USC Upsets No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 at the Coliseum, Handing the Buckeyes Their First Loss

By The Arena Staff

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2026 — One week after a 24-6 loss at Wisconsin, USC never trailed against the No. 2 team in the country.

Jayden Maiava hit Trent Mosley for a 69-yard touchdown on the game's first possession, and the Trojans beat Ohio State 30-18 on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, according to ESPN's box score. It was the Buckeyes' first loss of the season, dropping them to 6-2, while USC improved to 7-2.

Ohio State played without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who USA Today reported is out indefinitely with an injury from the Indiana game. Luke Fahey made the start and completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards, but the Buckeyes kept stalling in scoring range. They settled for four field goals and reached the end zone only once.

USC led 14-3 after one quarter after Waymond Jordan added a 9-yard touchdown run. The teams then traded field goals, including a 54-yarder for USC, and a 36-yard kick on the final play of the first half made it 20-9 at the break.

The biggest swing came in the third quarter. Floyd Boucard recovered an Isaiah West fumble, USA Today reported, and Mark Bowman's 70-yard catch set up King Miller's 1-yard touchdown run that put USC ahead 27-9.

Ohio State outgained USC 464 yards to 339, according to USC's game center, and Bo Jackson ran 21 times for 121 yards. Jeremiah Smith had 10 catches for 83 yards and caught a 1-yard touchdown from Fahey with 2:12 left to make it 27-18. Ohio State went for two right away, needing two scores, but the pass fell incomplete. USC recovered the onside kick, USA Today reported, and a 32-yard field goal with 1:46 left closed it out.

Maiava finished 15 of 22 for 222 yards and the touchdown, with no interceptions. Mosley had five catches for 101 yards, and Miller ran for 78 yards on 13 carries.

USA Today noted before kickoff that Lincoln Riley had lost seven of his last eight games against ranked opponents at USC, and that Ohio State had not won at the Coliseum since 1946. Riley got his ranked win, and the Buckeyes' wait in Los Angeles goes on.

Sources: ESPN box score, USC Athletics game center and USA Today.