Ohio State got the kind of performance it needed at Iowa.
The Buckeyes ran for 160 yards, held the Hawkeyes to just 39 rushing yards and controlled the football for more than 38 minutes in a 31–14 win.
Now comes Maryland.
The Terrapins are 2–3 and coming off a 48–23 loss at Nebraska, but this isn’t simply about the opponent. It’s about what Ohio State can continue to develop with the heart of Big Ten play approaching.
The Snap Counts Are Starting to Tell a Story
One of the things I’m watching most closely against Maryland is who is actually earning more opportunities.
Ohio State played 75 offensive snaps against Iowa, with Julian Sayin and all five starting offensive linemen playing every snap. Ja’Kobi Jackson also made his first start at running back, while Nate Roberts, Mason Williams and Max LeBlanc all posted season-high snap totals at tight end.
That’s worth watching.
The question isn’t simply who starts.
Who is the staff trusting when the game matters?
Ja’Kobi’s workload is one example. The tight end rotation is another. And on defense, we’re starting to see the same thing happen as Ohio State figures out which young players can consistently execute within the scheme.
Khary Wilder, for example, didn’t play against Iowa, while Legend Bey has now gone two straight Big Ten games without a snap.
Those numbers don’t tell us everything.
But they give us clues.
Can the Run Game Become an Identity?
The Iowa game was a major step.
Ohio State ran for 160 yards against a defense that entered the game allowing fewer than 90 rushing yards per contest. Ja’Kobi Jackson led the way with 72 yards.
Maryland has been much more vulnerable against the run, including allowing 266 rushing yards to UCLA.
So this is a chance to see whether Ohio State can make the run game a consistent part of its offense — not just something it turns to when necessary.
