---
title: "Ohio State Faces USC in Rare Conference Matchup"
url: https://newscentral.site/ohio-state-faces-usc-in-rare-conference-matchup/
language: en
publisher: "News Central Site"
section: "Sports"
published: 2026-10-30T18:52:40.000Z
updated: 2026-10-31T01:32:04.029Z
id: 67be5c72-18d6-4da6-b932-87dc302cb90e
source: "CBS Sports \n                                                https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ohio-state-usc-prediction-picks-odds-spread-where-to-watch-live/"
attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/ohio-state-faces-usc-in-rare-conference-matchup/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# Ohio State Faces USC in Rare Conference Matchup

This Saturday, Ohio State will face USC in a rare conference matchup after previously meeting mostly in bowl games.

Ohio State and USC are familiar foes, having met 24 times in their history, with many of those encounters taking place in bowl games.

In fact, their most frequent meeting ground has been Pasadena's Rose Bowl, where they have clashed seven times, just one more than the eight meetings at Los Angeles' Coliseum.

A significant aspect of this matchup is that it marks a rare occasion when the two teams face each other as conference mates. Their previous encounters were largely limited to bowl games and were separated by an eight-year gap between their last meeting in 2017's Cotton Bowl and their prior encounter during the 2009 season.

This Saturday, the Buckeyes will put their skills to the test against a Trojans team that has undergone a significant shift after entering this game unranked for the first time all season following a disappointing 17-7 loss at Wisconsin last week.

Ohio State's upcoming challenge is further complicated by the absence of starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who was knocked out in their 19-15 win over Indiana. The team now turns to Luke Fahey for his first career start.

Fahey will be taking on this significant responsibility on the road, a scenario that might raise eyebrows given its risks. However, Ohio State has shown success with quarterbacks making their debut under such circumstances before.

Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith is set for his first start with quarterback Devin Fahey, and it's fair to assume he will be Fahey's go-to target given their impressive stats so far this season.

However, maintaining a high level of production in the face of increased defensive attention could impact Smith's chances at winning the Heisman Trophy, which many consider him a strong contender for.

USC has had significant success at home against Big Ten opponents, boasting an impressive 9-2 record, but their performance against ranked teams is a different story. They have struggled mightily in these situations, with a dismal overall record of 5-14 under Lincoln Riley and just one win against a ranked opponent as a starter for Jayden Maiava.

Lincoln Riley's team has shown some vulnerability when facing top-ranked opponents at home, where they are only 1-2 in Big Ten games. Moreover, USC's quarterback Jayden Maiava has been outperformed by his peers in head-to-head matchups with a record of just 1-5 against ranked teams.

The game is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 31st at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which will be hosting the matchup between Ohio State and USC. The event can be watched live on NBC or streamed through Fubo for those who prefer an online viewing experience.

Given the challenges that lie ahead for both teams, including a struggling offense against ranked opponents, some analysts are advising against betting on the spread and instead opting to bet on a lower total score, with many predicting that the under 51.5 will come out on top in this matchup.

SportsLine's advanced computer model has simulated every Week 9 college football game thousands of times to generate predictions. The simulations have shown that a specific approach can be effective in navigating the challenges facing both Ohio State and USC.

The model suggests opting for a lower total score when placing bets, as this may offer a more reliable outcome given the teams' current struggles on offense against tough opponents.

---
Source: [CBS Sports](
                                                https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ohio-state-usc-prediction-picks-odds-spread-where-to-watch-live/
                    )  
Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/ohio-state-faces-usc-in-rare-conference-matchup/