Betting Line: Ohio State -6.5 | O/U 54.5
Ohio State had an extra week to get healthy coming off a physical battle against Indiana that saw numerous key players go down with injuries. However, one player the Buckeyes will definitely be without is Julian Sayin, who is out for at least the remainder of the regular season.
Sayin threw for over 2,000 yards in seven games and leads the Big Ten with 19 passing touchdowns, but was in the midst of the worst game of his career prior to his injury against the Hoosiers. Even the worst version of the former
five-star prospect was just enough for Ohio State to defeat a top-five team on the road, but Ryan Day now has to navigate the rest of the 2026 campaign without his starting quarterback.
Expected replacement Luke Fahey will have little time for an adjustment period, as his first game as the Buckeyes’ likely starter will come on the road on Halloween night against No. 16 USC.
Luckily for Ohio State, they do still have Jeremiah Smith, which will certainly help Fahey in the passing game. The Buckeyes also have a defense that ranks in the top-10 nationally in total defense, scoring defense and opponent success rate, which can help prove a little bit of relief should the offense get off to a slow start with Fahey at the helm.
What isn’t clear for the Buckeyes is exactly who will be suiting up in this game at a few critical positions.
Offensively, Ohio State has been without starting offensive lineman Austin Siereveld for the last two games with an undisclosed illness, and running back Ja’Kobi Jackson is out until at least the Michigan game with a foot injury. Bo Jackson, the co-starter at running back, was also notably missing at the end of the Indiana game, and receiver Brock Boyd did not play against the Hoosiers after being a game time decision on the injury report.
Defensively, corner Jay Timmons was out for the majority of the fourth quarter against Indiana, and was by far Ohio State’s best defensive player prior to leaving the field. Defensive end Kenyatta Jackson also went down with an apparent knee injury in Bloomington, and while he did return to the game late, he was in noticeable pain at the end of the game.
We don’t really know the status of any of those guys (outside of Ja’Kobi) heading into Week 9 against the Trojans, and their availability will obviously be a major storyline to monitor prior to kickoff.
On the USC side of things, Lincoln Riley’s group is off to a 6-1 start this season, losing to Oregon three weeks ago before back-to-back one-score wins over Washington and Penn State. The Trojans will face a tough road test against Wisconsin this weekend before returning home to host Ohio State.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava is having an excellent season, leading the Big Ten with 2,045 passing yards to go along with 18 touchdowns to only three interception. His favorite target may be a familiar one to Buckeye fans, as freshman Kayden Dixon-Wyatt leads the team with 27 catches for 400 yards and four TDs. Dixon-Wyatt had been previously committed to Ohio State in the 2026 class before flipping to USC after Brian Hartline’s departure.
The offense has been good, but as is usually the case with Riley’s teams, the defense has been suspect. USC ranks 78th in FBS allowing 25.1 points per game, and their 239 passing yards allowed per game ranks 109th nationally. The run defense is better, ranking 33rd in the country allowing 111 rushing yards per game, but their 0.14 defensive EPA/rush is 118th in FBS.
USC does have some playmakers on defense, though. Another former Ohio State commit in Luke Wafle leads the team with six tackles for loss and two sacks, while Kennedy Urlacher, son of Brian Urlacher, has a team-high three sacks and a forced fumble. Defensive back Prophet Brown leads the Trojans with a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six.
If Ohio State can get some decent quarterback play, the Buckeyes should be able to put up some points on the West Coast. Matt Patricia’s group will have its hands full with KDW and this USC passing offense, especially depending on the status of guys like Timmons and Kenyatta Jackson.
All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
