Ohio State Football: Predictions for week 6 game vs. Maryland
Weekly predictions for Ohio State vs. Maryland.
The Ohio State offense didn’t let me down last week and now I am tied with my buddy Thomas Scurlock in our weekly Scarlet And Game picks. I expect to be 3-2-1 following our predictions vs. Maryland.
Check them out and see if you agree with Tom, or are thinking clearly and agree with me.
Thomas Scurlock:
Rutgers let me down a bit last week. I thought the Scarlet Knights would put up a little fight, at least defensively. Instead, they were nothing more than a punching bag as the Buckeyes rolled to the easy win.
Great for the Buckeyes. Bad for me keeping a lead over Charlie in our weekly predictions. I hate losing so it is time to get that lead back. Don’t let me down Buckeyes.
Ohio State is a 31-point favorite over Maryland. That number seems high even though the Terrapins are down to their third-string quarterback.
A quick breakdown reflects considerable advantages for Ohio State’s offense and defense.
The Terps’ defense is improved over last year, but it is still allowing 30 points-per-game. This is a little odd considering they are decent at stopping both the run and pass and good inside the red zone.
It appears that their primary issues are not getting off-the-field on third down and lack of tackles-for-loss. They are allowing opponents to convert 45-percent on third down which is directly tied to not stopping opponents at or behind the line of scrimmage frequently enough.
The Buckeyes are good at avoiding negative yardage plays so this bodes well for moving the ball consistently all afternoon.
I expect Kevin Wilson to continue perfecting the aerial assault that he’s been focusing on the last three games. The balance will be needed as the season progresses.
Offensively, the Terps’ best weapon is running back Ty Johnson. He averages a staggering 8.9 yards-per-carry. He splits time with Lorenzo Harrison, but giving his power I suspect D.J. Durkin will give him the ball more often on Saturday to try to break a few long plays.
Quarterback Max Bortenshlager played well in his first start against Minnesota last week but the passing plays were fairly vanilla.
Game plan seems straight-forward. Stack the box and bring pressure. The Terps only have two legitimate receivers. I don’t think Bortenschlager can drop back and pick apart this secondary with pressure in his face.
In the end, J.T. Barrett will pass for another 250 yards and three touchdowns while the combination of J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber will be lethal punishing the Terps defense.
The Silver Bullets will shut down the Terps’ ground game and force a few interceptions.
Buckeyes cruise to a comfortable win, 45-14.
Charlie Lockhart:
With the Maryland Terrapins down to playing their third-string quarterback, expect the Ohio State front seven to apply constant pressure. QB Max Bortenschlager and the running backs will see so many linemen and linebackers in the backfield wearing Scarlet and Gray they will be seeing Buckeyes in their sleep for weeks.
This will lead to multiple turnovers and I expect to see at least three. Tom and I are in agreement here, but this is where he just doesn’t get it.
See, Tom hasn’t bought into the new improved Kevin Wilson offense like I have. Ohio State will hang 50+ points on an opponent for the third consecutive game. And dare I say it could be 60 with the great field position the Buckeyes will have following the turnovers.
My prediction this week is a 59-13 win for Ohio State.
There you have our Scarlet And Game for the week 6 game vs. Maryland. Do you agree with Tom or me this week?