Ohio State’s trip to USC brings a familiar challenge and a fresh quarterback problem.
Saturday night in Los Angeles, the Buckeyes will have to navigate a road game against one of college football’s biggest brands while breaking in a new starter under center. Whether it’s Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair, the assignment figures to be a simple one at the start: keep it clean, lean on the talent around him and avoid the kind of early mistake that can tilt a game like this.
That template worked for Julian Sayin when he made his first start last year against Texas. He was asked to play within himself, make the safe throws and stay away from the killer mistake.
That same approach is likely coming again for Ohio State, with Ryan Day and Arthur Smith aiming to settle the game down quickly. The Buckeyes do have help for whoever gets the nod.
Jeremiah Smith is there, and so is 1,000-yard rusher Bo Jackson, giving the first-time starter real firepower to lean on.
The key for Ohio State is not getting sped up by the moment. When Sayin went down against Indiana, Fahey looked rattled when he was forced into action on the road against the defending national champs.
This time, the setting won’t be as wild, but the margin for error is still thin. The Buckeyes are traveling across the country to face a talented USC team, and the concern is less about USC beating Ohio State than Ohio State beating itself.
If the Buckeyes stay composed early, they should be in position to leave with a win.
USC, meanwhile, has plenty of pieces that can make this uncomfortable. Jayden Maiava is in his second season as the Trojans’ starter and his third overall as a college quarterback after beginning at UNLV as a freshman.
He has thrown for 10,299 yards and 71 touchdowns in his college career, and this season he leads the Big Ten in touchdown passes and passing yards per game. Even with a receiver group that is mostly made up of underclassmen, Maiava has kept USC moving.
He does not run often, but he can still hurt defenses with his legs when needed, and his experience gives him a real edge in reading what a defense is trying to do.
One of Maiava’s top targets is Trent Mosley, who has emerged as one of the more gifted young receivers in the country. He enters the game with 27 catches for 411 yards and a team-high five receiving touchdowns.
After missing a couple of games earlier in the season, Mosley came back earlier this month against Penn State and delivered nine catches for 111 yards and a score. He has found the end zone in four of his last five games and has topped 100 receiving yards in three games this season.
USC also has a difference-maker on defense in Kennedy Urlacher. The son of former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher began his college career at Notre Dame, where he was part of the 2024 team that lost to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, before transferring to USC after his freshman season.
He recorded 26 tackles in 2025 and already has 23 this year, including five tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. Urlacher plays safety, and USC will need him at his best against Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr.
Physicality will matter just as much as quarterback play. USC under Lincoln Riley has earned a reputation for being vulnerable when opponents hit first and hit harder, and Wisconsin showed last week how to knock the Trojans off their rhythm.
Ohio State comes in after an intense game against Indiana, but the bye week should leave the Buckeyes refreshed. Jay Timmons stood out against the Hoosiers with how aggressively he played in the second half, and Ohio State will want that same edge in this one.
If Timmons and the rest of the defense bring that kind of punch again, USC could be the team that fades.
There is also some history around the sideline connections in this game. Pete Carroll, who helped build USC’s dynasty in the aughts, spent a year in Columbus in 1979 as Ohio State’s secondary coach before moving on to NC State and later taking USC to two national titles in nine seasons.
Rob Ryan, now USC’s assistant head coach for defense and linebackers, was a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 1988 under John Cooper before spending years in the NFL and returning to the college game last year. And USC freshman receiver Ja’Kobi Lane - who originally was an Ohio State commit before flipping - has become a key target for the Trojans.
The Mater Dei product leads USC with 32 catches and 443 receiving yards, and he is tied for second on the team with four receiving touchdowns after arriving as a four-star recruit.
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 🡒]