LOS ANGELES — Much of the attention leading into Ohio State's matchup with USC centered on freshman quarterback Luke Fahey and how the Buckeyes would adjust without the injured Julian Sayin. But with an inexperienced quarterback making his first career start, Ohio State needed its defense to shoulder more of the responsibility. Instead, the unit that had carried the Buckeyes through much of the season struggled in Saturday's 30-18 loss to the Trojans.
Ohio State entered the game having allowed just 15 points to Indiana in its previous outing, continuing a season in which the defense had regularly kept opponents under control. Against USC, however, the Buckeyes surrendered 30 points despite holding the Trojans to just 338 yards of total offense.
The problems began almost immediately. On USC's second offensive play, Jayden Maiava connected with Trent Mosley for a 69-yard touchdown, giving the Trojans a 7-0 lead just 39 seconds into the game. It was exactly the kind of explosive play Ohio State needed to avoid while breaking in a new quarterback.
The Trojans struck again later in the opening quarter when Waymond Jordan scored on a 9-yard run, extending their lead to 14-3. USC began that possession at the Ohio State 31-yard line and needed just four plays to reach the end zone. The Buckeyes' defense had already allowed two touchdowns before the offense could find much rhythm.
Although USC finished with only 15 first downs and converted four of 10 third-down opportunities, the Trojans made their possessions count. Maiava completed 15 of 23 passes for 222 yards, while USC averaged 6.8 yards per offensive play. Ohio State frequently limited the Trojans' ability to sustain drives but struggled to prevent the explosives that put points on the scoreboard.
Another breakdown came in the third quarter when Maiava connected with Mark Bowman for a 70-yard gain to the Ohio State 3-yard line. Bowman went into full beast-mode, breaking several tackles as he rumbled down field. King Miller scored on a 1-yard run two plays later, completing a three-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that extended USC's lead to 27-9. It was another example of the Trojans needing only one big play to put themselves in scoring position.
The Buckeyes weren't without defensive success. They held USC to 116 rushing yards, forced a fumble, and limited the Trojans to three points in the fourth quarter. Ohio State also held a substantial advantage in time of possession, keeping USC's offense on the sideline for nearly 40 minutes.
But the defense couldn't make up for the damage done by the explosive plays and early scoring. USC managed 30 points on just 50 offensive snaps, while Ohio State ran 81 plays and gained 464 yards. The Trojans didn't need to control the ball to control the game.
That is rather concerning because Ohio State's defense was supposed to provide some stability during the transition at quarterback. Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception, but the Buckeyes spent almost the entire afternoon playing from behind.
With Oregon coming to Columbus next Saturday, Ohio State needs its defense to get things fixed. The Buckeyes still have plenty of talent on that side of the ball, and one poor performance doesn't erase the work they've done. But if Ohio State hopes to make a postseason run with a freshman quarterback, the defense cannot afford another afternoon like Saturday's.
