Ohio State’s four touchdown passes overwhelm Maryland, 45–16

Maryland briefly brought Saturday’s road test within four points, but Ohio State answered with a first-half scoring surge and won 45–16.

The Terrapins fell to 2–4 overall and 0–3 in Big Ten play. No. 5 Ohio State improved to 5–1 and 3–0 in the conference, with Julian Sayin throwing four touchdown passes. Jeremiah Smith finished with 93 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Maryland’s strongest offensive sequence was an 11-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 6:40. Malik Washington ended it with a five-yard rushing touchdown, cutting the deficit to 14–10. The possession showed the Terrapins could sustain a drive, but it did not become a platform for a close halftime score: Ohio State led 31–10 at the break.

The separation widened immediately after Maryland’s long touchdown drive. Smith turned a pass into a 40-yard touchdown as Ohio State answered in five plays. The Buckeyes then added a field goal, and Maryland’s unsuccessful fake punt gave them another possession in Terrapins territory with 3:35 remaining in the half. Another touchdown made the halftime deficit 21 points.

Daniel Wingate supplied the Terrapins’ other touchdown, returning an interception 52 yards in the third quarter. He also led Maryland with 10 tackles. His score gave the visitors a defensive contribution on the board, but the deficit remained too large for that play to reverse the outcome.

The defense also created opportunities before Wingate’s return. Zion Elee forced a strip-sack that Messiah Delhomme recovered at Ohio State’s 32-yard line, setting up Sean O’Haire’s 39-yard first-quarter field goal. Sidney Stewart forced another fumble in the third. Those plays gave Maryland chances to interrupt Ohio State’s possession and scoring rhythm, but they did not overcome the overall deficit.

Ohio State answered the third-quarter resistance with a 25-yard rushing touchdown on fourth-and-one. In the fourth, a 16-play, 72-yard scoring drive consumed 9:59, limiting the time left for any Maryland response.

Maryland returns home to face Rutgers on October 17. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Eastern on BTN.