College Park — The Terps dropped to 5-6, 3-5 BIG10 after a 52-51 senior day loss at home against the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Terps jumped out to a fast start, leading 24-17 at the half. Ohio State’s perseverance shined through at the end as the game resulted in a 52-51  overtime loss for the Terps.

In the first quarter, the Terps were rolling. The crowd was fired up as the Terps led 17-3 after the first quarter behind sensational touchdown runs of 81 and 75 yards by Anthony McFarland. All stops were pulled for this team, as Maryland Kicker Joseph Petrino successfully executed a pooch kick which the Terps recovered. Unfortunately, the Terps missed out a golden opportunity as Jeshaun Jones fumbled on the very next play of the game. At the half, the Terps led the Buckeyes 24-17.

In the second half, the Terps continued to churn out yards on the ground as McFarland rumbled for a freshman record of 298 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. McFarland was only six yards short of tying Lamont Jordan’s school record for rushing yards in a single game.

Despite giving up 52 points, the Maryland defense played well enough to win, forcing three turnovers, including a pick-six by RaVon Davis.

The Buckeyes trailed the entire game until overtime, down two touchdowns in the third quarter and trailing 45-38 with under two minutes left. Before battling back behind six touchdowns from Dwayne Haskins. Haskins, a former Maryland verbal commit, was 28-for-38 for 405 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Haskins led a game-tying drive with less than two minutes left which ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to Binjimen Victor.

At the end of regulation, these two teams had racked up nearly 100 points and over 1200 yards. The first possession of overtime ended with a seven-yard touchdown run by Haskins. This was the first lead change of the game. The Buckeyes led 52-45 as the Terps took possession. The Terps stayed on the ground with Tayon Fleet-Davis scoring a one-yard rushing touchdown. Coach Matt Canada and staff made a high-stakes gamble to go for two. Quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome threw a pass that was off-target, missing a wide open Jones in the end zone. The gamble did not pay off as the Terps fell 52-51 in overtime.

Takeaways

• The Terps should retain Canada as the head coach. Canada has  moved into a new, difficult role at a challenging time. He has been relatively successful, winning five games, and leading one of the most explosives offenses in the nation. He could bring the stability that this program needs.
• McFarland is going to be an absolute superstar. McFarland is shifty enough to make defenders miss, and has the breakaway speed to leave defenders in the dust. He has broke the freshman single game rushing record twice this season. He broke it against Indiana where he rushed for 210 yards, and again this week against the Buckeyes where he rushed for 298 yards only six yard shy of breaking Lamont Jordans single game record.
• With just one game let against the #14 Penn State Nittnay Lions next weekend, the Terps are still looking for that sixth win to become bowl eligible. The Lions will certainly bring a near impossible match up at in State College. But if the Terps play like they did against the Buckeyes they will have a good shot to upset the Nittnay Lions.