USC upends No. 2 Ohio State 30-18, reshaping the Big Ten and playoff races

USC went from a lopsided loss at Wisconsin to the best win of Lincoln Riley's tenure in one week, beating No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 on a rainy Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The result puts the Trojans (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) back in the College Football Playoff conversation and hands the Buckeyes (6-2, 4-1) their first conference loss.

As The Sporting News noted, it was Riley's first win over a top-10 opponent since he arrived at USC, and it came eight days after a 24-7 defeat in Madison had revived talk about his job security. Ohio State played without quarterback Julian Sayin, who was injured, and started true freshman Luke Fahey for the first time. According to The Associated Press, the USC defense kept the Buckeyes out of the end zone for the first 57 minutes.

The Trojans struck early. Freshman receiver Trent Mosley took a screen pass on USC's second snap and went 69 yards for a touchdown, the longest play Ohio State had allowed all season by a wide margin, per the AP. Waymond Jordan's 9-yard run made it 14-3 in the first quarter, and USC led 20-9 at the half. Ohio State moved the ball on the ground, with Bo Jackson running for 121 yards, but it kept settling for Connor Hawkins field goals. A Fahey touchdown run late in the first half was overturned on review, and USC stopped the Buckeyes at the goal line.

The third quarter decided it. Desman Stephens II jarred the ball loose from Isaiah West, Floyd Boucard caught it in the air, and tight end Mark Bowman followed with a long catch-and-run that broke several tackles and reached the 3. King Miller scored from a yard out to make it 27-9. Jayden Maiava finished 15 of 22 for 222 yards and a touchdown. Fahey threw for 260 yards on 21-of-38 passing, but star receiver Jeremiah Smith averaged just over 8 yards on his 10 catches, and the Buckeyes did not score a touchdown until 2:12 remained. USC then recovered an onside kick and added a Caden Chittenden field goal.

What it means for the next game

Ohio State has little time to regroup. Oregon comes to Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 7 (CBS), and the Ducks already own a 41-27 win at USC this season. The Buckeyes' offense has stalled in consecutive weeks, scoring 19 in a win at Indiana and 18 at USC, after putting up 42 or more in four of its first six games. Their two losses, by one point at Texas and by 12 at USC, both came on the road. With Northwestern, a trip to Nebraska and Michigan still to come, another loss would leave Ohio State at three and turn its playoff case into a debate over resumes.

USC has a bye before traveling to No. 4 Indiana on Nov. 14, followed by Maryland at home and a finale at UCLA. The Trojans have been uneven away from home, winning at Rutgers and Penn State but losing badly at Wisconsin. Against Ohio State, though, they combined explosive plays from Mosley and Bowman with enough of a run game from Miller and Jordan. If they win those last three, they will have a clear path into the 12-team field.