Here are four things we learned from No. 6 Ohio State’s 45-16 win over Maryland on Oct. 10:
The Buckeyes need more discipline
When defensive end Beau Atkinson was called for roughing the passer late in the first quarter, it was emblematic of lapses in discipline against Maryland.
Atkinson’s late hit allowed the Terrapins to move the chains after quarterback Malik Washington’s pass had fallen incomplete on third down.
Instead of punting from their 31-yard line, the Terrapins had an extended possession and mounted a touchdown drive that continued to be bolstered by Ohio State penalties.
The Buckeyes were flagged three more times on the series, including two penalties for offside when Maryland moved deep into their territory.
Even when the Buckeyes had possession later in the second
quarter, they experienced similar issues.
Center Carson Hinzman’s holding penalty wiped running back Bo Jackson’s 12-yard touchdown catch off the board and put Ohio State in an uphill battle on a third-and-20. They ultimately settled for a field goal.
The Buckeyes’ eight penalties for 65 yards were not a season-high, as they drew nine penalties in two previous games, but they were as inopportune as any this year and loomed large a week before playing Indiana, which has been one of the least penalized teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision since the arrival of Curt Cignetti.
The flags did not escape the attention of Ohio State coach Day, who was visibly frustrated at various points on the sideline.
“That’s about us and our discipline,” Day said. “When you have eight penalties like that, that’s not the sign of a good team. We got to make sure we’re getting that fixed and being more focused in that area.”
There’s a new dimension to Jeremiah Smith
While Smith did not produce a third straight 200-yard receiving game, the Heisman Trophy favorite was still a major weapon.
Smith turned two underneath passes into touchdowns.
In the first quarter, when Smith ran a drag route over the middle, he caught a pass just past the line of scrimmage, then broke loose down the sideline for a 33-yard touchdown.
His second touchdown was in the second quarter when he lined up as an H-back and caught a screen at Maryland’s 44-yard line. A block by tight end Nate Roberts helped to spring Smith loose as he ran into the end zone.
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Smith’s four receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns included a career-high 89 yards after the catch.
It was an offseason emphasis for Smith to become more dynamic with the ball in his hands, another way to torment defenses in addition to overpowering them downfield with his 6-foot-4, 222-pound frame.
He’s totaled 313 yards after the catch this season, an average of 52 yards per game that is nearly twice as much as last year. Smith averaged 29 yards after the catch per game in 2025 and 31 in 2026.
The playmaking in space was apparent against Maryland.
Explosive runs are surfacing
Running back Bo Jackson’s 25-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter was a step forward for the Buckeyes’ running game.
It was their longest run since the season-opening win over Ball State.
The Buckeyes had gone four straight games without a run longer than 17 yards, and through five weeks, only three other Big Ten teams had fewer runs of at least 20 yards than Ohio State.
The explosiveness has been a missing element for a ground game that has been increasingly efficient, but rarely game-breaking.
Even if Jackson’s dash was against a run defense that that ranks in the bottom half of the Big Ten, it was a step forward.
Eddrick Houston is stepping up
Houston has emerged as a penetrating force for Ohio State’s defensive line over the last two weeks.
He had 1.5 tackles for loss against the Terrapins, including snuffing out running back DeJuan Williams for a loss of 6 yards in the second quarter.
In the previous week’s win at Iowa, the defensive tackle registered two quarterback hurries.
Houston was the highest-ranked defensive prospect in Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class as a five-star from Buford, Georgia.
His midseason emergence is giving the Buckeyes an increasingly productive playmaker on a remade defensive line.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State's Day on penalties: 'Not a sign of a good team'
