Dallan Hayden ran for three touchdowns as No. 2 Ohio State held off host Maryland 43-30 in College Park, Md., on Saturday.
Hayden, taking over when TreVeyon Henderson was reinjured, ran for 146 yards on 27 carries for the Buckeyes (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten). Quarterback C.J. Stroud was 18-of-30 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown.
Tulia Tagovailoa was 26 of 36 for 293 yards and three touchdowns for Maryland (6-5, 3-5).
Trailing by three in the third quarter, Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom blocked a punt for the second straight game, giving the Buckeyes the ball at the Maryland 14. Two plays later, Hayden rushed for an 8-yard TD to make it 17-13.
Noah Ruggles added a 47-yard field goal for 20-13 lead and Hayden ran for a 3-yard TD run with 16 seconds left in the third quarter for a 27-13 lead.
Tagovailoa ran for a 5-yard TD and passed for a 2-point conversion to Jacob Copeland to make it 27-21 early in the fourth quarter. After Hayden’s 13-yard touchdown, the Terrapins blocked the extra point and Jakorian Bennett returned it for two points and a 33-23 score.
Maryland pulled to within 33-30 on a fourth-down 1-yard catch by Jeshaun Jones with 9:49 left.
The Buckeyes chewed up 5:12 of the clock and Ruggles kicked a 45-yard field goal with 42 seconds left. Steele Chambers scooped up a fumble by Tagovailoa and scored from 1 yard out for the final score with nine seconds left.
Maryland led 13-10 at halftime on the strength of Tagovailoa’s 16 of 18 for 131 yards and a touchdown, a 1-yarder to CJ Dippre for the go-ahead score with 3:52 left in the second quarter.
Ohio State opened the scoring on their first possession, going 75 yards in six plays, capped by a 31-yard screen pass to Henderson.
Maryland has never beaten Ohio State in seven games since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The last time the series was played at Maryland, in 2018, the heavily favored Buckeyes won 52-51 in overtime when the Terrapins failed on a 2-point conversion.
–Field Level Media
