This weekend’s college football on FOX: No. 4 Ohio St. hosts Maryland in Big Ten battle in tripleheader
A battle of undefeated teams highlights another big weekend of college football as the Maryland Terrapins travel to Columbus to take on No. 4 Ohio State.
Maryland (5-0) has one of the nation’s top offenses in the country but will face a major test on the road against the Buckeyes (4-0), who are coming off a bye week after a big win against Notre Dame.
Coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET with Big Noon Kickoff live from Columbus, Ohio on FOX, followed by Maryland at No. 4 Ohio State at noon ET., and at 4 p.m. ET, UCF faces Kansas, and in primetime, No. 24 Fresno State hits the road to battle Wyoming at 8 p.m. ET.
Maryland vs. No. 4 Ohio State
Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord closed out his fourth game as the Buckeyes starter with a signature win against Notre Dame that kept the Buckeyes unbeaten.
McCord will have All-American wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for Saturday’s game, which is a huge boost for the Buckeyes offense. Harrison is healthy after recovering from an ankle injury in the Notre Dame game, the Associated Press reported.
Taulia Tagovailoa #3 of the Maryland Terrapins throws a pass against the Indiana Hoosiers at SECU Stadium on September 30, 2023 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
But Ohio State’s defense will have to be on top of their game when they face Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa, who is the school’s all-time passing leader. Already this season he's thrown for 1,464 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Last year in College Park, Tagovailoa threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns in a 43-30 win by the Buckeyes that wasn't sealed until late in the game.
Maryland has allowed an average of 57 points in its eight meetings with Ohio State since joining the Big Ten – last year’s 43 was actually the lowest point total in series history by the Buckeyes, according to the Associated Press.
UCF vs. Kansas
UCF (3-2) was competitive in a loss to Kansas State to open its Big 12 tenure, then blew a 35-7 third-quarter lead in a 36-35 loss to Baylor last weekend, the AP reported.
Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jason Bean (9) runs with the ball during the Big 12 football game between Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks on September 30, 2023, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sport
And the Knights are desperate to pick up their first conference win and even their overall record as they visit Memorial Stadium for the first time.
Kansas (4-1) is coming off a 40-14 loss at Texas in which it was missing star quarterback Jalon Daniels, whose back flared up and kept him out of the game. Daniels could be out again this week, putting QB Jason Bean in line to start for the Jayhawks, the AP noted.
No. 24 Fresno State vs. Wyoming
No. 24 Fresno State travels to Wyoming as they try to repeat as Mountain West Conference champions.
The Bulldogs (5-0) are on a 14-game winning streak, the nation’s second longest behind No. 1 Georgia (22), when they face the Cowboys (4-1).
Quarterback Mikey Keene is averaging 294.8 passing yards (13th in the FBS), and defensively the Bulldogs have forced three-and-outs on 45% of the opposing offenses’ drives, which ranks sixth nationally.
Fresno State Bulldogs quarterback Mikey Keene (1) throws a touchdown pass during the college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Fresno State Bulldogs on September 2, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolin
Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley is in his second season as a starter after transferring from Utah State. Last week the senior threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Holy Cross transfer Ayir Asante during a 35-29 win over New Mexico, according to the Associated Press.
This matchup may come down to which defensive pass rush can put pressure on the opposing teams quarterback. The AP noted that Fresno State had 7.0 sacks against Nevada, which was the team total through the first four games. Wyoming free safety Wyett Ekeler registered two sacks, including forcing and recovering a fumble on a vicious quarterback hit against New Mexico.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.