From the hot seat to Halloween hero: Lincoln Riley shocks No. 2 Ohio State in USCs biggest win in years

Entering Saturday’s BIG10 showdown on Saturday, Lincoln Riley was running out of excuses, running out of goodwill and, depending on whom you asked, running out of time as head coach of the USC Trojans. But on Halloween night, Riley finally gave the Trojans fans something they hadn’t seen in five years: a signature victory over a top-5 ranked opponent. One week after hitting rock bottom in a humiliating loss to Wisconsin, USC delivered the biggest upset of the college football season, stunning No.2 Ohio State 30-18 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday.For Riley, it was arguably the biggest victory of his collegiate coaching career and unquestionably his finest moment since arriving in Los Angeles in November of 2021.For Ohio State, it was a Halloween nightmare.The Buckeyes entered Saturday with a 6-1 record, CFP Championship aspirations and one of the most talented rosters in America.

They left Los Angeles with their national championship hopes bruised and their offense exposed.USC, meanwhile, resurrected a season that appeared dead and buried just seven days earlier.Against one of the best teams in the country, USC looked nothing like the lifeless squad that rushed for an astonishing minus-17 yards in Madison a week earlier. The Trojans needed just two plays to announce themselves on the national stage against the Buckeyes.Freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley caught a screen pass from Jayden Maiava and exploded through the Buckeyes defense for a 69-yard touchdown less than a minute into the game.The Coliseum erupted, USC rushed out to an early 7-0 lead and would never look back. Ohio State, playing without injured starting quarterback Julian Sayin, struggled to find its rhythm behind freshman Luke Fahey.

Even with Heisman Trophy candidate Jeremiah Smith at receiver, the Buckeyes couldn’t consistently finish drives.Connor Hawkins connected on four field goals, but USC’s defense refused to surrender the end zone.Waymond Jordan, who missed last...