected with nine different receivers, seven of whom had at least two catches. The Terps posted six pass plays of 20-plus yards. To put that in perspective, Ohio State had allowed 24 of those plays in its first 10 games. That says something about Maryland’s aerial attack, but it also says something about the Big Ten and the types of offenses the Buckeyes have faced this season. Maryland wound up with 318 passing yards. It goes down the second time this season Ohio State has allowed an opponent to eclipse the 300-yard mark (Penn State did it on Oct. 29).

10

SOLO TACKLES RECORDED BY TOMMY EICHENBERG: Tommy Eichenberg is playing with casts on both of his hands, and he’s still playing at All-American level. He’s the leader of this Buckeyes defense, and the respect he commands from his teammates is palpable. Eichenberg notched 13 total tackles against Maryland, including 10 solos. So now, in three of his last four games, Eichenberg has 10 solo tackles. He’s at 105 total tackles, 41 more than he tallied in 2021. Eichenberg’s 67 solo tackles are tied for third nationally. There was one sequence Saturday in the third quarter when Eichenberg missed a tackle on Tagovailoa’s 26-yard scramble, and, three players later, he bounced back with a stop on 3rd-and-2 to force a Terrapins punt.

5

SACKS RECORDED BY THE BUCKEYES: Maryland had allowed a combined 12 sacks in its previous two games. Like the rest of the Terrapins’ roster, though, the offensive line took things up a notch versus Ohio State. That is, for much of the game — but not a full 60 minutes. Maryland, which entered tied for 104th in sacks allowed per game (2.9) gave up back-to-back sacks to Buckeyes defensive end Zach Harrison in the waning seconds that ran the Terps’ total up to five sacks allowed for the night. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit has really been able to get home as the fall has worn on. The Buckeyes had four sacks against Indiana and five more in College Park. That’s continued improvement for a Ohio State team that’s consistently created pressure this year yet has taken significant steps forward in finishing those plays in the back half of the season. Since the bye, Ohio State has recorded 17 sacks in five games — it had 14 sacks in its first six outings.