USC beat No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 in Los Angeles on Saturday night, producing the biggest win of Lincoln Riley’s time as head coach of the Trojans. The result moved the Trojans to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State fell to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play. USC led from the first minute and never gave up that lead, holding Ohio State without a touchdown until late in the game.
The opening play set the tone. On the second play from scrimmage, quarterback Jayden Maiava threw a short pass to freshman Trent Mosley, who turned it into a 69-yard touchdown 39 seconds into the game. Mosley finished with five catches for 101 yards and that touchdown, plus 145 all-purpose yards. Maiava completed 15 of 22 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown. Waymond Jordan ran nine yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, giving USC a 14-3 lead.
Ohio State played without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who was injured in the previous game against Indiana. Freshman Luke Fahey made his first start in his place. Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown. Jeremiah Smith caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown for Ohio State. The Buckeyes settled for field goals of 39, 34 and 23 yards by Connor Hawkins, including one after Ohio State reached first and goal from the 1-yard line.
USC builds a lead before halftime
USC took a 20-9 lead into halftime. They kept pressure on Fahey and kept Ohio State out of the end zone through the first three quarters. King Miller and Jordan each ran for a touchdown, and the Trojans added field goals to extend the lead. Ohio State moved the ball at times but could not finish drives with touchdowns, and the field goals left the Buckeyes chasing the game for most of the night.
Ohio State entered the game as a 6.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, even without Sayin. The Buckeyes had reason to expect a close game, but the Trojans controlled the early stages and Ohio State spent the rest of the night trying to catch up. Miller lost a fumble in the first half, yet Ohio State could not turn that chance into a touchdown. The Trojans kept their composure after the turnover and kept adding points.
USC holds off the late Ohio State rally
Ohio State finally reached the end zone late in the fourth quarter, when Fahey threw a touchdown pass to Smith. The touchdown made Smith the Big Ten’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns. Ohio State then failed on a two-point conversion attempt, leaving the score at 27-18. USC added points after that to close out the 30-18 win.
For USC, the win followed a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin the previous week. They answered that defeat with their best performance of the season against a ranked opponent. Riley had faced growing criticism during his time in Los Angeles, and this win gave his team a clear result to point to. The Trojans kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive with the win, although they still have difficult games ahead.
USC looks ahead to Indiana after a bye
USC now has a bye week before visiting Indiana on Nov. 14. Indiana is the reigning national champion, so the trip will test whether the Trojans can repeat the level they reached against Ohio State. They will have two weeks to prepare for that game, and the win over Ohio State gives them a stronger record and more room in the Big Ten race.
Ohio State will host Oregon next Saturday. The Buckeyes still have a path to the playoff, but they will need Sayin back or another strong performance from Fahey. Sayin was sidelined with an injury to his right throwing arm, suffered against Indiana on Oct. 17, and no return date was given in the game reports. Ohio State outgained the Trojans in total yardage, but the Buckeyes could not match them on the scoreboard because they finished drives with field goals instead of touchdowns.
The result also changed the Big Ten standings. The Trojans improved to 4-2 in conference play, while Ohio State fell to 4-1. Both teams remain in the race, but the Trojans now own a head-to-head win over the second-ranked team in the country. Ohio State left Los Angeles with a second loss and questions about its quarterback position.