First thoughts: Buckeyes take over in second half, topple Maryland

COLUMBUS — Ohio State looked like a team that had just earned a tough road win over a fellow top-10 team. It could be excused for the low energy and slow start, after all, because the last game was so taxing.

Only problem: the Buckeyes were off last week following the win over Notre Dame. And Maryland didn’t care if the Buckeyes were ready to play or not; the Terrapins came out swinging.

But once Ohio State finally snapped into gear, it suffocated Maryland, coming back from down 10 to earn a 37-17 win inside Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

This was not the effort the Buckeyes wanted coming out of the idIe week. They looked everything but crisp for large portions of the game. They had special teams blunders and unacceptable penalties. But they also earned a win over a previously-undefeated Terrapins team that had upset on their minds.

Simply put, Ohio State slept-walked its way through the first half and the opening minutes of the third quarter before finally waking up and taking over. That can’t happen against better teams.

That’s where the Lettermen Row breakdown of the latest Ohio State win begins, as the Buckeyes took down Maryland to move to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten play. Let’s dive in.

Ohio State offense continues to be head-scratching

Given the talent assembled on the field for the Ohio State offense, there’s no reason the Buckeyes offense should look the way it did Saturday, especially in the first half. The Buckeyes had five drives of fewer than 30 yards in the first half. They struggled to convert on any third downs, both short and long. And they couldn’t move the ball on an average Maryland defense. Quarterback Kyle McCord didn’t see the field well and the running game had trouble finding its footing without star running back TreVeyon Henderson. And that’s all not even mentioning the issues inside the red zone, where the Buckeyes scored 13 points on three trips and couldn’t find the end zone inside the 20 on the first two trips to the red zone.

Of course, Ohio State found success targeting its best receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. He topped 100 yards — in the first half alone. And eventually, it woke up enough to earn a home win over the Terrapins.

But the offense looks out of sorts for a majority of the time with just two weeks until the Penn State showdown.

Ohio State safeties keep making plays

Ohio State was trailing Maryland 10-0 early in the second quarter. The Buckeyes offense looked sluggish, and the defense had already given up a score. And then Josh Proctor happened. The sixth-year Buckeyes safety stepped in front of a third-down pass, picked it off and scampered 24 yards for a touchdown, his first career touchdown. Proctor also had a touchdown-saving tackle on the first drive of the second half, although it didn’t matter as Maryland marched down the field and punched in a touchdown to take the lead anyway. As the Buckeyes sleptwalked through an inexcusable effort in the Horseshoe on Saturday afternoon, Proctor was a bright spot, continuing to make the most of his sixth year at Ohio State and show why he’s a key part of the defensive plan moving forward.

And then there’s Lathan Ransom and Sonny Styles. Ransom picked off another Taulia Tagovailoa pass to set up a Buckeyes field goal and Styles tracked down Tagovailoa on a critical third down late in the third quarter. All three of the Buckeyes safeties made major plays to help the defense — and set the struggling offense up for success. That unit is playing incredibly well for the Buckeyes right now.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is elite on 1.5 ankles

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. sprained his ankle in an ugly injury that looked worse than it was. So for two weeks, questions have swirled as to whether Harrison Jr. would be able to play for the Buckeyes against Maryland. He answered it in resounding fashion, putting up video game numbers that will keep him as the top wide receiver in college football. Harrison Jr. had eight catches on 15 targets. He had 163 receiving yards and a touchdown grab from Kyle McCord, another sign that he’s the best at what he does — even on a bad ankle. It’s the same right ankle that he sprained last season and played with, but he even admitted that this time, the right ankle is hurting worse than last year. And he’s still doing this to opposing defenses who are doing everything they can to take him away.

He’s the best wide receiver in college football. What more proof does anyone need?

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