Ohio State walked into Los Angeles with plenty to lose and left with even more questions after a 30-18 defeat to USC on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The No. 2 Buckeyes, now 6-2 overall and 4-1 in Big Ten play, took a major hit in a game that was supposed to steady the season. Instead, the unranked Trojans improved to 7-2 and 4-2 in the league, and Ohio State is now staring at a likely drop in the rankings after another rough night in a season that has already turned messy.
This was Ohio State’s fourth loss over the last year. The Buckeyes had gotten revenge on Indiana in Week 7 for last season’s 13-10 Big Ten title game loss, but they also came up short against Miami in last December’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in the College Football Playoff. Their only non-Big Ten regular-season loss in that stretch came in September against Texas.
The latest setback came with a lot of the usual trouble spots attached. True freshman Luke Fahey, the new starter in Columbus, had been given some breathing room after being thrown into the lineup in the fourth quarter of Ohio State’s win two weeks ago.
This time, though, the spotlight was much harsher. He finished 21-of-38 for 260 yards with one passing touchdown and was sacked twice.
On paper, that line is workable. In reality, Ohio State needed more from the position, especially once the Buckeyes fell behind early. The defense was left trying to do too much, and the offense never fully dug itself out of the hole.
The Buckeyes also made a costly decision when they went for two at the wrong moment. Instead of trimming the margin to one score, Ohio State was left chasing the game from multiple scores down. A field goal there would have kept the pressure manageable and left more time to work back into it.
For USC, the night was exactly what it needed. Lincoln Riley’s team got a badly needed lift and suddenly finds itself in position to climb into the top 15, at minimum, and keep a College Football Playoff path alive if it wins out.
There is even a chance these teams could meet again, depending on seeding. If that happens, USC will like its chances after what happened Saturday.
Halloween night ended badly for Ohio State, and it may take a while for the Buckeyes to shake this one off.
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Ohio State Still Has Two Big Lineup Questions Before Oregon
Ohio State left the USC game with two key injury questions hanging over its week of preparation, and both sit in the trenches where the Buckeyes can least afford uncertainty. Defensive tackle Eddrick Houston and left tackle Ian Moore were hurt in the win, and Ryan Days update offered some relief on one front while leaving the other very much open as the No. 1 concern shifts toward Oregon.
Houston is expected back soon enough to give Ohio State some stability inside, but Moores availability is still tied to how his recovery goes in the days ahead. With Oregon next on the schedule, the Buckeyes are balancing health, lineup planning and the usual late-week coaching decisions, all while trying to keep the focus on a game that could demand its best five up front from the opening snap. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Day Defends A Call Ohio State Fans Still Cant Trust
Ryan Days late-game decisions have become a talking point around Ohio State after a pair of losses put his fourth-quarter judgment under the microscope. The first came against Texas, when Day later said he regretted not letting the Longhorns score in order to preserve more time for a possible comeback. The second arrived against USC, when Ohio State went for two late and came up empty, adding another layer to a season already shaped by what-ifs.
Day has defended the USC choice as one rooted in analytics and internal discussion, but it is the kind of call Buckeyes fans are unlikely to trust until it works in a big moment. The hesitation is understandable, too, given Ohio States recent history on two-point tries, with the program having missed its last eight attempts dating back to 2017. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremiah Smith Already Has Oregon Sounding Concerned About The Rematch
Oregons 32-31 win over Ohio State in 2024 is still fresh enough to shape the conversation around the rematch, and it has plenty to do with Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes receiver made enough of an impression in the first meeting that Ducks coach Dan Lanning has already been talking about him, a reminder that Ohio States passing game is once again going to be one of the biggest storylines when these teams line up again.
Ohio State is treating the game like more than just another date on the schedule, too, with the program designating it as its Scarlet the Shoe event as it looks to keep its home winning streak rolling. For a matchup that already carries the weight of last years one-point finish, Smiths presence only adds another layer to what should be one of the most closely watched games on the Buckeyes calendar. [Read more 🡒]