USC stunned second-ranked Ohio State 30-18 on Saturday night, delivering Lincoln Riley his sixth victory over a ranked opponent in 21 attempts with the Trojans. The win thrusts USC back into the College Football Playoff conversation with an outside chance at the Big Ten Championship Game.
Riley, who entered the game amid intense scrutiny over his job security, called the victory a personal statement. "If I didn't want to be at this place, I wouldn't have come here in the first place," he said earlier in the week. "I've had plenty of opportunities to leave. This is where I want to be."
Defensively, USC contained Heisman frontrunner Jeremiah Smith to 83 yards on 10 catches with one touchdown. Ohio State freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, making his first start in place of the injured Julian Sayin, struggled to find rhythm and was pressured throughout. Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 222 yards and a score, while running backs King Miller and Waymond Jordan combined for 126 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
The loss was only Ryan Day's sixth in 65 Big Ten games with the Buckeyes. USC improves to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, sitting in a three-way tie for third in the Big Ten standings after Week 9.
With remaining games against Indiana, Maryland, and UCLA, a win-out scenario would give USC three victories over ranked teams this season and position the Trojans for an at-large CFP berth — a first in program history. Reaching the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis would require a specific set of tiebreaker outcomes involving UCLA, Ohio State, Indiana, Northwestern, and Nebraska.
Current conference standings show UCLA 5-0, Indiana 5-1, and USC 4-2, with several other teams at 3-2. If USC wins out and UCLA's only loss comes to the Trojans, Riley's squad would hold tiebreakers over other two-loss teams and secure a spot in the championship game.
