Bye Week A Blessing For Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord

Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord will have two crucial weeks to prepare for the Buckeyes matchup with Maryland.

This past Saturday, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord and the Buckeyes emerged from the flames with a victory, defeating Notre Dame 17-14 in dramatic fashion. 

That win comes as the second for OSU with McCord as the full-time starter, and while he may not have lit up the scoreboard in South Bend, he's starting to find his groove. 

The junior gunslinger closed that game by orchestrating a 65-yard drive to put the Buckeyes in the end zone for the win as time expired. Moments like that can lift a player and team for an entire season, so don't be surprised to see McCord come out firing against Maryland in Week 6.

As critical as that momentum will be for this next game, the bye week off to prepare will be even more so. Head coach Ryan Day has the opportunity to fine-tune this Ohio State offense under his inexperienced field general right in time for the heart of the Big Ten schedule. 

McCord, a Philadelphia native, has faced the pressure of a quarterback competition and the scrutiny that comes with replacing a star like C.J. Stroud. He's taken it all in stride, though, ignoring the criticism and focusing on the task at hand. 

That's exactly what he'll need to do against the Terrapins in two weeks, as he'll have plenty of time to review the film from the Notre Dame game and compose himself for his next start.

For the Buckeyes as a whole, this should be an easier task, all things considered. Maryland comes in with just the 47th-ranked defense, as opposed to Notre Dame's top-ten-rated unit. There might just be some wiggle room for McCord and this offense to spread the ball around and put some real points on the board.

The key for these next two weeks will be to stay focused and not get complacent after the huge victory over the Fighting Irish, but that probably won't be an issue for McCord. He seems like he plans to be locked in through January.