College Football Upset: USC Beats No. 2 Ohio State 30-18

Sixty-nine yards. That is the length of the screen pass reception that Trent Mosley caught on the second snap of the game, a play that immediately shifted the momentum in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

Southern California defeated the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 30-18 to claim the biggest win of head coach Lincoln Riley’s tenure. The Trojans, who are now 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, outscored a defense that had allowed only 18 points in its previous 31 games. The victory came one week after USC suffered a low-scoring loss at Wisconsin.

The game was played under a light, steady rain at the Coliseum. Mosley, a freshman, finished with five receptions for 101 yards. He also returned a punt 44 yards and caught an 18-yard pass that set up Waymond Jordan’s nine-yard rushing touchdown. Jayden Maiava passed for 222 yards and one score, while King Miller added another rushing touchdown.

The Trojans defense limited Ohio State to 192 yards on its first five drives. The Buckeyes, who are now 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play, managed only three field goals during that span. Jeremiah Smith finally broke through with a one-yard touchdown catch with 2:12 remaining. Ohio State’s two-point conversion attempt failed, and USC recovered the onside kick before kicking a third field goal with 1:46 left on the clock.

Luke Fahey made his first career start for Ohio State after Julian Sayin injured his arm two weeks ago. The freshman quarterback passed for 260 yards, completing 21 of 38 passes. Ohio State accumulated 464 total yards but committed 11 penalties for 75 yards. Bo Jackson rushed for 121 yards, and Smith finished with 10 receptions for 83 yards. Smith’s touchdown catch was his 40th of the career, breaking the Big Ten record previously held by Braylon Edwards.

Coach Ryan Day acknowledged the difficulty of the loss. He noted that the team was unable to support Fahey effectively. “At the end of the day, as a team, we weren’t able to play well enough to support a young freshman quarterback who has his first start on the road like this,” Day said. He also expressed frustration over a 70-yard reception by USC tight end Mark Bowman, who hurdled a defender before breaking multiple tackles.

That play allowed USC to take a 27-9 lead in the third quarter. Bowman’s catch was part of a sequence that included Miller’s rushing score. Riley and Bowman both stated that the coach taught the tight end the technique for hurdling. Riley said the team played the situations best in a contest between two of the nation's top programs.

Ohio State has not lost two games this early in a season since 2011. The Buckeyes now stand 58-2 against unranked opponents under Day. The team hosts Oregon on Saturday. USC receives a bye next week before traveling to Indiana on November 14.