Ohio State left Los Angeles with more than a loss Saturday night. The No. 2 Buckeyes dropped 30-18 to USC, fell to 6-2 on the season, and came away with a box score that told a frustratingly mixed story: plenty of yards, not nearly enough payoff.
The Buckeyes actually outgained the Trojans 464-338, but the game turned on the kind of mistakes that can swallow a team whole. Ohio State couldn’t cash in in the red zone, and USC kept finding the explosive plays that changed the feel of the night.
There were bright spots, though, and they started with a freshman making his first career start. Luke Fahey completed 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 big night with 10 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. That score also pushed him to the Big Ten career record with his 40th touchdown reception.
Still, the positives were hard to hold onto for long. Ohio State was flagged 11 times for 71 yards, and the offense repeatedly stalled when it got close to finishing drives. USC also hit on two huge passing plays, including a 69-yard touchdown to Trent Mosley, while the Trojans found room on the ground at key moments.
Cole and Joey broke down the loss, sorting through the good, the bad and the ugly from a night that exposed a lot of issues. Fahey’s poise, along with moments from Jackson, Isaiah West, Jeremiah Smith and Connor Hawkins, gave the Buckeyes something to build on. But the list of problems was longer: the defensive line’s inability to consistently generate pressure, missed tackles, and those continued red zone struggles that kept Ohio State from turning movement into points.
Even with the setback, the season isn’t over. Ohio State is still 4-1 in Big Ten play, and there’s still a path forward. The margin for error is just about gone, with Oregon coming to Columbus next Saturday before Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan finish out the regular season.
That leaves the Buckeyes with bigger questions than just one loss. Cole and Joey dug into whether this roster has enough to chase a National Championship, how much confidence they still have in Ryan Day, and whether the defensive issues can actually be fixed. Fahey’s debut offered a little hope, but Ohio State needs a lot more help around him.
The conversation also stretched beyond the Buckeyes. Around college football, No.
13 Texas Tech beat No. 22 Arizona, Iowa shut out Wisconsin 30-0, Indiana survived Minnesota in overtime, and Oregon topped Northwestern 34-26.
UCLA stayed unbeaten with a 27-0 win over Nevada, while Miami escaped North Carolina 38-35.
The new AP Top 25 brought its own shakeup, with Miami still at No. 1, Utah rising to No.
3, UCLA breaking into the top five, and Ohio State sliding nine spots to No. 11.
BYU and Kentucky also moved into the top eight.
And with college basketball season beginning, Cole and Joey closed by looking ahead to Ohio State’s Monday night matchup with No. 25 BYU in Salt Lake City. The Buckeyes open against a ranked opponent in what should be an early test for the 2026-27 team.
In Other News...
Ohio State Fans Turn On Ross Bjork After Murky Postgame Scene
Ohio States latest loss did more than knock the Buckeyes down to 11th in the polls. It also put athletic director Ross Bjork in the middle of an awkward postgame scene that quickly spilled onto social media, where a video of his interaction with Lincoln Riley drew immediate attention and plenty of questions.
Bjork has already become a target for frustrated fans, with many calling for the university to take action even though the full details of what happened are still unclear. For a program that is used to every move being scrutinized, the murky nature of the exchange has only added another layer of unease around a difficult night. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Opens With One Big Question After Bruce Thornton
Ohio States 2026-27 mens basketball season opens with BYU, and the early conversation around the Buckeyes has already centered on how theyll replace Bruce Thorntons presence. A source pointed to a perimeter-heavy approach as the likely answer, with Juni Mobley and Amare Bynum expected to take on important roles as the offense adjusts to life without one of its most established guards.
Anthony Thompson and LJ Smith are also part of the early picture, with the staff watching how the freshmen settle into bigger responsibilities as the opener approaches. Health is another part of the equation, and the Buckeyes injury status will be worth monitoring as they try to sort out a new identity before the schedule gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Are Getting A Rare Team-Centric Nike Drop
Ohio State fans are getting a rare chance to buy into a sneaker drop that feels built specifically for them. Nikes Air Foamposite Pro College Pack is set to feature colorways tied to Ohio State, along with Florida State, LSU and TCU, with each design leaning on team colors, logos and other university-specific details rather than a generic school-inspired look.
The shoes are scheduled to release Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. ET, priced at $250 in adult sizes through the Nike SNKRS app and select retailers. For Buckeyes fans, it is the kind of team-centric rollout that does not come around often, and it should draw plenty of attention from both sneaker collectors and anyone looking for a more direct way to rep Ohio State. [Read more 🡒]