Saturday night in Columbus could ripple far beyond this season, and Ohio State may end up shaping USC’s future as much as its own. If the Buckeyes beat the Trojans, it could put Lincoln Riley in a far tougher spot and open the door to a roster shakeup that Ohio State would be well-positioned to exploit.
Riley’s arrival at USC in 2021 was supposed to signal a clean break from the Trojans’ long slide. USC had spent the previous stretch of 2010-2021 with just three winning seasons and one PAC-12 championship, cycling through three head coaches who were all fired during the season. The program had become known as much for those abrupt exits - including the tarmac firing of Lane Kiffin and the dismissal of Steve Sarkisian because of personal issues off the field - as for any sustained success.
Clay Helton was fired for not winning enough, and USC swung big by bringing in Riley from Oklahoma. He had won 11 games or more in every full season with the Sooners and collected four Big 12 titles in five years. Oklahoma is one of college football’s destination jobs, so USC went after a coach who had already proven he could win at a high level.
Five years later, the Trojans have not delivered anything of significance under him, and patience is wearing thin. Riley is 41-20 in his fifth season in Los Angeles.
His best year there came in 2022, when USC finished 11-3 and reached the PAC-12 championship game. Buckeye fans know that result well, because USC’s loss to Utah sent Ohio State into the College Football Playoff after the Buckeyes lost to Michigan.
Since moving into the Big Ten, USC has gone 14-9 in conference play. That is not the kind of return a program like USC expects, and if this season goes off the rails, it would not be surprising to see the school try to raise enough money to cover his $70 million buyout.
A win over Ohio State on Saturday would make it much harder to imagine a change. A loss could leave Riley squarely on the hot seat with Indiana and UCLA still on the schedule.
There is one area where Riley has given USC a real advantage: recruiting. The Trojans landed the No. 1 class in the country in 2026, and several of those freshmen are already playing key roles. That also creates a case for patience, because USC could decide it makes more sense to keep Riley around at least one more year and let that young talent continue to develop.
But the other side of that equation is obvious. In modern college football, coaching changes often trigger roster movement, and Ohio State could be ready to take advantage if USC starts to unravel.
The Buckeyes already benefited when Nick Saban retired at Alabama, landing Caleb Downs and Julian Sayin after both had originally gone to Alabama to play for him. A similar path could open here.
Two USC freshmen stand out as possible Ohio State targets. Wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt was once committed to the Buckeyes before flipping to USC on National Signing Day after Brian Hartline left Ohio State for South Florida.
Playing for his hometown Trojans, Dixon-Wyatt has become Jayden Maiava’s top option as a true freshman. He leads USC with 32 catches for 443 yards and ranks second on the team with four touchdowns.
With Jeremiah Smith leaving after this season, Ohio State could use Dixon-Wyatt if he eventually comes to Columbus and joins his high school teammate Chris Henry Jr. in a receiver room that would still look stacked.
Then there’s defensive end Luke Wafle. Ohio State offered him in the spring of 2024, and he took an official visit to Columbus in the summer of 2025.
He also visited Florida and Penn State, and both of those programs have since fired their head coaches. Wafle has put together a strong start, posting 7.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks in his first eight college games.
Ohio State would likely be the team to beat for him as a replacement for Kenyatta Jackson next season.
Even after USC’s loss in Madison last weekend, this matchup still carries plenty of juice. Saturday night will give fans their first look at the new Ohio State offense under Luke Fahey, and it could also put a few future Buckeyes on the other sideline. The whole picture depends on Ohio State doing its part, because a win could speed up the pressure on Riley and create exactly the kind of opening the Buckeyes might be ready to use.
In Other News...
Luke Fahey Is Forcing Ohio State Fans To Rethink The Hype
Luke Fahey arrived in Columbus with the kind of recruiting profile that usually invites patience, not immediate expectations. The Mission Viejo, Calif., quarterback was ranked lower than some of the bigger-name passers in his class and did not fit the prototype in terms of measurables, but he still drew offers from top programs before committing to Ohio State in 2025. His performance against a highly ranked opponent only sharpened the conversation around him, especially as he has moved into position to be the Buckeyes likely starting quarterback.
For Ohio State fans, the intrigue is less about the ranking labels than the way Fahey has continued to push past them. Ryan Day has praised his work ethic and competitiveness, two traits that tend to matter a lot more once the pads are on and the depth chart gets real. Even with the hype around more decorated prospects, Fahey has forced a rethink of what his ceiling might be, and the Buckeyes are left watching to see how far that edge can carry him. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Heads To USC With One Huge Offensive Problem
Ohio State heads into Week 9 at USC with its offense carrying more uncertainty than it has all season, and it starts with Julian Sayins injury leaving the quarterback situation unsettled. The Buckeyes are weighing different ways to attack the Trojans depending on who takes the first snap, while there is at least one stabilizing piece on the front line with Austin Siereveld back in the mix to give the offensive line a more settled look.
The ripple effects could be felt everywhere else in the huddle, especially in the backfield, where Ja'Kobi Jacksons absence opens the door for a different rotation. Bo Jackson, Legend Bey and Isaiah West are all expected to share carries, which means Ohio State may need to lean on depth and flexibility as it tries to piece together an offense that can keep pace in a road game against a ranked opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Gets A Huge Big Ten Test With Plenty On The Line
Halloween weekend brings a loaded Big Ten slate, and Ohio States meeting with USC stands out as one of the games with the most immediate coaching implications. Lincoln Riley enters under a bright spotlight after recent losses have turned up the heat around his tenure, while Ryan Days Buckeyes are dealing with a different kind of uncertainty after the absence of star quarterback Julian Sayin left the offense in a less settled place than usual.
For Ohio State, the matchup is about more than another conference win. It is a chance to steady the narrative around a team still trying to sort out its quarterback situation while facing a USC program that badly needs a response. In a week packed with Big Ten intrigue, this one has enough pressure on both sidelines to feel bigger than a midseason test. [Read more 🡒]