College Football: Ohio State mauls Maryland, 62-14

Credit: Jamie Sabau

Credit: Jamie Sabau

Ohio State football ran its winning streak to four games with a 62-14 demolition of Maryland on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

For the third week in a row, the outcome was all but decided by halftime.

J.T. Barrett threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score while the Ohio State defense was nearly flawless.

J.K. Dobbins, Mike Weber, Antonio Williams and Parris Campbell also ran for touchdowns for the Buckeyes, who got a defensive score when Jerome Baker scooped up a fumble and ran it back.

The 10th-ranked Buckeyes (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) overcame some sloppy play early to dominate the Terrapins (3-2, 1-1).

Barrett started the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Baker made it 14-0 with his score.

Maryland struck back with a 100-yard kickoff returned for a touchdown by Ty Johnson, but that was the only time the Terrapins even threatened until a meaningless late TD following an OSU fumble.

In the second quarter, Barrett found tight end Marcus Baugh for a 10-yard score that included Baugh hurdling a defender at about the 3-yard line, and he hooked up with Austin Mack from five yards out with 10 seconds left in the half.

The Buckeyes’ fifth score came with 2:36 left when Campbell ran the ball in from 24 yards out on a reverse.

The Buckeyes might have scored again when cornerback Denzel Ward separated a Maryland receiver from the ball and scooped it up, but the play was blown dead as Ward was on his way to the end zone.

Officials ruled the pass incomplete and ejected Ward for targeting. Those were upheld on review.

The kickoff return was not the only black eye for the Ohio State special teams in the first quarter.

They also botched a PAT kick attempt and had a field goal blocked.

Ohio State lost a starting offensive lineman when Brandon Bowen had to be carted off with leg injury. He was replaced by Matthew Burrell.

Ohio State’s four-game winning streak began with a 38-7 win over Army on Sept. 16.

A week later, the Buckeyes led UNLV 44-7 at halftime en route to a 54-21 win.

Last week at Rutgers, Ohio State was up 35-0 at the half and cruised to a 56-0 win.

Next up for the Buckeyes is a trip to Nebraska next Saturday night.

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