Easy Bucks: Analyzing the Spread, Point Total and Betting Props to Watch for Ohio State vs. Maryland

Ohio State owns a rich history of sports betting success against the Maryland Terrapins. Although the series only started less than a decade ago, the Buckeyes have successfully cashed every money line available to them while also sporting a winning record against the spread.

Additionally, would you believe the point total has only hit in one direction across all eight meetings between these schools over the last decade? Will tomorrow finally serve as the severing of this trend — or perhaps even more of them? 

As always, play responsibly, and let's consider the sports betting perspective for Ohio State's showdown with Maryland.

Lines and odds courtesy of Action Network market consensus or best available.

The Spread: Ohio State -20

When Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014, do you believe they expected a win over Ohio State by now? Thankfully, the land of the Terrapins did not have sports betting legally available until after the 2021 football season, otherwise the Maryland public perhaps could have lost fortunes investing in the school's football money lines.

Then again, last season was the Terrapins' most encouraging try since Anthony McFarland Jr. ran for over 300 yards on the Buckeyes in 2018. Taulia Tagovailoa nearly pulled off the upset bid a year ago in what proved to be the second-narrowest margin of victory Maryland has yielded in eight contests. 

Overall, Ohio State's all-time record of 5-3 against the spread when facing Maryland lends confidence that the Buckeyes can get it done a sixth time inside of the last decade. But a spread of roughly three touchdowns? A result as early as the most recent one demonstrates how that could be a loftier task for Kyle McCord and company.

Fortunately, the series history merits examination from another angle relative to lofty spreads: home versus away. Ohio State has covered at home against Maryland three times in a row, last failing to do so in 2015. In each of those cases, the spread closed at a greater number than what it sits at currently.

The Buckeyes will need some assistance in the form of disruption from their defense to prevent Tagovailoa from keeping pace with points and open up a lead. More on that unit later, but if the Silver Bullets can help avoid this game from becoming a true shootout in spirit, a fourth home cover in a row over the Terrapins appears promising.

The Total: 57

Either defense preventing these meetings from becoming lofty scoring affairs always ends up easier said than done.

Actually, relative to projected point totals in this series, an under has never been done. The games have often becoming such rallies for points that Ohio State has hit the over by themselves three times.

So the under will go down as a lock for the ninth time in a row, right? Unfortunately, it's important for Buckeye bettors to retain perspective on the current state of the sport when forecasting a result along a trend such as the one presented above.

Ohio State has hit the under in three of its four games so far this season, the lone exception coming against Western Kentucky. Ahead of the most competitive game the Buckeyes have had so far in 2023, OSU and Notre Dame opened with an over/under of 63 that ultimately closed at 55.5 projected total points. The game ended in a 17-14 final score.

The clock rules are wreaking havoc on games that stay competitive. If Tagovailoa and the Terrapins play above expectations once again as they did last season and perhaps have to this point in staying undefeated, this series seems due for an anomalous tally between its sides.

Prop Watch: Ohio State Defense Anytime Touchdown

As the season draws on, props frequently become available earlier in the week and in much greater abundance. This happens as schools transition out of non-conference play into matchups with more traditional opponents, as well as a few weeks into the season when more finite data on the current production of teams makes itself available.

Value can often obscure itself during these times, given the sheer range of plus value options available. Look no further than the last Prop Watch on Easy Bucks that identified Emeka Egbuka to record 25+ yards receiving in each half of the Notre Dame game at the same price as Julian Fleming to score his first touchdown of the season. Buckeye fans that played that sportsbook special are certainly dancing more than Fleming has in the end zone yet this season.

Given that context, a high-floor prop with a solid plus value price tag would figure as the optimal recommendation this week, right? Actually, the prop with the longest odds on the board seems the most enticing this week.

When it comes to wagering on a defense to score an anytime touchdown, most often fans will deploy this as a purely speculative bet in what figures to be a blowout. But there are a few hints of historical contest in this series between Ohio State and Maryland that lend confidence to the idea that the Silver Bullets are heading for the end zone again this weekend.

Jim Knowles' group owns two defensive touchdowns already in four games this season. They also already have experience capitalizing on Tagovailoa's mistakes for points, after Steele Chambers did so at the end of their game in 2022 on a scoop and score touchdown.

But going back even futher, Tagovailoa has actually turned the ball over to the Buckeye defense for a direct score even before last season. The last time Ohio State and Maryland faced off in Columbus, Tagovailoa threw a 70-yard pick six to Craig Young in garbage time.

As a final bolt of confidence, across the eight meetings between these teams, the Buckeye defense has scored a defensive touchdown four times. In addition to the aforementioned trips to paydirt courtesy of Tagovailoa, Jerome Baker returned a fumble for a 20-yard score against the Terrapins in 2017 and Raekwon McMillan had a 19-yard pick six to conclude the first-ever meeting between the schools in 2014.

A +475 price tag on a defense that has already scored twice this season to find the endzone a third time? Against a quarterback that has already conceded two touchdowns to the Silver Bullets in as many starts against them? In a series that has seen Ohio State score a defensive touchdown in half of all its meetings?

Here's hoping lighting strikes thrice for Tua's brother.

Good luck, and go Buck$.