10/26/2026 12:03:00 PM | Football
Ohio State is looking to become just the only team in college football to have three road ranked wins this season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 2 Ohio State is set to travel to USC on Saturday. Â
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.Â
SETTING THE SCENEÂ
T1. Ohio State            30 winsÂ
T1. Boise State            30 winsÂ
3. Louisiana                29 winsÂ
T4. SMUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 28 winsÂ
T4. Alabama               28 winsÂ
T6. Oregon                 27 winsÂ
T6. Georgia                27 winsÂ
8. BYU Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26 winsÂ
JEREMIAH CHASING HISTORYÂ
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.Â
SETTING THE SCENEÂ
- Ohio State is looking for its third ranked road win of the season.Â
- Only Georgia has multiple ranked road wins so far this season.Â
- This marks the first time that Ohio State has played USC in the Day era.Â
- This marked the first game between the two schools as Big Ten members and the first time the two programs have played in Los Angeles since Sept. 13, 2008.Â
- With the win on Saturday, Ohio State would improve to 4-1 in games played in the Pacific Time Zone in the Ryan Day era including a three-game winning streak.Â
- Under Day's direction since the start of the 2019 season, Ohio State has a 30-4 (.882) away record, ranking first in FBS in road wins and second in road win pct:Â
T1. Ohio State            30 winsÂ
T1. Boise State            30 winsÂ
3. Louisiana                29 winsÂ
T4. SMUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 28 winsÂ
T4. Alabama               28 winsÂ
T6. Oregon                 27 winsÂ
T6. Georgia                27 winsÂ
8. BYU Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26 winsÂ
JEREMIAH CHASING HISTORYÂ
- In the last two weeks, publications have released their midseason All-America honors with Smith being the only consensus midseason All-American including the Associated Press, Sporting News, The Athletic, On3 and Sports Illustrated.Â
- Since entering college football in 2024, Jeremiah Smith leads all players in receptions (215), receiving yds (3,542) and receiving TDs (39).Â
- In the first seven games, Smith had 52 catches for 984 yds and 12 TDs, making him the only receiver in the country to be in the top two in receiving yards and touchdowns. He has played 24 quarters this season, averaging 2.2 catches, 41.0 yds and 0.50 TDs per quarter. That pace puts him at 97 catches, 1,804 yds and 22 TDs at the end of the regular season.Â
- Smith goes into Saturday needing 246 yards and one touchdown to break the Big Ten records.Â
- If he goes over 100 yards on Saturday, he will pass Marvin Harrison Jr. for the most career 100-yard games in program history, marking the 16th time he has done so in his career.Â
- Smith — who had eight catches for 150 yards and three TDs in the first half vs. Illinois — also became the third receiver since 2015 from a Power Four conference to have at least three games with at least 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns in one half. DeVonta Smith had four at Alabama and Ja'Marr Chase did it three times at LSU.Â
- Indiana will be head coach Ryan Day's 65th Big Ten game in his tenure as head coach (win vs. Rutgers as acting head coach in 2018 included). Â
- Day's Buckeyes are 59-5 in the previous 64 Big Ten game including a 29-3 record on the road in Big Ten games. Additionally, Ohio State is 17-4 against opponents who were unranked in Big Ten play during his tenure.Â
- Day's teams are 25-1 in the month of October and 9-1 against ranked opponents during the month. Additionally, Ohio State is 11-1 on the road in October contests.Â
- Under Day's direction since the start of the 2019 season, Ohio State has 30 wins on the road which is tied for the most in the country.Â
- In Day's 64-game Big Ten tenure, Ohio State has averaged 39.7 points per game while allowing just 15.1 points per game to their opponents.Â
- USC comes into the game with a 6-2 record and a 3-2 record in Big Ten play. The Trojans are coming off a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin.Â
- The Trojans are still ranked No. 25 in the latest coaches poll after falling out of the AP Top 25.Â
- USC head coach Lincoln Riley is 16-7 after a loss (a loss at the end of the season is not counted as there are no more games).Â
- USC has a 322-132-19 (.701) all-time record while playing in the month of October (not including 5 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; revised record: 327-132-19, .704).Â
- USC has 2 players from the state of Ohio (CB Elbert "Rock" Hill IV and RB Shahn Alston), while Ohio State has 7 players from the state of California.Â
- Quarterback Jayden Maiava is No. 3 in the nation and leads the Big Ten in passing yards (2,303).Â
- He also leads the Big Ten in passing TDs (19), passing yards per game (287.9), completions per game (22.88) and points responsible for (128).Â
- Maiava has accounted for 21 TDs through seven games, throwing 19 and rushing for two.Â
- Wide receiver Trent Mosley has recorded 100+ receiving yards in three of his five appearances and has scored at least 1 TD in four out of five games.Â
- Through just four games, he has produced 27 catches for 411 yards (152 avg.), a team-leading 5 touchdowns and has 168 yards on 7 punt returns (24.0 avg.), including an 86-yard return for a touchdown against Louisiana.Â
- Defensive end Luke Wafle is tied for the most quarterback pressures among FBS freshmen with 18 and leads the Trojans in that category as well.Â
- Wafle has recorded a sack in each of the past three games. He has an 11.4 percent pressure rate and 33 total tackles, including 7.5 TFLs.Â
- Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri is a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.Â
- So far in 2026, he has tallied 21 tackles, including 3.5 for loss of 14 yards (with 1 sack for minus 10 yards) and two quarterback hurries.Â
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