The No. 19 USC Trojans just got a close-up look at what could be waiting for them on both sides of their biggest games down the stretch.
Ohio State’s 19-15 win over No. 5 Indiana in Bloomington did more than snap the Hoosiers’ 22-game winning streak. It gave USC a preview of the kind of challenges that could shape its College Football Playoff path when the Trojans meet the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers later in the season.
The first big note: Ohio State may be heading to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum without Julian Sayin. The Buckeyes’ star quarterback injured his right shoulder in the win over Indiana, and after the game Ryan Day said Sayin would miss several weeks.
That leaves former three-star recruit Luke Fahey, a true freshman from Mission Viejo, California, in line to start against USC on Oct. 31.
Even with Sayin sidelined, Ohio State still brings a major weapon in Jeremiah Smith, who remains one of the top favorites for the Heisman Trophy. Smith caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown against Indiana, and in the process passed former Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards for the most touchdowns by a Big Ten wideout.
For USC, the bigger defensive question may be how its front handles the Buckeyes’ run game. The Trojans’ run defense has been their most reliable unit in the first season under defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, with Jahkeem Stewart, Luke Wafle, and Jide Abasiri all showing improvement in generating pressure and closing lanes.
That assignment gets real fast against Ohio State’s backfield, where Bo Jackson and Isaiah West give the Buckeyes a clear ground-game plan. Jackson leads Ohio State with 107 carries for 516 yards and four touchdowns this season, and as a sophomore from Cleveland, he’s averaging more than 15 carries per game.
Indiana also offered USC a reminder that its own defensive work may be tested just as hard when the Trojans head to Bloomington on Nov. 14.
Josh Hoover, who transferred from TCU to replace Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza, threw for 296 yards and a touchdown on 20-of-40 passing against Ohio State. But the crucial play came on the game-winning drive, when Hoover overthrew Nick Marsh on a potential touchdown.
Marsh caught the ball in the end zone, but the throw pushed him out of bounds, and Ohio State escaped with the win.
That matchup could wind up carrying huge weight for USC’s CFP hopes. If Hoover is sharp, Indiana’s receiving duo of Marsh and Charlie Becker will be a problem. Becker led the Hoosiers with nine catches for 165 yards against Ohio State, while Marsh finished with three receptions for 57 yards.
Before the Trojans reach either of those games, they still have a road trip to handle. USC visits Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Camp Randall Stadium, with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m.
PT. The Badgers enter at 4-2 after their first Big Ten loss, a 17-7 defeat to No.
12 UCLA at the Rose Bowl. The game will air in primetime on NBC.
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