College Football9 min ago2 minute read

USC Pulls Off Major Upset Against Second Ranked Ohio State

USC defeated No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 on Halloween night, handing coach Lincoln Riley his biggest victory with the Trojans.

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Trojans shock Ohio State at the Coliseum

USC pulled off a massive upset on Saturday night, beating second ranked Ohio State 30-18 in a rainy Halloween matchup. The victory marks the biggest win of head coach Lincoln Riley's five years with the Trojans. USC fans stormed the field at the Coliseum after the team beat a top five opponent at home for the first time since 2015.

Quarterback Jayden Maiava led the way for the Trojans, passing for 222 yards and one touchdown. King Miller and Waymond Jordan both added rushing touchdowns. USC bounced back strong after scoring just seven points in a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin the week before. They built a surprising 20-9 lead by halftime and never looked back.

Early big plays set the tone

Freshman receiver Trent Mosley made an instant impact on the second play from scrimmage. He caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and ran 69 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest play allowed by Ohio State's defense all year. Mosley finished the night with five catches for 101 yards. He also added a 44 yard punt return that set up a nine yard rushing score from Jordan.

Later in the game, freshman tight end Mark Bowman delivered another huge moment. He hurdled a defender and broke several tackles on a 70 yard catch. That play set up a short touchdown run by Miller to extend USC's lead to 27-9.

Buckeyes struggle to finish drives

Ohio State fell to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten play. Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey made his first career start in place of Julian Sayin, who hurt his arm two weeks ago against Indiana. Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards. Bo Jackson rushed for 121 yards, and Jeremiah Smith caught 10 passes for 83 yards.

Despite gaining 464 total yards, the Buckeyes struggled to convert in key spots. They managed only three field goals on their first five possessions. Running back Isaiah West also fumbled in USC territory during the second half. The USC defense kept Ohio State out of the end zone for the first 57 minutes of the game. Smith finally scored on a 1 yard touchdown catch with 2:12 remaining, but the two point conversion failed. USC recovered the onside kick and added a field goal with 1:46 left to secure the win.

What it means for the next game

Oregon Ducks at Ohio State Buckeyes (College Football, Sat, 07 Nov): Ohio State Buckeyes win 82%, Oregon Ducks win 18%; projected score Ohio State Buckeyes 30, Oregon Ducks 16. Our safest pick: Ohio State to win.