USC vs Ohio State live updates: highlights, predictions, analysis

Is this the end of the line? Is this the final chance for Lincoln Riley to save his USC football coaching tenure? No one knows for sure, but if the Trojans do get blown out by the Ohio State Buckeyes, it will be really hard to see how Riley comes back for a 2027 season. His buyout is large, but surely USC would want Riley to take the Baylor Bears' head coaching job. Surely USC would want to seek a path out of that huge buyout in some way.

We all knew Alex Grinch was done as USC defensive coordinator when the Trojans gave up 52 points to Washington at roughly this same point in the 2023 season. There was just no way Grinch could continue. The very last shred of doubt about his future at USC was eliminated then and there, in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Will this USC-Ohio State game give us that same sense of finality and clarity, or will USC surprise everyone and upset the Buckeyes to stay in the College Football Playoff race?