Maryland is better than all but one team Ohio State has played so far this season, but are the Terrapins good enough to actually challenge the Buckeyes for a win?

The Buckeyes don’t have any easy games in October, and that starts this week with Maryland, who has won its first five games of the season. We’re not sure the Terrapins are as good as their records and statistics indicate, however, given that they have yet to play a team with a winning record this year.

Taulia Tagovailoa will present a real test for Ohio State’s defense, and Ohio State’s offense hasn’t yet played well enough this season for us to assume scoring will come easy for the Buckeyes. Ohio State’s short-yardage offense will be under the microscope this week, as will its pass rush and whether JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and Co. can finally start accumulating some sacks. But we’re still liking the chances of a Buckeyes cover this weekend.

This week’s episode of Real Pod Wednesdays starts with our discussion on what to expect from the Buckeyes this Saturday as they return from their bye week to host the Terrapins at Ohio Stadium. Then, we take a look at Ohio State’s top 20 players so far this season by breaking down the first in-season edition of The Buckeye 20. Later in the show, we discuss the reality of Peacock-exclusive Ohio State games, why Ohio State will likely look to the transfer portal to replace Marc Nave in its 2024 recruiting class, why it‘s probably unlikely Bryce James will be a Buckeye and C.J. Stroud’s superb start to his NFL career.

• 1:03: Ohio State can‘t look past any game in October
• 4:44: Maryland’s numbers look good, but it hasn’t played anyone good
• 8:42: Short-yardage offense, pass rush are areas of focus for Ohio State this week
• 11:53: Taulia Tagovailoa’s mobility presents a different challenge than any QB OSU has faced this year
• 13:52: This should be a faster-paced game with more possessions, which could mean more points
• 15:47: Why we both expect the Buckeyes to cover and the over to hit
• 20:54: Ranking Ohio State’s 20 best players and who rose and fell over the first month of the season
• 34:55: Which players are most likely to move up the rankings next month (and who needs to step up)
• 42:29: Ohio State games on Peacock comes with the territory of multi-billion-dollar media rights deals
• 56:26: The transfer portal is making Ohio State more selective in high school recruiting
• 1:04:27: Ohio State didn’t get Bronny James, Bryce James’ recruitment could be more of the same
• 1:09:02: C.J. Stroud already looks like an NFL star, while Justin Fields’ outlook is more uncertain