Fastrack · USC Upsets No. 2 Ohio State 38-10

USC beat No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 on Saturday in Los Angeles. The win moved the Trojans to 7-2.

69-yard touchdown by freshman Trent Mosley came on the game's second play.
70-yard catch-and-run by freshman tight end Mark Bowman set up a score.
464 yards for Ohio State, but just 18 points.
6 of 14 third downs converted by Ohio State.

Why it matters: Riley has not reached the College Football Playoff in four prior USC seasons. A source told On3 his status was week to week before the game.

First win over a top-5 team for Riley since 2017.
A loss would have eliminated USC from playoff contention.

The story so far

3 steps · since Oct 24

Oct 24USC Loses to Wisconsin, Jeopardizing Playoff Hopes6 sources
Oct 27Riley Defends USC Future Amid Mounting Pressure6 sources
Oct 30USC Upsets No. 2 Ohio State 38-10You are hereLatest

How 10 sources split on this story

Source landscape

Factuality

High

Mixed

Low

Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right

Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 10 sources

10 sources · 28 articles · 50% Center coverage

Center coverage, 5 sources: The center sees Riley's long-awaited signature win and Ohio State's self-inflicted mistakes in a freshman quarterback's debut.

USA Today4hLincoln Riley claps back at critics with fiery postgame written statement Heavy5hUSC’s Lincoln Riley Goes Viral for What Happened After Upsetting Ohio State Newsweek17hKirk Herbstreit Raises Big Question About Ohio State Ahead of USC Game ESPN5hUSC upsets No. 2 Ohio State for biggest win of Riley's tenure WPLG Local 102dNo. 2 Ohio State continues season of chaos with 38-10 loss to Southern California

Left coverage, 3 sources: The left sees a revived season built on timely defensive stops and big plays, with the long-term turnaround still unproven.

Los Angeles Times6hLeft for dead, USC stuns No. 2 Ohio State to revive its season Cleveland.com6hWhat Ryan Day said about Ohio State football’s offensive tempo, Jay Timmons’ injury after USC loss The Independent6hNo. 2 Ohio State continues season of chaos with 38-10 loss to Southern California

Right coverage, 2 sources: The right framed the game beforehand as a make-or-break test for Riley's job and USC's playoff hopes.

New York Post4hUSC coach Lincoln Riley's insecurity shows through after epic upset OutKick5hOhio State's national title hopes are rightfully fading after USC delivers reality check in shocking upset

What’s next: USC plays Indiana in two weeks, a game USA Today calls key to its playoff path.

Ohio State hosts Oregon, then plays Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan.
Ryan Day faces questions about his quarterback after Luke Fahey's first start.
Does one upset change USC administrators' view of Riley's future?
Who will start at quarterback for Ohio State against Oregon?