Short-handed Ohio State beat Maryland 45-16 behind a big game from the tight ends and the running game, even as it reshuffled the offensive line.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State dominates Maryland 45-16 despite missing five starters and other key players. 

An overcast Fall day turned rainy in Columbus as Ohio State celebrated Homecoming while hosting Maryland. The Buckeyes dominated on the scoreboard, but Ryan Day still wants to see cleaner football from his team. 

“When that’s happening, it’s a direct reflection of coaching,” Day said. “Ultimately, it comes back down on the coaches, and it starts with me, and so we got to do a better job holding everybody accountable…We’re competing every day to be the best version of ourselves. That’s the bottom line.” 

Ohio State committed 8 penalties for 65 yards and struggled on third down, converting only 5 of 13 opportunities. At the same time, the Buckeyes were a perfect 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions. 

Austin Siereveld, Jay Timmons, Brandon Inniss, Devin McCuin, Christian Alliegro, Khary Wilder, and Phillip Daniels also missed the game for the Buckeyes, giving some younger players opportunities. 

Big Day From Tight Ends

Brock Boyd saw time at wide receiver for the injured Inniss. Kyle Parker and Phillip Bell also rotated in. But outside of Jeremiah Smith, Chris Henry Jr. was the story of the wide receiver room. 

The 5-star true freshman caught a 46-yard deep ball from Julian Sayin, but the drive stalled, and Connor Hawkins kicked a 40-yard field goal. Jeremiah Smith continued his Heisman campaign, hauling in 4 passes for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Other pass catchers got involved for Ohio State as tight ends Nate Roberts and Mason Williams each caught a touchdown pass in different ways. Roberts ran up the seam in the first quarter for a 68-yard pitch-and-catch, while Williams caught a 1-yard pass at the end of the first half. 

Coach, he really made an emphasis on the tight end group that we needed to step up for this offense. And that’s, I feel like, that’s exactly what we did today,” Roberts said. “Me and Mason here, that was big time.”

Julian Sayin did a good job spreading the football around despite missing two of his top targets. But the Buckeyes did not turn to the passing game as often as they did in previous weeks. Part of the reason is the rainy weather and the available players. 

Despite those positives, Ryan Day showed frustration throughout the game as penalties, miscues, and turnovers plagued the Buckeyes. Ohio State committed two turnovers, including a third-quarter pick-six in which Daniel Wingate intercepted Julian Sayin on a shot in the pocket. 

Throughout the game, Day was noticeably animated on the sideline, coaching his players and staff members hard. He explained why postgame, outlining Ohio State’s standard. The mistakes against Maryland didn’t cost the Buckeyes the game, but against better competition like Indiana, they could, which is Day’s point.

“There’s too much at stake here, and it’s my job as the coach to make sure that I can challenge those guys, but there has to be a certain level of trust within the program to challenge guys that hard. I think there is,” Day said.

Buckeyes Ran for 200+ Yards

Maryland scored 10 points off the turnovers and also benefited from penalties that moved them down the field on their early touchdown drive. However, the Buckeyes kept their foot on the gas and finally found an explosive run. 

Bo Jackson ran 26 yards up the middle behind Jake Cook for a touchdown on 4th-and-1, Ohio State’s longest run from scrimmage since Ball State. Ryan Day has emphasized generating big runs in the running back room. Bo Jackson finally broke through after being close the last few weeks. 

Bo finished with 107 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown, making him Ohio State’s first 100-yard rusher of the season. Ja’Kobi Jackson continued to be a strong second option for the Buckeyes, gaining tough yards all afternoon. Ja’Kobi finished with 76 yards on 14 carries. 

Heading to Indiana next week, Ohio State’s run game is coming off back-to-back satisfactory performances and will need to travel to Bloomington. If the running backs can take over and control the game, the Buckeyes will be extremely difficult to stop. Legend Bey also saw time, earning four carries for 13 yards. He also made an impact on kick returns, so that’s something to watch for next week as well.

Offensive Line Versatility and Concerns

Lingering injuries, illness, and precautionary decisions kept Phillip Daniels and Austin Siereveld out on Saturday, with the Siereveld news coming hours before kickoff. Ryan Day said a “test” before the game led to the decision, and a source confirmed to The Silver Bulletin that it was illness-related. Siereveld had already been filling in at right tackle for Daniels, so the Buckeyes had to make an eleventh-hour decision.

Arthur Smith and Tyler Bowen worked with Ryan Day and decided Gabe Van Sickle was the best option at tackle in their absence, given his level of play so far and the option behind him at right guard, Jake Cook, who has seen significant playing time in the Bison package this season.

After the game, Day discussed the pressure of late lineup decisions and how Gabe Van Sickle handled the short-notice move to right tackle. “That’s a tough ask for Gabe, but he was able to handle it. That’s a good sign for him.”

“I think the first thing is, going into the game, there were some things that popped up late in the week and then some things that we decided before the game that we’re gonna hold some guys. So really, it was five guys in there who are starters that didn’t play in the game,” Day said. “So it was an opportunity for some guys to step up, which I thought there was some really good play out there.”

Joshua Padilla also saw some snaps at guard, which led to some successful rushing plays and showcased the Buckeyes’ depth. However, last year against the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship, the offensive line didn’t hold up against Indiana’s defensive front. Julian Sayin was sacked five times, so Ohio State’s uncertainty up front is a concern, especially on the road.

Day hinted at getting a number of the missing players back in Bloomington, but did not specify which ones. We will continue to monitor Ohio State’s offensive line and other injury updates throughout the week, so stay tuned to The Silver Bulletin for the latest on the Buckeyes.