USC Upsets No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 as Freshmen Mosley and Bowman Power Halloween Win

USC beat No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 on Saturday night, Oct. 31, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, handing the Buckeyes their second loss of the season one week after the Trojans managed just seven points in a defeat at Wisconsin. Jayden Maiava passed for 222 yards and a touchdown, and King Miller and Waymond Jordan each rushed for a score, according to the Associated Press game recap published by ESPN, which called the result the biggest win of head coach Lincoln Riley's tenure.

Thousands of students and fans stormed the rain-soaked field at the final whistle, the AP reported. NBC Sports noted that it was the first time USC had beaten a top-five opponent at the Coliseum since 2015. The victory moved the Trojans to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State fell to 6-2 and 4-1.

Freshmen deliver the big plays

Freshman receiver Trent Mosley set the tone on USC's second snap, catching a screen pass behind the line of scrimmage and running 69 yards for a touchdown. The Buckeyes had not allowed a play longer than 36 yards all season, according to NBC Sports. "That thing opened up wide," Mosley said afterward, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times. He finished with five receptions for 101 yards and also set up Jordan's 9-yard touchdown run in the first quarter with a long punt return.

"I think we learned how good we are," Mosley said, according to the AP. "When we trust each other and play together as a team, that's what we can do."

USC led 20-9 at halftime. Early in the third quarter, linebacker Desman Stephens II punched the ball loose from an Ohio State ball carrier and defensive tackle Floyd Boucard recovered, the Los Angeles Times reported. On the next play, Maiava found freshman tight end Mark Bowman over the middle. Bowman hurdled a defender, broke multiple tackles and was pushed out of bounds after a 70-yard gain, and Miller scored two plays later to make it 27-9. The Times reported that Bowman had been on a pitch count after missing the previous month with an injury. CBS Sports reported that Mosley and Bowman combined for eight receptions, 180 yards and a touchdown.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day was asked about the Bowman play. "That was ridiculous," Day said, according to the AP. "We're going for the punch-out there. We've just got to get him on the ground around the 40-yard line and live to see another snap."

Red zone and penalties decide it

Ohio State finished with 464 total yards, including 204 on the ground, according to the Los Angeles Times. But the Buckeyes did not score a touchdown until Jeremiah Smith caught a 1-yard pass with 2:12 remaining, the AP reported. Their 2-point conversion attempt failed, USC recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Trojans kicked their third field goal with 1:46 left. Smith's touchdown was the 40th of his career, breaking Braylon Edwards' Big Ten record, according to the AP.

The Buckeyes reached the USC 1-yard line shortly before halftime but settled for a field goal after a stuffed run and two incomplete passes. "I just think that speaks volumes," USC defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren told the Los Angeles Times. "That's a grit play, a toughness deal. A mindset thing." The Times reported that Ohio State converted seven of 16 third downs and scored 12 points on its first six drives into USC territory.

"The red zone was obviously maybe the biggest differential in the game, how well we played defensively in the red zone," Riley said, according to Scarlet and Game. Referring to defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, he added, "I thought Gary called a really good game. I thought our guys executed their best in those moments."

Ohio State was flagged 11 times for 75 yards, the AP reported. Bo Jackson rushed for 121 yards, and Smith had 10 catches for 83 yards.

Fahey's first start

Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey made his first career start in place of Julian Sayin, who injured his arm two weeks earlier against Indiana. Fahey, who is from Orange County, California, completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown, according to the AP.

"At the end of the day, as a team, we weren't able to play well enough to support a young freshman quarterback who has his first start on the road like this," Day said, according to the AP.

According to the AP, Ohio State had not lost two games this early in a season since 2011, and the Buckeyes are now 58-2 against unranked teams under Day. CBS Sports noted that Ohio State still has games remaining against Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska and Michigan.

Riley answers questions about his future

The win followed a week of public speculation about Riley's job security after the loss at Wisconsin, which NBC Sports reported ended 24-7. The Los Angeles Times reported that it was Riley's first win over a top-10 team at USC, and that he closed his postgame news conference by reading from a prepared statement. "This win is for all the staff members, the players, the leaders, admin, all the people within the walls. I said before this game, that I'm the right person for this job, and as long as all those people know that, that's all I care about," Riley said.

The AP reported that the Trojans are almost certain to return to the AP Top 25. USC has a bye next week before visiting Indiana on Nov. 14, while Ohio State hosts Oregon on Saturday, Nov. 7.