The second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes aim to remain unbeaten in Big Ten play when they face the USC Trojans on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Ohio State enters at 6-1 overall and 4-0 in conference, having won five straight, while USC sits at 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are 2-1 on the road this season; the Trojans are 4-1 at home in 2026.
Series History and Betting Lines
USC leads the all-time series 13-10-1, but Ohio State won the most recent meeting 24-7 in the 2017 Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes are 6.5-point favorites with an over/under of 50.5 points, down from an opening total of 55.5. On the money line, Ohio State is -245 and USC +200. Against the spread, Ohio State is 5-2 this season, while USC is 2-6.
Model Projections and Key Factors
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates each FBS game 10,000 times, projects the game to go over the 50.5-point total. The over has hit in three of Ohio State's last five games and five of USC's last nine. Ohio State leads the conference in scoring at 39.3 points per game; USC ranks seventh at 32.8. The model forecasts Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey, a true freshman starting in place of the injured Julian Sayin, to throw for 270 yards and two touchdowns. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is projected for over 235 yards and one touchdown. The model's simulation yields 51 combined points, making the over the value side 51% of the time. Additionally, the model indicates one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. Entering Week 9, the model carries a 68-59 record on top-rated college football picks, returning nearly $400 for $100 players.
