Ohio State Survives Overtime Scare For 52-51 Win at Maryland

COLLEGE Park, Md. – Ohio State never led in regulation against Maryland on Saturday, but the Buckeyes still found a way to win their final road game of the regular season.

An incomplete pass by Maryland quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome on a two-point conversion that would have won the game for the Terrapins in overtime allowed the Buckeyes to escape with a 52-51 win at Maryland Stadium on Saturday.

Saturday’s game got off to a disastrous start for Ohio State, as Maryland running back Anthony McFarland ran for an 81-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage. The Terrapins kicked the ball short on the ensuing kickoff, and the Buckeyes failed to recover the ball, allowing Maryland to scoop it up just 21 yards away from the end zone.

Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison recovered a fumble on a botched trick play by Maryland on the very next play, giving the ball back to the Buckeyes at their own 29-yard line. From there, Ohio State put together a 10-play, 52-yard drive – highlighted by a 28-yard run by J.K. Dobbins – that culminated with a 36-yard field goal by Blake Haubeil.

McFarland ran for a 75-yard touchdown on Maryland’s very next offensive play, however, to extend the Terrapins’ lead to 14-3. Ohio State drove to Maryland’s 24-yard line on its subsequent possession, but came off the field without points after Dobbins was stopped short of the line-to-make on 4th-and-1.

The Terrapins hit another big play on their next offensive possession, this time through the air, as Pigrome connected with Dontay Demus for a 56-yard gain. Ohio State’s defense tightened up on Maryland’s subsequent set of downs, though, to hold the Terrapins to a 36-yard field goal attempt, which Joseph Petrino converted.

Following a punt by Ohio State on its next possession, Maryland hits its fourth 50-plus-yard play of the game less than two minutes into the second quarter, as McFarland ripped through Ohio State’s run defense again for a 52-yard gain. Once again, though, the Buckeyes’ defense was able to get off the field, taking Pigrome down for three straight tackles for loss. Petrino missed the subsequent 49-yard field goal attempt for his first missed field goal of the year.

Dwayne Haskins connected with Terry McLaurin for a 68-yard touchdown pass to open Ohio State’s next possession. In the process, Haskins broke Ohio State’s single-season record for passing yards, surpassing the previous mark of 3,330 yards set by Joe Germaine in 1998.

Maryland responded right back on its next possession with an eight-play, 60-yard drive, capped by a 16-yard stroll by Javon Leake into the end zone, to extend its lead back to two touchdowns. Ohio State responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive of its own, highlighted by a 39-yard catch by McLaurin and capped with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Dobbins.

After finally forcing Maryland to punt for the first time in the game with 1:22 left to play in the second quarter, Ohio State had a chance to tie the game before halftime when a 38-yard pass from Haskins to Binjimen Victor and a pair of penalties against the Terrapins brought the Buckeyes inside Maryland’s 10-yard line. Dobbins fumbled the ball on a run inside the 5-yard line, however, and Maryland’s Ayinde Eley recovered the loose ball, enabling the Terrapins to take a 24-17 lead into the break.

Maryland had 337 yards of offense in the first half, but was actually outgained slightly before the break by Ohio State, which scored only two first-half touchdowns despite gaining 343 yards in the first two quarters. With only one first-half completion by Pigrome, the Terrapins had 281 rushing yards in the first half alone, 75 more than Ohio State had allowed in any full game before Saturday.

The second half didn’t start any better for the Buckeyes, as Haskins had a pass deflected, intercepted and returned for a 38-yard touchdown, putting the Terrapins ahead by two touchdowns less than one minute into the third quarter.

Ohio State was able to bounce back with an eight-play, 73-yard touchdown drive on its next possession, capped by a 2-yard scamper into the end zone by Haskins for his second touchdown run of the year.

The Buckeyes fumbled away another opportunity to tie the game on their next possession, however, when Haskins ran into the back of Demetrius Knox and lost the ball on a 3rd-and-2 rushing attempt, and Maryland recovered the ball for its third takeaway of the game.

Finally, after Ohio State’s defense forced a pair of 3-and-outs, the Buckeyes were able to tie the game with 12:25 to play in the fourth quarter when Haskins completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Hill, tying Ohio State’s single-season record for touchdown passes in a single-season (35, set last season by J.T. Barrett) in the process.

Ohio State’s defense was set to get off the field with the game still tied on Maryland’s next possession. The Terrapins, however, attempted a fake punt on 4th-and-8 at the 46-yard line, and it worked, as Wade Lees completed a 15-yard pass to Taivon Jacobs to keep the home team’s drive alive.

Three plays later, Pigrome connected with Jeshaun Jones for a 27-yard touchdown, putting the Terrapins back ahead 38-31 with 7:50 to play.

Ohio State tied the game once again on its subsequent possession with a 12-play, 75-yard drive, started by a 35-yard pass from Haskins to Johnnie Dixon and capped by Haskins running into the end zone from a yard out from his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Darryl Jones beat Damon Arnette for a 60-yard catch on Maryland’s next offensive play, however, on a play that was initially ruled as a touchdown but overturned to Jones going out of bounds at the 1-yard line.

The Buckeyes stopped the Terrapins on 3rd-and-goal on their next set of downs, but Arnette was flagged for defensive pass interference. The Buckeyes stopped the Terrapins short of the goal line again on 3rd-and-goal on another set of downs, but Chigoziem Okonkwo recovered a fumble by McFarland in the end zone, putting Maryland ahead 45-38 with 1:41 to play.

Ohio State managed to put together another game-tying drive, though, sparked by a kickoff return to midfield by Demario McCall. Haskins capped a seven-play, 50-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Binjimen Victor, breaking Ohio State’s single-season record for touchdown passes in the process, to tie the game at 45-45 with 40 seconds to play, ultimately sending the game to overtime.

Haskins scored his third rushing touchdown of the game in overtime for the game-winning score.

With Saturday’s overtime win, Ohio State still has a chance to win the Big Ten if it can earn its seventh straight rivalry game win over Michigan next Saturday at Ohio Stadium, as that game will decide who wins the Big Ten East this year.

Game Notes

• Jordan Fuller, Isaiah Prince, Tuf Borland and Terry McLaurin were Saturday's game captains.
• Ohio State left tackle Thayer Munford left the game in the first quarter with a right knee injury and did not return.
• Ohio State defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones left the game in the second quarter with an injury and went back to the locker room, but returned to the field in the third quarter.
• Ohio State running back Mike Weber did not play in Saturday's game due to a quad bruise. 
• Saturday's win clinched Ohio State's 14th 10-win season since 2000, the most among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams.