Most of the attention this week was on Luke Fahey’s first career start, and I understand why, but Ohio State didn’t lose this game because of the freshman quarterback.
The Buckeyes lost because their defense, the unit that had carried them through Iowa, Maryland and Indiana, got beaten up front all night.
For me, USC’s offensive line against Ohio State’s defensive front was the matchup that decided this game, and it wasn’t particularly close.
USC came into Saturday off the worst offensive performance of Lincoln Riley’s career, a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin where the Trojans ran for -17 yards and Jayden Maiava was sacked five times.