Novig pricesUSC's red-zone stands carry 30-18 upset of Ohio State as Buckeyes' offense stalls
USC held No. 2 Ohio State to one touchdown on six trips inside its 30 to win 30-18. The Buckeyes host Oregon next as 7.5-point favorites.
Last week Lincoln Riley was facing questions about his job. On Saturday night he got the biggest win of his time at USC, beating No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 at the Coliseum and putting the Trojans back in the playoff conversation. A week after scoring seven points in a loss at Wisconsin, USC (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) led 20-9 at halftime. Its defense gave up plenty of yards but almost never gave up the end zone.
The numbers show it. Ohio State gained 464 yards on more than 80 plays and still scored only 18 points, FanSided noted. Trojans Wire counted six Buckeye trips inside the USC 30 that produced one touchdown. That score, a 1-yard catch by Jeremiah Smith, came with 2:12 left, according to the ESPN game recap. The price was 204 rushing yards allowed, 121 of them by Bo Jackson. Trojans Wire listed the run defense as the night's main concern.
USC's freshmen made the big plays. Trent Mosley caught a pass behind the line on the second snap and took it 69 yards for a touchdown, finishing with 101 receiving yards. Tight end Mark Bowman made the leaping highlight of the night. Jayden Maiava threw for 222 yards, and King Miller and Waymond Jordan each ran for a score.
The loss deepens the question Ohio State (6-2, 4-1) has faced since Julian Sayin hurt his throwing arm at Indiana. Freshman Luke Fahey threw for 260 yards in his first start but completed only 21 of 38 passes. FanSided cited ESPN's Football Power Index, which gives the Buckeyes a 74.2 percent chance of making the playoff. Still, they sit behind UCLA and Indiana in the Big Ten standings, and they no longer hold the head-to-head edge over USC.
The night did not end quietly. Fans stormed the field and tore down the goalposts. HEAVY reported that the Big Ten handles field storming under a game-management policy that allows a discretionary fine. HEAVY also noted video of Riley shouting at Ohio State staffers near a security checkpoint. Afterward, Riley read a statement saying his program is "built on internal joy, not external applause."
What it means for Oregon at Ohio State
The Buckeyes are home Saturday against Oregon on CBS, and the board treats the USC loss as a blip. Ohio State is favored by 7.5 points at Novig, priced at -100. DraftKings has Ohio State at -7, priced at -115. On the moneyline, Novig has Ohio State at -245 and Oregon at +233. The best Oregon price among the 12 venues is +250 at Hard Rock Bet. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline ranges from 4.0 to 5.6 percent. Novig's total is 48.5, half a point above Pinnacle's 48.
Ohio State's home results support the price: it beat Maryland 45-16 and Illinois 42-19 in Columbus. But the Buckeyes managed only 19 and 18 points in their last two games, the first of them the one where Sayin was hurt. Oregon beat USC 41-27 earlier this season. USC doesn't play again until Nov. 14 at No. 6 Indiana, and that game will show whether Saturday was a turning point or a one-night break from a hard season.