Game notes: Ohio State at USC
Saturday, October 31, kickoff time not yet set, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.The game page.
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The matchup
- Ohio State (6–1, 4–0 in conference) at USC (6–1, 3–1 in conference), Saturday, October 31, kickoff time not yet set, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their 25th meeting; USC leads the series 13–10–1.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Friday, December 29, 2017: Ohio State 24, USC 7.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1937: USC 13, Ohio State 12.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- USC is 5–2–1 at home against Ohio State.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2017: Ohio State 24–7 (neutral site); 2009: USC 18–15 (at Ohio State); 2008: USC 35–3 (at USC); 1990: USC 35–26 (at Ohio State); 1989: USC 42–3 (at USC).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Ohio State
- Ohio State is 6–1 (4–0 in conference games), 2–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 56–3 vs. Ball State; L 23–24 at No. 4 Texas; W 59–3 vs. Kent State; W 42–19 vs. Illinois; W 31–14 at No. 14 Iowa; W 45–16 vs. Maryland; W 19–15 at No. 5 Indiana.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Ohio State has won five straight, since losing 24–23 to Texas (Sept. 12, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Ohio State is No. 1 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Ohio State is one of three FBS teams that have scored first in every game this season, with Georgia and Virginia Tech.resultsFBS teams that scored the first points of each game this season (four games or more), from the scoring plays.
- Ohio State is one of five FBS teams that have led at halftime of every game this season, with Nebraska, SMU, Utah and Virginia Tech.resultsFBS teams ahead at halftime of each game this season, read from the score after every scoring play (four games or more).
- Ryan Day is 88–13 in his ninth season at Ohio State.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Ryan Day faces USC as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Jeremiah Smith (WR): 52 catches, 984 yards, 12 TD, No. 2 in FBS in receiving touchdowns.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Julian Sayin (QB): 2,007 passing yards, 19 TD, No. 3 in FBS in passing touchdowns.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Earl Little II (S): 38 tackles, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jeremiah Smith holds Ohio State’s career record in receptions with 215 and counting, past Emeka Egbuka’s 205 (2021–24).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jeremiah Smith holds Ohio State’s career record in receiving yards with 3,542 and counting, past Michael Jenkins’s 2,898 (2001–03).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jeremiah Smith holds Ohio State’s career record in touchdown catches with 39 and counting, past Chris Olave’s 35 (2018–21).Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Julian Sayin needs 20 yards to pass Troy Smith (5,720, 2003–06) for ninth on Ohio State’s career passing yards list. He has 5,701 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Julian Sayin is tied with Braxton Miller (52, 2011–15) for ninth on Ohio State’s career touchdown passes list, at 52 so far; one more touchdown pass breaks the tie.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2020, Ohio State beat No. 18 Penn State 38–25.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
USC
- USC is 6–1 (3–1 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 42–26 vs. San José State; W 39–0 vs. Fresno State; W 49–30 vs. Louisiana; W 42–35 at Rutgers; L 27–41 vs. No. 20 Oregon; W 25–21 vs. Washington; W 31–23 at Penn State.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- USC is No. 15 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Lincoln Riley is 41–19 in his fifth season at USC and 96–29 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Lincoln Riley is 1–0 against Ohio State.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Jayden Maiava (QB): 2,045 passing yards, 18 TD, No. 2 in FBS in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- King Miller (RB): 595 rushing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Christian Pierce (S): 40 tackles, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jayden Maiava needs 273 yards to pass Sam Darnold (7,229, 2016–17) for ninth on USC’s career passing yards list. He has 6,957 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jayden Maiava needs 273 yards to pass Kedon Slovis (7,426, 2019–21) for ninth on USC’s career total offense list. He has 7,154 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Jayden Maiava needs 2 touchdown passes to pass Rodney Peete (54, 1985–88) for 10th on USC’s career touchdown passes list. He has 53 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2009, USC lost to No. 10 Oregon 47–20.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- It is the first meeting of Ryan Day and Lincoln Riley as head coaches.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
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