Ohio State faces USC at the LA Coliseum on Saturday afternoon with the visitor’s season hinging on a freshman quarterback following Julian Sayin’s injury. The two historic programs meet for the first time as Big Ten conference opponents in a high-stakes matchup airing on NBC and Peacock.
The visiting Buckeyes arrive in Southern California holding the No. 2 spot in the AP Poll and a 6-1 record, yet the team enters its fourth road game of the season searching for offensive stability. With Julian Sayin sidelined for the remainder of the year, Ohio State must break in a new quarterback on the road against a desperate opponent.
Five Buckeyes from Southern California to watch as Ohio State begins second half of the season at USC:- Luke Fahey likely to replace Julian Sayin at QB- Chris Henry Jr., Phillip Bell on the rise at WR- Khary Wilder, Epi Sitanilei could spark pass rushhttps://t.co/m2WUPC1pLG
Choosing the Backup Quarterback
The choice under center comes down to a pair of underclassmen with distinct paths to the roster. Luke Fahey, an Orange County native who led Mission Viejo High School to a state title as a sophomore, beat out Tavien St. Clair for the backup job during training camp. While fans have clamored for a long look at St. Clair—a five-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class and the expected heir to Sayin who shockingly lost the battle for the backup job to Fahey, a three-star recruit and the 38th-ranked quarterback in last year’s class according to 247Sports—head coach Ryan Day faces an immediate decision on game day.
Practice speed differs entirely from game speed, meaning the new signal-caller will face a sudden baptism by fire once the Coliseum crowd gets loud.
Ohio State Shifts to Run-Heavy Offense
Both teams have struggled to establish consistent ground attacks throughout the year, with Ohio State averaging 4.0 yards per carry and USC averaging 152 rushing yards per game before a disastrous outing against Wisconsin where they managed minus-17 yards on the ground. With the passing game in transition under head coach Ryan Day and coordinator Arthur Smith, the Buckeyes are expected to turn to a more conservative run-heavy offense in their first game without Sayin.
The front line receives a boost with the return of Austin Siereveld, who missed the last two games due to illness. Siereveld slides back into right tackle alongside Gabe Van Sickle at right guard, Carson Hinzman at center, Luke Montgomery at left guard, and Ian Moore at left tackle—the exact five linemen who previously started together when Ohio State scored 31 points against an Iowa team that entered allowing only 8 points a game.
Confronting USC Struggles Under Lincoln Riley
The Trojans enter this weekend following a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin that dropped them out of the AP Top 25. That road defeat saw USC rush for minus-17 yards, drawing harsh scrutiny toward an offense trying to find traction. Despite those offensive hurdles, Lincoln Riley leads a team where quarterback Jayden Maiava and his talented teammates managed only seven points against the Badgers.
We’ve got a great game plan, and we’re going to have a great game.
Lincoln Riley, USC head coach
USC running back King Miller also emphasized the challenge awaiting the Trojans on Saturday evening.
Renewing a Historic Series on Television
Saturday marks the 25th all-time meeting between these storied blue-blood programs, but their first as conference opponents since USC joined the Big Ten in 2024. They have not met since the Buckeyes earned a 24-7 victory in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, and Ohio State arrives as the Trojans’ highest-ranked visiting opponent since Notre Dame arrived at No. 1 in 2012.
The Coliseum is officially sold out, marking the second capacity crowd in Los Angeles this season following the game against Oregon. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT with television coverage on NBC and streaming available on Peacock.
How will Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair perform under the lights against the USC defense?