This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Maryland vs. Ohio State Best Bets
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Maryland vs. Ohio State Betting Odds for Week 6
Spread: Maryland +20.5 (BetMGM Sportsbook); Ohio State -19.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Total: Over 57 (DraftKings Sportsbook); Under 57.5 (Caesars Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Maryland +800 (Caesars Sportsbook); Ohio State -1350 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Terrapins stroll into Ohio Stadium as decisive underdogs despite the fact Maryland takes the walk to "The Horseshoe" with an unblemished 5-0 record, including 2-0 in the conference standings. It's all on the line for QB Taulia Tagovailoa and the Terps, as Maryland can stay in first place in the Big Ten East standings, it can grab bowl eligibility before the leaves have even totally changed, it can storm into the Top 25 rankings, it can cover for the fourth straight outing, and it can win for the first time in nine all-time meetings.
Will that happen? It's doubtful. Ohio State doesn't lose to unranked teams on its home field very often. In fact, the last time that happened was when an unranked Virginia Tech came to Columbus and won 35-21 as a 10-point underdog on Sept. 6, 2014. Oh yeah, Ohio State used that as tackling fuel, winning 13 straight wins, including against Michigan, Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, en route to a national title.
The Buckeyes have had two full weeks off since a dramatic 17-14 win on the last play at Notre Dame on Sept. 23. Ohio State has four victories in four tries, but it has covered just once, narrowly missing the number at most shops against the Irish by a half point. Defense has reigned supreme for the Buckeyes, allowing just 34 total points, or 8.5 points per game (PPG), allowing QB Kyle McCord and the offense a little more time to grow.
Speaking of the offense, the Ohio State faithful (and bettors) received great news, as WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (ankle), who was injured in that Irish victory, has received a clean bill of health from head coach Ryan Day. The coach said Harrison was a full participant in practice, and he is fully expected to be ready for Saturday's conference tilt. How tough is that, Lou Holtz?
The Buckeyes offense has posted 447.5 total yards per game, including 298.5 passing yards per contest. Surprisingly, while a lot of focus is on what McCord is (or isn't) doing, it's the run game, which has just 149.0 yards per game, good for a middling 74th in the nation. Scoring is down a tick from last season, going for a still decent 34.5 PPG. But it's all about the defense for the Buckeyes.
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Maryland vs. Ohio State Betting Picks for Week 6
Tagovailoa has completed 65.7% of his pass attempts for 1,464 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions through five games, and he has three receivers with at least 254 yards and two or more scores. WR Jeshaun Jones has rolled up team bests with 19 grabs, 319 yards and 16.8 yards per catch while finding the end zone twice. WR Tai Felton (16.6 yards per catch) and WR Kaden Prather (14.1 yards per catch) each have three scoring receptions.
TE Corey Dyches is also a red-zone threat, making 18 grabs for 214 yards and a score, so the Maryland pass attack is quite diversified. In fact, RB Roman Hemby is also quite good out of the backfield, notching 12 grabs to go along with a team-best 309 yards on the ground with four scores. The Buckeyes defense might be facing its best overall offense of the season, and yes, that includes QB Sam Hartman and Notre Dame.
It has taken the Buckeyes a little while to get going, with sluggish yet still convincing wins at Indiana and home to Youngstown State. Ohio State really turned it on in a rout over Western Kentucky, a team with an underrated offense, and, of course, it did what it had to do against the Irish. With two weeks to rest with the bye, the legs should be fresh all around for the home side.
WR TreVeyon Henderson has racked up 295 yards and 6.7 yards per carry with five scores. He is the unquestioned leader in the backfield. While all of the talk surrounds Harrison, WR Emeka Egbuka has been a nice secondary option with a team-high 19 grabs to go along with 263 yards while tying Harrison for the team-high total with three scores. Tight end Cade Stover is the tertiary option and a red-zone threat, managing 17 catches and a healthy 14.1 yards per grab.
Both of these teams can move the chains early and often. While we've seen Ohio State cash the Over just once in four games, it went high on the total in the most recent appearance at home against a similarly diversified offense. Meanwhile, Maryland has cashed the Over in three of the past four games, and it has gone for 31 or more points in all five outings to date. Hopefully, the scoreboard operator at "The Shoe" limbers up before the game, but he/she is going to be busy.
Maryland vs. Ohio State Expert Pick: Over 57 (DraftKings SportsBook)
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Maryland vs. Ohio State Predictions for Week 6
I am expecting quite a bit of fireworks in this one. The Maryland offense has been on fire and has so many weapons. What's special about the Terrapins is that they have a lot of options, and it seems everyone has very similar production. There are a lot of mouths to feed, and they have been fed nearly equally. It's quite uncanny, actually.
Tagovailoa is one of the best quarterbacks the Buckeyes have faced this season. They did a number on Hartman at Notre Dame two weeks ago, limiting that explosive offense to just 14 points on the road. It has had two weeks to study Tagovailoa and prepare stunts and schemes to confuse him. That is the rub when considering a bet on the Over. Ohio State is usually well prepared, and with an extra week, it will be interesting to see if the defense brings it again.
It seems like everyone and their brother is grabbing the points and the underdog. I never like to side with the public, so a single-game parlay featuring Ohio State and the Over makes for a nice ticket. Everyone thought Western Kentucky was going to be able to move the ball, too, and slammed the Hilltoppers at nearly a 3-to-1 clip. That didn't work out so hot, as the Buckeyes steamrolled them 63-10 for a win and easy cover as the Over hit. Expect a similar situation come Saturday.
