The Buckeyes are in College Park, Maryland to do battle with the Terrapins today, and even though Vegas favors Ohio State by 27 points, that doesn't mean they should take it easy. Yes, one would think that Ohio State will roll to another impressive victory. They should. Yes, the biggest rivalry in all of sports, The Game, is looming like a monolith on the horizon. But the task at hand is what's most important right now, and that's getting to 11-0. If that doesn't happen, a possible winner takes all showdown in Columbus next week with That Team Up North will lose a LOT of its luster.
So, how will Ohio State get the job done, avoid any distractions, and keep from stumbling as they race toward the regular season finish line? Let's take a look at the Keys to Victory!
Get off to a fast start!
Ohio State's offense seems to have gotten on track and rolling ever since that ugly 21-7 win at Northwestern in a windstorm. They'll have to have another performance like what happened last week against Indiana, today against Maryland. If the running game gets going, that'll open things up for CJ Stroud and a dangerous bunch of receivers to do some serious damage. But the Buckeyes can't be sleepwalking, especially not this close to the regular season finale!
Run the ball
Seeing Miyan Williams go down last week with an ankle injury was a tough pill to swallow. But the good news is that Ohio State will have TreVeyon Henderson back this week. I hope he's ready to carry the rock quite a bit. The Buckeyes still need to show that they can run the football consistently well. No, it's not the same as running it against Michigan. But this is another opportunity for Ohio State to strengthen the ground attack, and they should get plenty of chances, since Maryland has given up 200 or more yards rushing in their last three games. Ohio State is a pass-oriented offense, but they need to get the ground game rolling today.
Defensive litmus test
This is the part of the game I'm most interested to watch. In six of their last seven games, the Ohio State defense has held the opponent under 300 yards of total offense. How the Silver Bullets fare today will say a LOT about what kind of shape they're in to battle Michigan next week. The Buckeye defense is ranked 7th nationally overall (points, yards per game). But if they struggle against Taulia Tagovailoa and the Terprs today, that could definitely be cause for concern. Similarly, if they get after him, shut down the Maryland offense, and pin their ears back all day, Buckeye fans would be able to feel confident ahead of the biggest game of the season against the Wolverines. If they get at least 3-4 sacks and force a couple turnovers, I'll feel good about the kind of shape these guys are in. Jim Knowles has drastically improved this entire unit, and I definitely trust that he'll have them ready again today.
Business as usual mindset
Yes, we're a week out from The Game, and fans can salivate over a matchup next week that features two likely unbeaten, Top 4 teams in Ohio State and Michigan. We can look ahead all we want. Personally, I've wanted another crack at the Wolverines BAD. Like you would not believe. I want nothing more than to see the Buckeyes absolutely SMACK them, and shut up their entire fanbase. They've been unjustifiably arrogant all year long. They need to eat a whole bakery's worth of humble pie. And I'm sure Coach Day and his guys feel the same way. But unlike those of us watching the game at home on TV this afternoon, they can't look ahead. If they do? They risk stumbling. They need to have a business-as-usual mindset.
What does that look like? Disciplined, clean football. Crisp, sharp offensive execution. Solid play calling. And an absolutely savage Buckeye defense that isn't afraid to lay the beatdown on Maryland if the opportunity is there.
If Ohio State looks like that today? I like our chances to beat not only Maryland, but That Team Up North next week.
Tune in to see the Buckeyes finish up the road portion of their regular season schedule. It all goes down on ABC at 3:30. GO BUCKS!
Sources: collegefootballnews.com, cleveland.com, Buckeyes Now on FanNation
Picture Credit: clutchpoints.com
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