The Ohio State Buckeyes should enter Saturday’s game well rested after a week off from action. The Buckeyes and USC Trojans face off in a Big Ten battle Saturday at 7:30 pm ET at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Ohio State has won five straight games.
In Week 7, the Buckeyes didn’t have much of a breather in their contest against the Indiana Hoosiers, but they still came away with a 19-15 win. Those 19 points were actually the fewest Ohio State has put up all season, but given the result, they probably shouldn’t be too concerned.
Ohio State will be without star quarterback Julian Sayin, who injured his throwing arm against Indiana. True freshman Luke Fahey is expected to make his first career start in his place.
Meanwhile, the point spread may have favored the Trojans in Week 8, but the final result did not. USC’s 24-7 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers wasn’t a total blowout, but it was close.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava was a factor, finishing with 258 passing yards while completing 31 of 50 passes and throwing two interceptions. He hasn’t been doing much paydirt lately: He’s averaging 1.8 passing touchdowns per game over his last five games compared to 3.3 over his first three games this season.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Trojans were ineffective on offense and finished the game with just 241 total yards. They haven’t gained a yard since October 20, 2018, when they managed 205 vs. Utah.
The victory improved Ohio State’s record to 6-1, while USC’s loss dropped the Trojans to 6-2.
Going forward, the Buckeyes are the favorite in this one, as oddsmakers expect them to win by 6.5 points. Those brave souls putting their money on the Trojans against the spread are betting against recent trends, as USC’s 2-6 ATS record can’t hold a candle to Ohio State’s 5-2.
How to WatchOhio State Buckeyes at USC Trojans
- Date: October 31, 2026
- Time: 7:30 pm ET
- Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles)
- TV: NBC
- Streaming: Stream on Fubo
- Buy tickets: Buy Buckeyes and Trojans tickets at Gametime
bettingOhio State Buckeyes vs. USC Trojans Odds
Moneyline | Proliferation | Over / Under |
|---|---|---|
OSU -242 / USC +194 | OSU -6.5 | 51.5 |
Betting lines as of 10/31/2026 at 12:36 am ET. Odds may change.
bettingOhio State Buckeyes vs. USC Trojans ATS and Over/Under Records
Ohio State Buckeyes
5-2
ATS this season
covered 4 straight road games
4-1 ATS in last 5 games as road favorite
4-3
O/U this season
under hit in 8 straight road games (40.0 avg. points)
USC Trojans
2-6
ATS this season
1-7 ATS in last 8 games in conference play
1-6 ATS in last 7 home games
4-4
O/U this season
under hit in 3 straight games in conference play (43.7 avg. points)
under hit in 3 of last 4 games in conference play at home (50.0 avg. points)
Players to WatchOhio State Buckeyes at USC Trojans
Ohio State Buckeyes
- Julian Sayin QB
Last Game: 235 pass yds, 15-for-29 passing, 2 INT
51.7% completion rate – lowest since December 21, 2024 - Jeremiah Smith WR
Last Game: 68 rec yds, 4 rec
68 receiving yards – fewest this season
USC Trojans
- Jayden Maiava QB
third most passing yards in FBS for the season - King Miller RB
Last Game: 8 rush yds, 11 carries
Leads the team in rushing yards this season
PredictionOhio State Buckeyes vs. USC Trojans on Oct. 31, 2026
Buckeyes 31 – Trojans 21
ATS Lean: Buckeyes
We’ll take the Buckeyes — there’s no reason for their streak to stop on the road now.
This article was created by infoSentience, the sports-data storytelling platform trusted by MaxPreps, Athlon Sports, Lindy’s Sports and others, using data from Sportradar, an official data partner of MLB, NBA, NHL, and others. Before publication, a veteran Athlon Sports journalist with at least a decade of experience reviewed every detail here: Every stat, every name, every result.
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