USC Upsets No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 in Rain-Soaked Los Angeles
Freshman Trent Mosley’s 69-yard score and Jayden Maiava’s passing led the Trojans to their biggest win under head coach Lincoln Riley.
By Arjun Weber ·
Southern California fans flooded the wet field at the Los Angeles Coliseum after the Trojans defeated the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 30-18 on Saturday night. The victory marks the largest win of head coach Lincoln Riley’s tenure and ends a streak of struggles for the program. It also signals a potential shift in the team's standing for the remainder of the season.
The game featured a strong offensive performance by USC, which outscored the Buckeyes’ defense for the first time in its previous 31 games. Jayden Maiava completed passes for 222 yards and one touchdown. King Miller and Waymond Jordan also added rushing scores. Freshman Trent Mosley provided the early momentum with a 69-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. He finished the night with five receptions for 101 yards.
Ohio State’s offense struggled against the USC defense, which prevented a touchdown for the first 57 minutes of play. The Buckeyes were led by freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, who made his first career start after Julian Sayin suffered an arm injury. Fahey passed for 260 yards but was held to a 21-for-38 completion rate. The team accumulated 464 total yards but could not convert them into sufficient points.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day cited 11 penalties totaling 75 yards as a major factor in the loss. He stated that the team failed to support its young quarterback adequately. The Buckeyes finally scored when Jeremiah Smith caught a one-yard pass with 2:12 remaining. A failed two-point conversion and a recovered onside kick by USC sealed the result with three field goals before the final whistle.
The game produced notable individual moments for both sides. USC tight end Mark Bowman made a 70-yard reception, hurdling a defender to extend the lead to 27-9 in the third quarter. Riley and Bowman both indicated that the coach taught the player the hurdle technique. On the other side, Bo Jackson rushed for 121 yards for Ohio State, while Smith had 10 receptions for 83 yards.
Smith’s touchdown catch was his 40th of the season, breaking the Big Ten career record previously held by Braylon Edwards. The loss drops Ohio State’s record against unranked teams to 58-2 under Day. It is the first time the Buckeyes have lost two games this early in a season since 2011. The defeat follows a home loss to Michigan in 2024 and a setback against Wisconsin last week.
USC improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten play. The team rebounded from a low-scoring loss at Wisconsin, where it produced the fewest points in a Riley-led offense. The victory over a top-five opponent at the Coliseum is the first since 2015. USC is expected to return to the AP Top 25 ranking. The team has a bye week before traveling to Indiana on November 14.
Ohio State remains 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play. The Buckeyes will host Oregon on Saturday. Fahey described his performance as a battle, noting that the team must make his job easier on the field. The game took place in light, steady rain throughout the evening, adding to the atmospheric conditions for the crowd.
