Lincoln Riley absolutely needed to beat Ohio State to save his job at USC. The Buckeyes came into Los Angeles with a freshman backup quarterback. They weren't a dominant team this season even with starting quarterback Julian Sayin on the field. USC, embarrassed at Wisconsin, needed to not merely play the Buckeyes close; it needed to actually get the job done. Nothing less than victory was going to suffice. To Riley's credit, USC was able to rise to the occasion in a 30-18 win over Ohio State.
Finally
Finally, USC stopped playing soft under Lincoln Riley. This was a gritty, resilient effort by the Trojans. They weren't perfect. They weren't dominant. They responded well under pressure. They were lights-out on defense in the red zone. They pounded out tough
first downs on the ground. They made plays on special teams. Their blocking was better. They didn't commit many careless penalties - a few, but not in really huge moments. This was the passionate, fierce, desperate kind of football we haven't often seen under Riley. Better late than never.
3rd and 18
Running the ball for 21 yards on 3rd and 18 with King Miller really set a tone for this game. That play sent a message about which side was tougher and more prepared to play.
Ohio State was the sloppy team
Ohio State committed double-digit penalties, dropped multiple passes, committed multiple false starts inside the 10-yard line, and did the kinds of things USC did at Wisconsin. For one night, it was a case of role reversal, with USC watching its opponent implode.
Jayden Maiava wasn't even all that good
USC beat Ohio State by 12 points even with Jayden Maiava having an unremarkable game. Maiava made some bad decisions and was average at best. His receivers helped him out. His offensive line helped him out. This was a true team win, which should give USC confidence. Imagine what can happen if this effort is combined with a better performance from No. 14.
Line play improved considerably
USC's line play had to be strong to win this game ... and it was. Again, USC didn't dominate, but the Trojans just needed to avoid getting dominated. Then their quarterback advantage could show up. Ohio State's Luke Fahey wasn't terrible, but he just as clearly wasn't great. His lack of experience did matter in the red zone. USC's line play was strong enough that Ohio State wasn't able to score easily. The Trojans played the way they needed to play in the trenches.
Trent Mosley
Trent Mosley played like a star. He made the biggest plays in a game of supreme consequence. He bounced back from his dud at Wisconsin and led by example for the Trojans.
Desman Stephens and Kennedy Urlacher
We have been very critical of Desman Stephens and Kennedy Urlacher for their immature behavior during and after the Oregon game. We thought they didn't represent the school or the football program particularly well, and we don't regret what we wrote about them. However, in a spirit of generosity and decency, we should give them full credit for what they did against Ohio State. They were tough, they were smart, they were disciplined. They played well, and that should be noted instead of being sidestepped.
Lincoln Riley versus Curt Cignetti and Indiana
Now USC gets two weeks to prepare for Indiana, the defending national champion. If USC can win this game against the Hoosiers, it will enter the season finale versus Bob Chesney and UCLA with a chance to make the College Football Playoff. The win over Ohio State was great, but it will matter a lot only if USC can go into Bloomington and shock the world. It's time for USC to take the next step. Beating Ohio State was only the start of the most important journey of Lincoln Riley's USC tenure.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley improved vs Ohio State but must now beat Indiana
