Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Ohio State Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2018

By Connor Muldowney

PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Quarterback Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on September 30, 2017 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Ohio State won 56-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Quarterback Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on September 30, 2017 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Ohio State won 56-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
11 of 12
Next
COLLEGE PARK, MD – NOVEMBER 12: Mike Weber #25 of the Ohio State Buckeyes rushes past defensive back Alvin Hill #27 of the Maryland Terrapins in the first quarter at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 12, 2016 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD – NOVEMBER 12: Mike Weber #25 of the Ohio State Buckeyes rushes past defensive back Alvin Hill #27 of the Maryland Terrapins in the first quarter at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 12, 2016 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

It’s safe to say 2017 was a rough season for D.J. Durkin and the Maryland Terrapins. Not only did they miss a bowl game, but they shuffled through quarterbacks more than any team in the conference — and that wasn’t exactly by choice. In fact, Tyrrell Pigrome started the year and suffered a season-ending injury, Kasim Hill followed him up and was knocked out for the year before Max Bortenschlager took over.

Hill is likely to be the starter in 2018 as he has the highest upside, when healthy. The sophomore will be under pressure by the Buckeyes’ blitzing front-seven all game long. Nick Bosa will cement his status as the conference’s top defensive lineman with a couple of sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss and the secondary will benefit from the rush, picking off three passes.

Maryland’s duo of Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison III will keep them from getting shut out, scoring one touchdown apiece while the Terrapins also add a field goal. Heck, Maryland will score first to take a 3-0 lead, but it’ll essentially be all Buckeyes from that point on.

Ohio State will be led by the run game as it’ll rack up 350 yards on the ground and Dwayne Haskins won’t have to throw the ball all that much. He’ll finish with 150 yards and a touchdown in an effortless day.

Final Score: Ohio State 41, Maryland 17 (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten)

Home/Ohio State Buckeyes