Ohio State left Los Angeles with a loss, but the box score told a messier story than the final score did.
The No. 2 Buckeyes fell 30-18 to USC on Saturday night, dropping to 6-2 on the season after a game in which they actually outgained the Trojans 464-338. That edge never translated into enough points, though, as Ohio State was undone by costly mistakes, red-zone failures and USC’s knack for hitting explosive plays at the right time.
There were still a few bright spots buried in the disappointment. Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey made his first career start and handled it well enough, completing 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown without an interception.
Bo Jackson added 121 rushing yards, and Jeremiah Smith turned in another standout outing with 10 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. That score also pushed him into the Big Ten record book, giving him 40 career touchdown receptions.
Even with those individual performances, the night belonged to the problems Ohio State couldn’t solve. The Buckeyes were flagged 11 times for 71 yards, repeatedly stalled out in the red zone and gave up two huge passing plays, including a 69-yard touchdown to Trent Mosley. USC also found room on the ground, especially in the moments that mattered most.
The defensive issues drew plenty of attention, from the line’s inability to consistently create pressure to missed tackles that kept drives alive. Ohio State’s offense had its own frustrations, too, with the red zone continuing to be a problem that kept the Buckeyes from turning yardage into a more manageable game.
Still, the season isn’t over. Ohio State is 4-1 in Big Ten play and has a path forward, even if the margin for error has disappeared.
Oregon comes to Columbus next Saturday, and the rest of the regular season brings Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan. There’s still a lot left to play for, but not much room for another slip.
Fahey’s debut gives Ohio State something to build on, and there were other moments worth noting from Isaiah West, Jeremiah Smith and Connor Hawkins as well. But the bigger question is whether the Buckeyes have enough across the roster to chase a National Championship, and whether Ryan Day can get the defense back on track before the schedule tightens again.
The weekend around college football brought plenty of movement elsewhere, too. No.
13 Texas Tech beat No. 22 Arizona, Iowa blanked Wisconsin 30-0, Indiana outlasted Minnesota in overtime, and Oregon beat Northwestern 34-26.
UCLA stayed unbeaten with a 27-0 shutout of Nevada, while Miami survived North Carolina 38-35.
The AP Top 25 reflected the shakeup. Miami stayed at No.
1, Utah moved up to No. 3, UCLA jumped into the top five and Ohio State slid nine spots to No.
- BYU and Kentucky also landed inside the top eight.
There was also a quick look ahead to college basketball, where Ohio State opens Monday night against No. 25 BYU in Salt Lake City. It’s the Buckeyes’ first game of the season, and it comes against a ranked opponent in an early test for the 2026-27 team.
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