A look back at Steelers rookie Anthony McFarland’s 298-yard outburst vs. Ohio State

The morning of what had all the looks of another easy Ohio State win, Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins tried to warn his defensive teammates about the diminutive running back they were about to face Nov. 17, 2018.

“I told them going into the game, ‘That boy Ant (is) a beast,’ ” Haskins said after a 52-51 Ohio State overtime win against Maryland.

“He definitely made some money off of this game.”

Haskins was referencing his childhood buddy Anthony McFarland, the 5-foot-8 Maryland running back who, almost assuredly, made some money on that gray and chilly afternoon in College Park, Md.

What kind of RB is Pittsburgh getting in @TerpsFootball's Anthony McFarland?

Just check out what he did to Ohio State in a 2018 game.@AnttMacc_ | @steelers | @NFL pic.twitter.com/doTau50h76

— Maryland On BTN (@MarylandOnBTN) April 25, 2020

After all, McFarland had nearly a fifth of his career rushing yards and one-sixth of his touchdowns during that game – one that came against the eventual Big Ten and Rose Bowl champions that would finish the season ranked No. 3.

Perhaps McFarland gets an invite to the 2020 NFL Combine without that 298-yard rushing game against an Ohio State defense littered with future draft picks. Maybe, based on a skillset that had him rated as one the country’s top running backs coming out of high school, the Pittsburgh Steelers use one of their six precious picks on him during last month’s draft.

Neither is assured, though. And the latter (the Steelers drafting McFarland in the fourth round) almost surely does not happen without the former (the combine invite). It was there, after all, that his speed (4.44 seconds in the 40-yard dash) was confirmed. And that game-breaking ability is what attracted the Steelers to McFarland.

It was an ability on display in a big way during the early stages of that game 18 months ago at Capital One Field. Over his first three carries playing for the 15-point home underdog Terrapins, McFarland had touchdowns of 81 and 75 yards. He added a 52-yard rush later.

Maryland's Anthony McFarland is now the 2nd player to rush for 200+ yards against Ohio State under Urban Meyer.

McFarland is also the 3rd FBS players with multiple 75-yard rushing TD in a game this season, 2 of those 3 games came against Ohio State (McFarland & Aravis Pierce). pic.twitter.com/vOZnqeGysa

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 17, 2018

“I just had a feeling, man,” McFarland said after the Steelers took him at No. 124 overall. “I couldn’t tell you what I did that game. I just got up and said, ‘Today’s going to be the day.’ And I had one.”

Did he ever. His 298 yards were the second most in Maryland history and most by a freshman. It was the second most by any FBS player in 2018. His 175 yards in the first quarter were the most by any player all season.

This is against a defense that had nine players selected over the ensuing two drafts.

“The Ohio State game did a lot for my confidence,” McFarland said. “It let me know, even though I committed to Maryland, that I could still compete with the best.”

Truth be told, in terms of production and relative to his 4-star recruit status coming out of DeMatha (Md.), McFarland’s Maryland career could be a viewed as disappointing. The Terrapins went 12-24 during his three years. McFarland was in uniform for only eight wins – he totaled 521 rushing yards during those games.

McFarland had more games with fewer than 40 rushing yards (11) than he did with 80 or more yards (eight). He scored in only seven of his 23 college games.

But during an eight-day span in mid-November 2018, McFarland was by far the nation’s most productive running back. Counting a game at Indiana on Nov. 10, McFarland’s 50 carries netted 508 rushing yards, almost one-third of his career total.

In Anthony McFarland, the #Steelers found a complementary piece — at least in 2020, after which James Conner’s contract expires. https://t.co/JghuljDUyw

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) May 4, 2020

Those two showings — particularly the game against top-10 Ohio State — showed his potential. They showed a skillset that too often was hidden over an injury-riddled college career marred by two coaching changes and questionable talent around McFarland.

It was a four-hour period, one punctuated by a trio of runs that added together lasted less than 60 seconds but accumulated more than 200 yards.

When McFarland cashes a bonus check of about $700,000 later this summer and (pandemic-permitting) enjoys the security of an almost-guaranteed 2020 NFL roster spot in the fall, he can thank his Ohio State outburst for it.

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