The biggest upset of the college football season arrived on Halloween night. No. 25 USC knocked off No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, shredding the Buckeyes’ defense and throwing the playoff race wide open.
Ohio State looked broken from the start. The Buckeyes, now 6-2, committed costly penalties, gave up big plays on defense and struggled in the red zone. They played freshman quarterback Luke Fahey in place of the injured Julian Sayin, out indefinitely since the Indiana game two weeks ago. USC attacked a defense that had not allowed a pass play longer than 40 yards all season — and blew right through that stat. Ohio State falls to third in the Big Ten.
For USC, it was the signature night of the Lincoln Riley era. USA Today noted the Trojans’ coach arrived on Halloween night with his tenure on life support and left with the victory he desperately needed. At 7-2, USC is back in the College Football Playoff conversation. Ohio State, meanwhile, faces a season-defining trip to Oregon on November 7.
It was a chaotic Week 9 across the rankings: No. 1 Miami edged North Carolina 38-35, No. 3 Georgia beat No. 20 Florida 27-8, No. 4 Indiana survived Minnesota 23-16 in overtime, and No. 6 Notre Dame topped Navy 35-13.
But the night belonged to USC. On Halloween, the Trojans turned a haunted night for the favorite into a season-defining win of their own.
Read also: Cowboys beat Eagles 38-21 on Monday Night Football and Lions beat Packers 20-17 on last-play field goal
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.