Ohio State Relies on Jeremiah Smith Amid Quarterback Uncertainty Against USC
The Buckeyes face a new signal caller in Saturday's matchup, while USC aims to capitalize on the unranked team's recent momentum.
By Sanjay Ivanov ·
No. 2 Ohio State travels to a sold-out Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday to face the unranked USC Trojans, with the game starting at 4:30 p.m. on NBC.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith remains the central threat for the Buckeyes, who are 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten. Smith leads the conference with 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 140.6 yards per game. He is a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy and is projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
USC head coach Lincoln Riley compared Smith to Michael Crabtree, a two-time All-American at Texas Tech who was selected 10th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. Riley stated that Smith is the closest player he has seen to Crabtree's dominance at the college level.
The Buckeyes are without star quarterback Julian Sayin, who is out indefinitely due to injury. Head coach Ryan Day has not named a starter, leaving two inexperienced options. Freshman Luke Fahey, from Mission Viejo High School, has completed 9 of 13 passes for 203 yards and two interceptions in four games. Sophomore Tavien St. Clair has thrown for 52 yards and one interception in two games.
USC defensive tackle Jide Abasiri noted that the new quarterback situation makes the offense difficult to read due to a lack of college film. USC will lean on its rushing defense, which has performed better than its passing defense. The Trojans allow 8.1 yards per reception and 216.4 passing yards per game.
Ohio State's run game is led by Bo Jackson, who has 542 yards on 107 carries. Ja'Kobi Jackson, who has 356 yards on 59 carries, is out with a Lisfranc injury, and Isaiah West, who has 133 yards on 28 rushes, is expected to take his place.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava will face a pass defense coordinated by former NFL coach Matt Patricia, which allows 171.4 passing yards per game. The Trojans are 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. Running back King Miller leads the USC ground attack, while senior Waymond Jordan, recovering from an ankle injury, is not on the availability report.
Source: Daily Breeze
