Ohio State and Maryland will play Saturday at 4:15 in Ohio Stadium. That is a strange start time, but this game is interesting for reasons other than that. The game is a must-watch because Marylad head coach Mike Locksley is on the hot seat and could get fired after this game. That should make the game interesting, even if it is a blowout. Ohio State is a 35-point favorite.
This game will also be interesting because it is likely the last time Ohio State will get to play its backups. Most interesting will be the Buckeye wide receivers not named Jeremiah Smith. Number two wide receiver Devin McCuin had a big game against Iowa, with five catches and 80 yards receiving. It will be interesting to see if he has a big game. He might, as might others, because Jeremiah Smith is likely to be removed from the game by halftime. Who do you think will emerge as the second wide receiver for the Buckeyes?
Ohio State Host Maryland Preview 4 Things
There are relatively few things about the game between Ohio State and Maryland. The game is expected to be lopsided and the Buckeyes are 5 touchdown favorites. However, there are some interesting facts about this game before it happens.
Locksely’s Last Stand?
Locksley is 39-51 as the head coach of the Terripins. Locksley led Maryland to win three straight bowl games from 2021-23, which the program had never accomplished. However, things have gotten worse since then. They have lost 18 of 20 conference games. This would never fly in Columbus, maybe it will in College Park. Maybe Locksley will finish the season as the head coach, maybe not. If the Terripins lose by 50 to Ohio State, things could get very interesting.
There Are Some Good Players
Locksley has been successful sometimes as a recruiter. One success is quarterback Malik Washington. He was a four-star recuit and a top-100 player. As a freshman he went 273-for-473 passing for totaling 2,963 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is a dual threat who added 56 carries for 303 yards and four scores on the ground.
He has been worse this year. In five games, his team is 2-3, he is 124-of-198 passing for 1,288 yards. He has only 37 yards on 26 carries. He did complete 18 consecutive passes in the week two win over the University of Conneticuit. A rare highlight.
Many New Assistants
It is fair to wonder if the turbulence created by turnover on the Maryland coaching staff is responsible for the poor season, but Ohio State has lots of coaching turnover as well. In 2025, Pep Hamilton was hired to run the offense, replacing the fired Josh Gattis, a former Michigan offensive coordinator. Hamilton was the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Stanford.
But in 2026, Hamilton is not coaching the offense anymore, as he is now in an advisory role. He did not do poorly, so being replaced is a bit of a headscratcher. Instead, Maryland hired Clint Trickett, who joined the staff after a year as the offensive coordinator at Jackson State and a few months as the quarterbacks coach at Arkansas. Before that, he had stints coaching tight ends, quarterbacks, and wide receivers at schools such as Georgia Southern, Marshall, FAU and East Mississippi Community College.
Wide Receiver Problem
The Terripins have been hurt by the transfer portal and graduation, a good example is the wide receivers. Maryland lost its top-three receivers from a year ago, as Shaleak Knotts, Jalil Farooq and Octavian Smith Jr. All ran out of their eligibility. Chris Durr Jr., a transfer from the University of Wyoming. He is the leading receiver for the team, but he is not a Jeremiah Smith talent. He has 42 catches for 461 yards. Old Dominion transfer Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding has 18 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown. Kaleb Webb, a trasnsfer from Tennessee, is the third wide receiver. He has 17 receptions for 235 yards.
Conclusion: The Results of a Shellacking
Ohio State is a big favorite in this game, and they could win by more than the five touchdown spread. Consequences could incule the head coach getting fired. It is important to note that Ohio State is now playing what might be the last cupcake on their schedule. As a result, expect the Buckeyes to play a bunch of reserves, and expect that the win could have big consequences for the leadership of the opponent.
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