Ohio State faces a key Big Ten road test in Los Angeles with an inexperienced quarterback against a hungry USC team.

Ohio State enters Saturday night’s matchup against USC facing its first game and biggest test since losing Julian Sayin. The No. 2 Buckeyes must find answers at quarterback while preparing for a talented Trojans team looking to revive its College Football Playoff hopes.

Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair will be under the spotlight, but Ohio State’s path to victory will depend on more than the quarterback who takes the first snap. The offensive line must create room for the running game, the defense must contain Jayden Maiava, and the younger players stepping into larger roles must handle the pressure of a primetime road environment.

Ryan Day’s team has little margin for error against a USC program desperate for a signature win.

Opponent Preview

USC is coming off an ugly road loss in Madison, Wisconsin, for their second loss of the year. Lincoln Riley’s squad managed only one touchdown, and Jayden Maviava had one to forget with just 165 yards passing and a pair of key interceptions as the Trojans fell 24-7. These kinds of losses have become a theme under Riley, and with their playoff hopes already on the line, his seat has only gotten hotter.

USC started the season at the No. 14 team in the country in the AP poll. They now enter this game unranked. This team is, and its coach is, going to be hungrier than ever to feed off the (conditional) crowd at The Coliseum and reenter the playoff chat. To do so, though, they will need to shore up some issues.

Jayden Maiava sits atop the Big Ten in passing with 2,302 yards. He’s also done an exceptional job spreading the ball around, with USC’s leading receiver, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, sitting at 81st nationally in receiving yards with 443. Jayden has 19 touchdowns, but his turnover issues in Wisconsin have pushed his interceptions to 5. That’s part of the problem for USC.

When the competition takes a legitimate leap and defenses can disguise and surprise well, Maiava and the prolific Trojan aerial attack take a noticeable step down. Against Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, Maiava has a QBR of 64.4 and has thrown four of his five interceptions this year. Unsurprisingly, USC is 1-2 in those three matchups. On an offense that operates through the passing game, this is a recipe for disaster.

The defense has been steadier than in years past. Lincoln Riley and his staff have made a concerted effort to address the defensive issues that have plagued the tenure thus far. Through seven games, they’re currently sitting 26th in rush defense and 31st in overall defense. Although these numbers aren’t necessarily elite, the Trojans finished 2025 ranked 58th and 49th in the same categories.

Along with the leap in defensive efficiency, USC finished with the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026. The future should be bright for the Trojans, and this kind of success recruiting should buy Lincoln Riley more time to bring USC back to glory, but time is beginning to run out for the offensive guru in his 5th year in Los Angeles.

Life Without Sayin

It has become one of the leading stories in college football as Ohio State must navigate the season without Julian Sayin under center. The quarterback battle between Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair has been intriguing over the past two weeks, but no matter who Ryan Day goes with, there will be a new look and a ripple effect on this team.

“Everyone has to look themselves in the eye, including me. I’ve got to step up. I’ve got to do better. I’ve got to push the coaches.”

Coach Day hasn’t been naïve about the fact that he and his staff shoulder a large portion of responsibility in making sure this team understands the task at hand. Something that Kenyatta Jackson has spoken about this season is the need to shy away from “hero ball” in order for each guy to more effectively do their job. In the situation OSU finds itself in, this mentality will be more important than ever.

Every player will need to have a heightened level of intensity, even the younger ones who will be making an impact like Chris Henry Jr, Legend Bey and Khary Wilder who is expected to be back on the field this Saturday. USC is a desperate team, but it’s stockpiled with talent. The wrong mindset could get the Buckeyes into trouble.

Key Matchups

Beyond the obvious quarterback storylines for the Buckeyes, a couple of things are worth watching on Saturday. First, Ohio State’s secondary will be tested more than it has been all year. Although Maiava and the USC air attack have been up and down, the Trojans still lead the Big Ten in passing.

The secondary as a whole will have to stay disciplined in their assignments as Maiava likes to spread the ball around, making open-field tackling a higher priority for OSU’s defensive backs across the board. Jay Timmons is still questionable, but his presence can’t be overstated, and if he can’t go for the Buckeyes on Saturday, the challenge will get even tougher for the Silver Bullets as depth will be tested with Cam Coulhoun and Jordan Thomas.

Ohio State’s run game will be under the microscope as well. The rushing attack has improved steadily throughout Big Ten play, but without Julian Sayin, it will need to take a noticeable step forward. As it stands today, the Buckeyes are 80th in the country in yards per attempt.

Against the three highest-rated run defenses they’ve faced, OSU averages 130.3 yards per game, which would put them at 92nd in the country. While a drop-off in production is to be expected against top competition, this kind of disparity doesn’t match a team that profiles to make a postseason run. With the Trojans boasting a much-improved defensive front compared to years past, this weekend will be another key test for the run game, which will have to do so without Ja’Kobi Jackson.

This Saturday will feature it all, from dramatic storylines to Hollywood-worthy star power in primetime. Whoever Ryan Day decides to roll with at quarterback will be thrust into the thick of a playoff race and tasked with keeping this team on track. This game will be a massive step in developing that ability.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, USC 24

Game Details

No. 2 OSU 6-1 (4-0) v USC 6-2 (3-2)

Spread-Total: OSU -6.5 – O/U 51.5

7:30 PM ET on NBC

Passing Leaders

Julian Sayin: 131/192 for 2,007 yards, 19 TD and 4 INT

Jayden Maiava: 183/274 for 2,302 yards, 19 TD and 5 INT

Rushing Leaders

Bo Jackson: 107 carries for 516 yards and 4 TD

King Miller: 125 carries for 602 yards and 4 TD

Receiving Leaders

Jeremiah Smith: 52 receptions for 984 yards and 12 TD

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt: 32 receptions for 443 yards and 4 TD