Lincoln Riley has secured a notable Big Ten triumph at USC. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s aspirations for the College Football Playoff might be in significant jeopardy.
The Trojans triumphed over No. 2 Ohio State with a score of 30-18 on Saturday night during the Buckeyes’ initial game without quarterback Julian Sayin, who faced a potentially season-ending injury to his right shoulder in OSU’s victory against No. 4 Indiana on October 17.
Finding themselves down by 11 at halftime, Ohio State had an opportunity to re-enter the contest in the third quarter. However, Luke Fahey’s throw intended for Isaiah West resulted in a fumble recovered by the Trojans after the Buckeyes had moved into USC’s territory.
Then, USC freshman tight end Max Bowman made his mark. The former five-star athlete and the 44th-ranked recruit in the nation completed a remarkable 70-yard catch-and-run that featured an impressive hurdle and multiple broken tackles. Just observe how he navigated through Ohio State’s defense with remarkable ease.
Just two plays later, King Miller extended USC’s lead to 18 points. The game was effectively decided at that point.
Ohio State managed to narrow the gap to nine points with a Jeremiah Smith touchdown reception with 2:12 remaining, but their attempt at a 2-point conversion failed as Fahey’s pass went out of the end zone.
Assessing USC’s playoff aspirations
It’s understandable if you still have reservations about the Trojans. This is a squad that lost 24-7 to Wisconsin just a week ago and struggled with negative rushing yards. Furthermore, this is the same USC that was overpowered by an Oregon team that has been inconsistent.
However, if you’re looking for a silver lining for USC… the playoff remains a tangible possibility. Following a bye in Week 10, USC has upcoming matchups against No. 4 Indiana and No. 7 UCLA. If USC secures victories in both contests — and additionally defeats Maryland — they will qualify for the playoff without debate.
The statistics for USC’s offense on Saturday night were not particularly striking. Yet this was also due to the fact that the Trojans possessed the ball for limited periods. Ohio State dominated possession for around two-thirds of the game and executed double the number of plays. USC managed to accumulate just 339 yards while running only 49 plays.
This victory marks the first against a top-five opponent during Riley’s tenure in Los Angeles. If you’re still doubtful regarding USC’s playoff prospects, you might also have been concerned about Riley’s ability to withstand a loss on Saturday against an Ohio State team featuring a true freshman quarterback making his inaugural start.
This context may overshadow the importance of the win. Although Ohio State was favored by 6.5 points, it’s clear to see how this is a game the Trojans were expected to win.
Evaluating Ohio State’s playoff prospects
Can the Buckeyes still make the playoffs without Sayin? Saturday night exhibited how they could easily miss the postseason in his absence.
Ohio State still has Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan on their regular season schedule. The Buckeyes will be favored in each of those matchups, though they’re not guaranteed victories. Particularly if the Buckeyes’ defense continues to perform as it did on Saturday night. USC averaged nearly 7 yards per play leading up to the kneel downs to run down the clock.
With Fahey as quarterback and Ja’Kobi Jackson absent from the Ohio State rushing game, the Buckeyes’ defense needed to maintain its elite status for Ohio State to remain a contender for the title. Prior to Saturday night, only Texas, which scored 24 points, had registered more than 19 points against the Buckeyes.
Moreover, it wasn’t solely Bowman creating significant plays. Wide receiver Trent Mosley recorded a 69-yard touchdown on the second offensive play of the game.
If Ohio State is to reach the College Football Playoff, they must go unbeaten in November. Even then, unless there’s substantial improvement from Saturday’s performance, the Buckeyes can no longer be considered serious title contenders.
