USC footballs shaky season comes down to pulling massive upset or bust

It’s Lincoln Riley’s Last Stand, and USC football fans don’t need to chug the contents of multiple beer swords to make a case for the Trojans holding firm.Among the many theories as to why they could upset second-ranked Ohio State:The Buckeyes will start either a true freshman or a redshirt freshman at quarterback after Julian Sayin suffered a severe shoulder injury.The game is at the Coliseum, where Riley has gone 26-6.Ohio State is favored by just 6.5 points, meaning even Las Vegas thinks the Trojans have a decent chance.Then again, maybe a few cold ones might be in order given the counterpoints.It doesn’t really matter who plays quarterback for Ohio State given the presence of wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who turns 50-50 balls into something closer to 90-10 in his favor.Buckeyes coach Ryan Day is a road winner, having notched 30 victories on the road since the start of the 2019 season to tie for the most in the country.Ohio State’s defense is giving up 13.4 points per game, putting an extra onus on the Trojans’ defense to be equally stout.Which way will the most pivotal game of Riley’s career go? Here are five things to watch when the Trojans (6-2 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) face the Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0) in a game that kicks off at 4:30 p.m.PT on NBC:A win over the Buckeyes would rally the Riley supporters, who could claim that he’s still the right man for the job and that the Trojans are back in the running for the College Football Playoff.A loss would likely erode all remaining support.With three losses, USC would be eliminated from CFP contention with three games left — including two against top-10 teams.That might be the tipping point for those on the fence about paying Riley’s massive buyout in what’s supposed to be a make-or-break season.Day was cagey this week when asked about his quarterback situation, refusing to name a starter.One option is Luke Fahey, a true freshman who played against Indiana after Sayin went down — and threw only ...