Ohio State's 30-18 road loss to USC dealt a blow to the Buckeyes' national championship aspirations and to wide receiver Jeremiah Smith's Heisman Trophy campaign. Starting quarterback Julian Sayin missed the game with a potential season-ending injury suffered two weeks earlier against Indiana, thrusting Luke Fahey into the lineup. Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown but struggled with downfield accuracy, particularly in the red zone.
Heisman odds shift
Smith entered the week as the Heisman favorite but fell to third in FanDuel Sportsbook odds at +340, behind Miami's quarterback-receiver duo of Darian Mensah (+170) and Malachi Toney (+290). Against a USC defense that ranked 83rd nationally in allowing passes of 30-plus yards (11 such plays allowed), Smith caught 10 of 12 targets for 83 yards and a touchdown — a modest 8.3 yards per reception, well below his season average of nearly 19 yards per catch. Much of his production came late with Ohio State trailing by three scores.
Offensive struggles
Fahey's inability to connect on deep shots limited Smith's explosive opportunities; his longest gain was 27 yards. The Buckeyes' remaining schedule — Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan — features defenses statistically better at preventing big passing plays. Ohio State may shift to a more run-heavy approach to keep Fahey comfortable, further reducing Smith's chances for the highlight-reel plays that fuel Heisman momentum.
Miami's rise
Meanwhile, Miami's stars shined in a shootout win over North Carolina. Mensah threw for 274 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-29 passing, while Toney caught two touchdown passes, including the game-sealer. With a high-profile matchup against Notre Dame next, the Hurricanes' duo will have a national stage to bolster their Heisman cases.
Path forward
Smith, already the best receiver in Big Ten history, now needs Fahey to improve rapidly, some help from Miami and Notre Dame, and spectacular after-the-catch plays with fewer downfield targets. For the first time this season, he is no longer the Heisman favorite, and both he and the Buckeyes face questions at quarterback moving forward.
