Eric Boggs
The Buckeyes are back on top! No. 1 Ohio State (12-1-3, 7-1-2) clinched the No. 1 seed in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament and a share of the Big Ten Regular-Season Championship with a gritty 2-1 win over No. 10 Maryland (8-4-5, 5-3-2) on their own turf in College Park. With this huge win, Ohio State secures a bye to the semifinals and will take the field at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, where they’ll face the winner of No. 4 Washington and No. 5 Michigan State, who play on Nov. 7.
This championship marks the Buckeyes’ first Big Ten regular-season title since 2015 and adds to their five total titles (2000, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2024). The Buckeyes also have three Big Ten Tournament championships (2000, 2007, 2009) under their belt.
How it Happened
The Buckeyes didn’t waste time setting the tone. In the 14th minute, senior Thomas Gilej found the back of the net for his first goal of the season and second of his career, with assists from teammates Siggi Magnusson and Michael Adedokun. Magnusson now has two career assists, both this season, while Adedokun notched his 11th assist on Ohio State’s second goal. In the 33rd minute, Adedokun dribbled down the left side and set up Ashton Bilow for his second goal of the year, giving the Buckeyes a commanding 2-0 lead. Maryland did respond with a goal in the 51st minute, but Ohio State’s defense held strong.
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Patrick McLaughlin improved to 6-1-2 on the year, making one save as Maryland managed just five shots in total. This win is yet another example of Ohio State’s dominance when scoring first, boasting an 11-1-2 record in such games this season.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes head into the Big Ten Tournament as the top seed, with the semifinals set for Nov. 10 at SeatGeek Stadium. The quarterfinals take place Nov. 7, and the championship will be decided on Nov. 17 at the highest remaining seed’s home field. Buckeye Nation, mark your calendars—our team is ready to bring home more Big Ten glory!
