USC’s road through the Big Ten has been measured against three marquee matchups from the start: Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana. The Trojans already dropped one of those games, falling 41-27 to Oregon, but with a 6-1 record and an open date behind them, they’re still staring at the stretch that could shape everything. Win one of the remaining heavyweight games and take care of business the rest of the way, and a 10-2 finish would all but lock up USC’s first trip to the College Football Playoff.
That framing looked different again after Saturday’s results, because the season has a way of rewriting the script. Oregon’s shine faded fast after UCLA knocked off the Ducks in Eugene, while Wisconsin and Ohio State were both in action against USC future opponents. The only outlier on that slate was Maryland, which the source described as “an absolute dumpster fire,” but otherwise the Trojans’ remaining schedule was on display.
One of the biggest offseason questions around those games centered on quarterback play, and USC has already felt how much that matters. Against Oregon, Dylan Raiola outplayed Jayden Maiava, and the Trojans still came up short. Maiava didn’t shoulder the entire loss - Raiola was in after an injury to Dante Moore and lit up the USC defense - but the gap at quarterback was part of the discussion heading into those big matchups.
Now there’s another wrinkle. Ohio State beat Indiana 19-15 in Bloomington, but the win came with concern attached.
Julian Sayin threw two touchdowns and two interceptions, finishing 15 of 29, and one of those scores came on a deep heave Jeremiah Smith turned into a touchdown. That play kept Sayin’s completion percentage above 50 percent.
Then came the injury. Sayin exited with an injury to his throwing arm, adding another question mark to a game that already featured plenty of pressure.
On the other side, Josh Hoover never really found traction against an Ohio State defense that kept Indiana under wraps for most of the afternoon. The former TCU transfer went 20 of 40 for 296 yards with one touchdown, no interceptions, and also lost a fumble after being sacked in Ohio State territory in the third quarter.
In Other News...
USC Suddenly Has A Bigger UCLA Problem Than Expected
UCLAs Week 7 win over Wisconsin gave USC another reminder that the Bruins can still be a thorn in its side, even with a backup quarterback under center. Ty Dieffenbach made his first start look far more comfortable than expected, throwing for more than 250 yards as UCLA controlled possession and found enough offense to leave Wisconsin chasing the game.
For USC, the bigger concern is what that showing might mean in the coming stretch, when the Trojans have to deal with both UCLA and Wisconsin on the schedule. Wisconsins defense did enough to slow the Bruins ground game, but UCLA kept the ball long enough to dictate the flow, and that kind of mix of patience and efficiency can create problems for a USC team trying to navigate a tricky finish. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Prime-Time Ohio State Test Just Got Even More Intriguing
USCs stretch in the national spotlight now has a sharper edge to it. The Trojans are set for five straight prime-time games on NBC, a run that includes the October 31 date with No. 3 Ohio State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and it comes as Lincoln Rileys team works through a demanding slate that also features Wisconsin, Indiana and Maryland before the crosstown finale with UCLA.
The Buckeyes may look a little different by the time they arrive in Los Angeles, which only adds another layer to a game that was already drawing plenty of attention. Ohio State starting quarterback Julian Sayin is likely to miss the matchup because of injury, leaving USC to prepare for a marquee test without knowing exactly what version of the Buckeyes it will see under the lights. [Read more 🡒]
USC Mens Golf Showed Real Progress In A Frustrating Near Miss
USCs mens golf team left the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational with a result that was encouraging and aggravating at the same time. The Trojans finished third behind Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern, and there was enough quality in the lineup to suggest they are moving in the right direction. Deitrek Gill led the way with a tie for seventh, while four USC players cracked the top 30 in a field that tested just about everyone.
Mark Hankins had reason to feel good about the overall performance, even if the final margin kept it from being the breakthrough finish the Trojans wanted. USC showed it can stack strong rounds across the lineup and stay in the mix with good teams, which matters as the schedule keeps getting more demanding. The frustrating part is that the progress was real, but the reward was just out of reach. [Read more 🡒]