Jayden Maiava passed for 222 yards and a touchdown, and Trent Mosley had 145 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown as Southern California defeated No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Ohio State freshman quarterback Luke Fahey made his first start in place of Julian Sayin, who was injured in the previous game against Indiana. The Buckeyes (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) were hoping to ease Fahey into the game, but the Trojans (7-2, 4-2) had other ideas.
Mosley took a short pass and raced untouched for a 69-yard touchdown 39 seconds into the game as Southern California led wire-to-wire, taking a 20-9 halftime lead. The Buckeyes had to settle for field goals of 39, 34 and 23 yards by Connor Hawkins, the latter coming after Ohio State had a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
Mosley helped set up the Trojans’ second touchdown with a 44-yard punt return to the Ohio State 46-yard line before a personal foul on the Buckeyes moved the ball to the 31. His 14-yard catch led to a 9-yard scoring run by Waymond Jordan two plays later to make it 14-3 late in the first quarter.
The Trojans made it 17-6 when Ryon Sayeri tied his career best with a 54-yard field goal.
Maiava completed 15 of 22 passes. Mosley made five catches for 101 yards in addition to his punt return.
Fahey was 21 of 38 for 260 yards and a touchdown, with Jeremiah Smith making 10 catches for 83 yards and a score.
Southern California put the game out of reach midway through the third quarter when a fumble by Isaiah West was recovered by Floyd Boucard at the Ohio State 32-yard line.
A 70-yard catch-and-run by Mark Bowman led to a 1-yard touchdown run by King Miller to make it 27-9. Miller finished with 78 yards on 13 carries.
The Buckeyes pulled within 27-18 with 2:12 left on Smith’s 1-yard touchdown reception, which gave him the Big Ten record for most career receiving touchdowns (40), breaking a tie with Michigan’s Braylon Edwards.
After the two-point conversion attempt failed, the Trojans’ Tanook Hines recovered the onside kick and returned it 24 yards to the Ohio State 21. Caden Chittenden made a 32-yard field goal with 1:46 remaining.
–Field Level Media
