The second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten) will aim to stay unbeaten in conference play when they visit the USC Trojans (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Ohio State enters on a five-game winning streak after a 19-15 win at Indiana on Oct. 17, while USC dropped a 24-7 decision at Wisconsin in Week 8. The Buckeyes are 2-1 on the road this season; the Trojans are 4-1 at home in 2026.
USC leads the all-time series 13-10-1, though Ohio State won the last meeting 24-7 in the 2017 Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes are 6.5-point favorites with an over/under of 50.5 points, down from an opening total of 55.5. Ohio State is 5-2 against the spread this season, while USC is 2-6 versus the line.
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates each FBS game 10,000 times, projects the Over 50.5 points as the value side, hitting in 51% of simulations. The model forecasts 51 combined points, with Ohio State freshman quarterback Luke Fahey throwing for 270 yards and two touchdowns in place of the injured Julian Sayin, and USC quarterback Jayden Maiava passing for over 235 yards and one score. The Over has hit in three of the last five Ohio State games and five of the last nine USC matchups.
SportsLine's model also indicates one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations, with that pick available exclusively on its platform. The model entered Week 9 on a 68-59 run on top-rated college football picks, returning nearly $400 for $100 players.
