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After an impressive Week 5 road win over Iowa, the fifth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes head back home for a Week 6 matchup against the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, with kickoff at 4:15 p.m. ET and a Big Ten Network broadcast.
Ryan Day’s bunch enters this Big Ten clash as a massive 34.5-point home favorite, with the Terps coming in as a huge road moneyline underdog at +4000 odds. The over/under sits at 56.5 total points.
Here’s my Maryland vs. Ohio State prediction and college football pick for Saturday, October 10.
Maryland vs Ohio State Prediction
- Maryland vs. Ohio State Pick: Jeremiah Smith Over 149.5 Receiving Yds (-114) · Jeremiah Smith Over 8.5 Receptions (-138)
My Ohio State vs. Maryland best bet is on Jeremiah Smith to go over his receiving yards and receptions prop lines. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page, and be sure to download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
Maryland vs Ohio State Odds
| Maryland Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+34.5 -110 | 56.5 -110o / -110u | +4000 |
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-34.5 -110 | 56.5 -110o / -110u | N/A |
- Maryland vs Ohio State point spread: Maryland +34.5 (-110), Ohio State -34.5 (-110)
- Maryland vs Ohio State over/under: 56.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Maryland vs Ohio State moneyline: Maryland +4000
Maryland vs Ohio State College Football Preview
Maryland Terrapins Betting Preview: All-Around Struggles
Maryland enters this Week 6 matchup in dire need of some momentum to turn its season around after dropping its last two games to UCLA and Nebraska by a combined 76 points.
While incredibly unlikely, the 2-3 Terrapins have that precise opportunity right in front of them on Saturday in what would be a historic upset for both the program and college football as a whole.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley is undoubtedly on the hot seat in his eighth season at the helm in College Park. A promising road performance in Columbus could do wonders for the team's morale with two winnable home games next on the schedule.
Sophomore quarterback Malik Washington has been quite impressive under center with 1,288 passing yards, which ranks 21st in the nation.
Junior wideout Chris Durr Jr. has also been a major difference-maker for an offense largely lacking legit playmakers, with the Wyoming transfer racking up 461 receiving yards thus far, ranking 16th in all of college football.
Though Washington appears to be airing it out successfully on paper, his efficiency in the pocket has been extremely problematic, and he has already thrown six interceptions over the first five weeks of the season.
The Terps have also really struggled to establish any form of rushing attack this season, with sophomore tailback Iverson Howard leading the team with just 211 yards on the ground in 2026.
This volatility is unfortunately the least of their concerns heading into a Week 6 matchup with one of the best offenses in college football.
Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview: The Smith Show
It has been all business for Ohio State since blowing a 20-point fourth-quarter lead to top-ranked Texas in Week 3. The Buckeyes have blown out their last three opponents by an average margin of 32 points.
Quarterback Julian Sayin has been spectacular in his second season as Ohio State’s starting signal-caller, throwing for 1,530 passing yards over the team’s first five games to rank fourth in all of college football.
Sayin has thrown 13 touchdowns and just one interception thus far. He leads all QBs with a 92.1 QBR in 2026.
Much of his success this season can be attributed to the phenomenal play of wideout Jeremiah Smith, who has made a serious case as the best overall player in college football.
For a Buckeye program that consistently churns out elite receiver prospects, including the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, Smith takes the cake and is truly a generational talent on the outside.
I was incredibly high on Smith before the season, betting him to win the Heisman Trophy at +1500, but the wideout has far exceeded my expectations so far and is now the outright favorite to win at -120.
Smith has hauled in an incredible 44 passes for 823 receiving yards and an unbelievably impressive nine touchdowns, leading the entire country in all three categories.
For a receiver frequently drawing comparisons to Randy Moss, Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson, Smith is an absolute phenom.
In addition to Smith, running back Bo Jackson has excelled over the Buckeyes' first five games, racking up 353 yards on the ground.
OSU has been equally dominant on the other side of the ball, with a defense that allows opposing offenses just 12.6 points per game.
Ohio State thrives in the trenches with a remarkably impressive front seven led by linebacker TJ Alford and EDGE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., among several other NFL prospects.
Maryland vs Ohio State Pick, Betting Analysis
While Maryland has seen solid play from Washington and Durr offensively, my primary betting handicap for Saturday’s Big Ten showdown will target the Terps’ defensive struggles in 2026.
Their secondary has been absolutely horrific this season, ranking outside the top 100 in adjusted EPA Per Play.
The holes in Locksley’s defensive unit have become pretty evident over Maryland’s last few games, as Nebraska wideout Kwazi Gilmer just recorded 11 receptions for 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns against this Terps pass defense.
Maryland’s vulnerability to big chunk yardage has been a problem all year long, with Virginia Tech tight end Luke Reynolds catching 12 passes for 107 receiving yards as well.
Now, Locksley’s bunch is set to face the most explosive playmaker in college football who's coming off consecutive 200-yard performances with a collective six touchdowns in that span.
While I was far more cautious backing Smith earlier in the season against weak opponents, fearing he wouldn't play all four quarters, the Buckeyes' superstar is in the midst of a historic campaign that I don't think Day will step in front of.
I've been targeting Smith in player prop markets all year, and I'll continue to do so this weekend, expecting another sensational performance from the Heisman favorite.
That said, I'll back Smith to go over his receiving yards prop of 149.5 and his receptions prop of 8.5.
Pick: Jeremiah Smith Over 149.5 Receiving Yds (-114) · Jeremiah Smith Over 8.5 Receptions (-138)
