USC’s 30-18 upset of No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday night gave the Trojans a result that changes the mood around the program in a hurry. The win pushed USC to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten play, and it came with a few clear bright spots - and one obvious concern.
Lincoln Riley came out of the night with the kind of victory that quiets a lot of noise. After taking plenty of heat over the past week, he has a strong case for this being his biggest win since arriving at USC.
The game also featured two freshmen who made an immediate impact. True freshman tight end Mark Bowman turned in a play that defied easy description, while Trent Mosley helped set the tone right away with a 69-yard touchdown on the second play of the game.
USC’s defense also delivered in a critical area. Ohio State reached the USC 30-yard line six times, but the Buckeyes came away with only one touchdown on those trips. That kind of red-zone resistance was a major reason the Trojans were able to pull off the upset.
Still, the performance wasn’t spotless. Ohio State had success running the ball before it got near the goal line, piling up 204 rushing yards on the night. That was the clearest area where USC gave ground.
Even so, the bigger picture for the Trojans is hard to miss. A loss would have knocked them out of playoff contention before November for the third time in four years. Instead, USC heads into the final month of the regular season with plenty still on the table.
In Other News...
Arizona Just Got A Painful Reality Check In The Rankings
Ohio States trip to USC turned into the kind of setback that can shake up the entire rankings picture, even with the Buckeyes out-gaining the Trojans on the night. With true freshman Luke Fahey starting at quarterback because of Julian Sayins injury, Ohio State still had enough talent to control stretches of the game, but missed tackles, penalties and special teams mistakes kept opening the door for USC to make the most of it.
The ripple effects go beyond Columbus, too. Georgia steadied itself with a win over Florida after its earlier loss, though the passing game still looked like a work in progress, while Floridas offensive issues are pushing it toward another drop after its third loss. And for Arizona, Texas Techs important win only adds to the pressure in a crowded rankings race, the sort of result that can quickly turn a promising week into a painful reality check. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Added More Fuel To Ohio States Ugly Night
After USCs 30-18 win over Ohio State, the night got even messier as Lincoln Riley found himself in the middle of a postgame confrontation while leaving the field. Reporters on hand and video from the scene showed the USC coach exchanging words with Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and other staff members, turning an already rough loss for the Buckeyes into something more combustible on the way off the turf.
Maurice Clarett, the former Ohio State running back, was also seen stepping in to help cool things down as the moment escalated. For a game that already carried plenty of weight, the postgame scene added another layer of tension, leaving the Buckeyes to sort through both the defeat and the fallout from a night that was ugly in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than One Road Loss
The upset in Los Angeles did more than hand Ohio State a road loss. USCs defense set the tone early and never let the Buckeyes get comfortable, holding them to one touchdown while piling up tackles for loss and sacks against backup quarterback Luke Fahey. The Trojans also got the kind of explosive play they have been hunting, with Mark Bowman turning a short opening into a 70-yard catch-and-run that helped swing the game in USCs favor.
For Lincoln Riley, the 30-18 win carried extra weight because it was his first top-five victory with the Trojans, and it came against a team that arrived with far more national respect. For Ohio State, the bigger issue now is not just the blemish on the schedule but the way the offense looked under pressure, with a backup quarterback trying to survive behind a line that could not settle things down. [Read more 🡒]