USC faces No. 2 Ohio State in Saturday showdown

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will be full Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes take on the unranked USC Trojans. The game serves as a test for a USC squad that is 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play. They aim to bounce back from a loss in Wisconsin last weekend.

The Buckeyes arrive as 6-1 and 4-0 in conference play. They are coming off a bye week, but their offensive identity is in flux. Star quarterback Julian Sayin is injured and out for the indefinite future. This leaves head coach Ryan Day with two inexperienced options to start.

Freshman Luke Fahey has completed 9 of 13 passes for 203 yards and two interceptions in four games. Sophomore Tavien St. Clair has a larger arm but is 5 of 7 for 52 yards and one interception in two games. Day has not announced who will take the first snap.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley says the uncertainty creates a unique challenge. He noted that the lack of film on the new signal caller makes the opponent difficult to scout. Riley compared the situation to a first game of the season where teams must make life tough on the defense.

The primary threat for Ohio State is wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith is the leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy and is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft. He leads the Big Ten with 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. His average is 140.6 yards per game and 7.4 yards per catch.

Riley compared Smith to Michael Crabtree, a two-time All-American at Texas Tech who was the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft. Riley stated that Smith is the closest thing he has seen to Crabtree's dominance at the college level in recent years.

The Buckeyes may rely on the run game to give their new quarterbacks time. Bo Jackson leads the team with 542 yards on 107 carries. Ja'Kobi Jackson, who has 356 yards on 59 carries, will miss the game due to a Lisfranc injury. Isaiah West, with 133 yards on 28 rushes, is expected to step in.

USC defensive tackle Jide Abasiri said the defense must estimate how the new quarterback will operate. He noted that the offensive line and the unpredictable nature of the play-calling will be the main factors the unit must manage. Freshman Luke Wafle, who has three sacks in the last three games, will set the edge and pressure the young quarterbacks.

On offense, USC has the second-best passing attack in the conference behind Ohio State. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has had time to throw, aided by an offensive line that performed well outside of the Wisconsin game. He will target Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley. The Trojans must move the ball against a Buckeyes defense that allows 171.4 passing yards per game.

Running back King Miller leads a rushing attack that has struggled to find explosive plays. Senior Waymond Jordan, the second-leading rusher, did not play against Wisconsin while recovering from an ankle injury. He has not been on the official availability report, but Riley said he is still getting back up to speed.