USC Trojans face Heisman contender Jeremiah Smith in Saturday's Big Ten matchup

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will be sold out as the unranked USC Trojans host No. 2 Ohio State at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The game offers USC a chance to rebound from a loss to Wisconsin the previous week. The Trojans are currently 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play.

Ohio State enters the contest with a 6-1 overall record and a 4-0 conference mark. The Buckeyes are coming off a bye week, but their quarterback Julian Sayin is out for the season due to an injury. Head coach Ryan Day has not yet named a starter from his two inexperienced options.

Freshman Luke Fahey 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 on five of seven attempts in two games. Lincoln Riley, the USC head coach, noted that the new signal caller will make the matchup feel like an early-season game.

The primary focus for the Trojans defense will be wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith is the leading contender for the Heisman Trophy and is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. He leads the Big Ten with 984 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

Smith averages 140.6 receiving yards per game and 7.4 yards per catch. Riley compared Smith to Michael Crabtree, a two-time All-American at Texas Tech and the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Riley stated that Smith is the closest thing to Crabtree's dominance he has seen at the college level in recent years.

Ohio State may rely more heavily on its running game to support its new quarterbacks. Bo Jackson leads the team with 542 rushing yards on 107 carries. Ja'Kobi Jackson, who has 356 yards on 59 carries, is out after surgery for a Lisfranc injury. Isaiah West, who has 133 yards on 28 rushes, is expected to fill in.

USC defensive tackle Jide Abasiri said the defense will have to estimate plays because there is limited film on the new quarterbacks. The Trojans allow 8.1 yards per reception and 216.4 passing yards per game. Five unranked teams beat Top-25 opponents at home last week, suggesting an upset is possible.

USC safety Prophet Brown emphasized that the team must focus on its own execution rather than the opponent's ranking. Brown said there are no underdogs or overdogs and that the Trojans need to play better than they did in the previous game.

On offense, USC is second in the Big Ten in passing. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has had protection issues in only one game this season, the loss to Wisconsin. The Buckeyes pass defense, directed by former NFL coach Matt Patricia, allows 171.4 passing yards per game.

Running back King Miller leads the Trojans in rushing, but the team has struggled to break explosive plays. Second-leading back Waymond Jordan may be unavailable as he recovers from an ankle injury. Riley said the senior is still getting up to speed. The game will air on NBC and 710 AM.