USC defeated No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 on Saturday night, marking Lincoln Riley's sixth win over a ranked opponent in 21 tries at USC. The victory puts the Trojans (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) back in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Riley, under intense scrutiny about his job security, delivered a statement win. He was 1-6 all-time against AP top-six opponents before this game, with his only previous win coming against Ohio State in 2017 at Oklahoma. Riley emphasized his commitment to USC this week, stating he chose the program and believes he is the right person to lead it.
USC's defense limited Heisman frontrunner Jeremiah Smith to 83 yards on 10 catches. Ohio State freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, starting for injured Julian Sayin, struggled to find rhythm. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 222 yards and a touchdown, while running backs King Miller and Waymond Jordan combined for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
Playoff Implications
The loss was only Ryan Day's sixth in 65 Big Ten games. USC now sits in a three-way tie for third in the conference. Winning out against Indiana, Maryland, and UCLA would give USC three ranked wins and a strong at-large CFP case. A Big Ten Championship Game appearance would require multiple tiebreaker scenarios involving several other teams.
Current Big Ten standings show UCLA 5-0, Indiana 5-1, USC 4-2, and several teams at 3-2. If USC wins out and UCLA's only loss is to the Trojans, USC would hold tiebreakers over other two-loss teams. Riley is now 42-20 at USC, with an 11-win season in 2022. A playoff berth would make this season a success despite earlier losses to Oregon and Wisconsin.
