COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Ohio State was trailing, 24-10, in the first half against Maryland on Saturday, but the Buckeyes eventually evened the game at 45 before winning, 52-51, in overtime.
After the game, BSB staffers handed out Buckeye Leaves for Ohio State’s top performers. Here’s what they had to say:
Joe Dempsey
Dwayne Haskins, a sophomore quarterback from Potomac, Md., excelled against the Terrapins, connecting on clutch throws in a dramatic comeback victory. In a game where he broke the program records for passing yards and touchdowns in a single season, Haskins was 28-of-38 passing for 405 yards and three touchdowns.
The 6-3, 220-pound gunslinger also set multiple career highs on the ground with 59 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. Haskins converted a remarkable 23 first downs for the Buckeyes – 18 through the air and five on the ground. J.K. Dobbins deserves honorable mention for setting career highs in carries (36) and rushing yards (205) after the surprise absence of Mike Weber.
James Grega
Without Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State does not beat Maryland. In fact, it might not even have been close.
The Buckeye defense was routinely gashed from the second play of the game on, and Haskins kept Ohio State in it with crucial conversions through the air and, for the first time this year, on the ground as well.
His 463 total yards of offense were all needed to keep Maryland from getting its biggest win since joining the Big Ten in 2014. He was clutch in every sense of the word outside of a pick-6 that was thrown just a second too late.
J.K. Dobbins, Terry McLaurin and Chase Young all deserve honorable mention nods in my opinion, but without Haskins, Ohio State’s Big Ten title hopes would have been dashed and the Buckeyes’ goals of competing for championships in November would be over.
Tim Moody
Dwayne Haskins deserves this Buckeye Leaf. Maybe even three – one for each rushing touchdown in the toughest performance of his career.
Haskins isn’t at his best when running – his arm is on another level – but today it was his running that helped secure an unlikely victory for the Buckeyes. He carried the ball 15 times for 59 yards and three touchdowns, including a 5-yarder that ended up being the game-winner in overtime. Most importantly, though, Haskins showed a willing to put his head down and do what was necessary to get touchdowns and first downs. For that, he gets a Leaf.
Oh, and he threw for 405 yards and three more scores. You know, just another day at the office.
Garrett Stepien
Without junior running back Mike Weber, whom head coach Urban Meyer said after the game was held out with a quad bruise, Ohio State asked J.K. Dobbins to step up and the sophomore running back answered the call. The 5-10, 208-pounder packed a punch the offense desperately needed as the Buckeyes came to life over the course of the contest.
Outside of a costly fumble near the goal line, Dobbins got better with each carry. OSU fed Dobbins and he turned the increased involvement into career-high outputs of 37 rushes for 203 yards (5.5 average) with a long of 28 and a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins was remarkable with six total touchdowns – three passing and three rushing – but Dobbins made the offense a well-oiled machine down the stretch to offset the defense’s inability to stop Maryland’s offense.
