No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes travel to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday to face the USC Trojans in a matchup that pits one of the nation’s most explosive offenses against a Trojans team still searching for consistency. Ohio State vs USC Trojans kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and airs on NBC, with the Buckeyes carrying a 6-1 record into Southern California while USC sits at 6-2 after alternating wins and losses over its last five games.
The biggest question entering the weekend is whether USC’s defense can slow down an Ohio State attack averaging 39.3 points per game, or whether the Trojans’ own offense, which ranks among the nation’s most efficient on third down, can keep pace in front of a home crowd.
Ohio State Vs USC Trojans Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- TV: NBC
- Weather: 70 degrees, 57% chance of precipitation
Can USC’s Defense Contain Jeremiah Smith And The Buckeyes’ Passing Game?
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin has completed 131 of 192 passes for 2,007 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions this season, and his top target has been nearly unstoppable. Jeremiah Smith has caught 52 passes for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns, numbers that put him on pace for one of the most productive receiving seasons in program history. Ohio State’s passing offense averages 323.1 yards per game, more than 20 yards ahead of USC’s own prolific unit. The Buckeyes have scored 36 total touchdowns through seven games, an average of 5.1 per contest, and their offense has produced those numbers despite Sayin’s absence for several weeks earlier this season, a stretch detailed in previous Total Apex Sports coverage of the Sayin shoulder injury that sidelined him.
Is USC’s Offense Explosive Enough To Trade Scores With Ohio State?
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava has thrown for 2,302 yards and 19 touchdowns against five interceptions, completing 66.8% of his passes. The Trojans average 32.8 points per game and have converted 50.52% of third downs, a figure that actually tops Ohio State’s 44.32% third-down rate. USC running back King Miller has carried the ball 125 times for 602 yards and four touchdowns, giving the Trojans a ground threat that complements Maiava’s arm.
Receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt leads the team with 32 catches for 443 yards and four scores. USC’s offense has shown it can move the ball against strong competition, but its two losses, a 41-27 defeat to Oregon and a 24-7 setback at Wisconsin, came when the Trojans’ defense couldn’t keep opposing offenses off the field.
Who Are The Expected Starters?
Julian Sayin is expected to start at quarterback for Ohio State, with Bo Jackson projected as the lead back after rushing 107 times for 516 yards and four touchdowns this season. Jeremiah Smith is expected to anchor the receiving corps. For USC, Jayden Maiava is projected to start under center, with King Miller as the likely feature back and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt as the top receiving option. No players from either team appear on an official injury list for this game, according to the official data.
By The Numbers
- Points per game: Ohio State 39.3, USC 32.8
- Total yards per game: Ohio State 476.3, USC 434.5
- Passing yards per game: Ohio State 323.1, USC 303.5
- Rushing yards per game: Ohio State 153.1, USC 131.0
- Yards per pass attempt: Ohio State 10.7, USC 8.4
- Third-down conversion rate: USC 50.52%, Ohio State 44.32%
- Turnover differential: Ohio State +8, USC +2
- Total takeaways: Ohio State 16, USC 10
- Sacks allowed per game: USC 1.5, Ohio State 2.1
Key Matchup: Ohio State’s Takeaway Margin Against USC’s Giveaway Rate
Ohio State has forced 16 takeaways through seven games while giving the ball away just eight times, a turnover differential of plus-eight. USC has given the ball away eight times as well but has forced only 10 takeaways, leaving the Trojans at plus-two. If Ohio State’s defense, which has recorded 37 passes defended already this season, forces multiple turnovers against Maiava, the Buckeyes’ offense gets short fields to work with against a USC defense that already allowed 41 points to Oregon and 31 to Penn State. USC’s ability to protect the football and extend possessions, reflected in its third-down conversion rate of better than 50%, will determine whether the Trojans can keep the game close into the fourth quarter.
Players To Watch
Julian Sayin, Ohio State Quarterback
Sayin has thrown 19 touchdowns against just four interceptions and posted a 185.9 passer rating for the season, numbers that rank among the most efficient in the country.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Wide Receiver
Smith’s 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns make him the focal point of Ohio State’s offense and the player USC’s secondary must account for on every snap.
Jayden Maiava, USC Quarterback
Maiava has thrown for 2,302 yards, the most of any player in this matchup, and will need a clean game to keep USC competitive against the nation’s No. 2 team.
What To Watch
Ohio State enters the weekend ranked No. 2 nationally and has won six straight since its lone loss, a run that includes a 19-15 victory over Indiana detailed in Total Apex Sports’ recap of that Big Ten battle. A win at the Coliseum would keep the Buckeyes firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation. USC, despite its two losses, has shown it can beat ranked opponents, having knocked off Penn State on the road 31-23.
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