Ohio State is staring down a 20-9 deficit at halftime against USC in Los Angeles, and man, the Trojans have absolutely dominated that first half. Both offenses are moving the ball, no doubt, but USC is converting their chances while Ohio State is just spinning its wheels trying to punch it into the end zone. This is a tough look for the Buckeyes heading into the locker room.
Trent Mosley Is a Problem, and Nobody Has an Answer
Let’s just say it: freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley is absolutely torching the Buckeyes defense. This kid is putting on a clinic for USC. You blink, and he’s gone. On just the second play of the game, Jayden Maiava tossed him a screen pass, and Mosley took off, going for a ridiculous 69 yards and a touchdown. That’s how you kick off a prime-time matchup!
But he wasn’t done. Mosley snagged four more receptions in that first half, bringing his total receiving yards to a whopping 101. And just for good measure, he showed up huge on special teams too, returning a punt 44 yards to set up USC’s second touchdown. If Ohio State wants any shot at slowing down this Trojan offense in the second half, they HAVE to find a way to shut down Mosley. Good luck.
Red Zone Woes Are Killing Ohio State’s Chances
Here’s the brutal truth: Ohio State is moving the ball, but they can’t finish. They put up 192 total offensive yards in the first half, which is solid, but they visited the red zone twice and came away with only field goals both times. How frustrating is that?
Their first offensive drive stalled out at the USC 21-yard line, ending in three points. Honestly, that felt like a win after Luke Fahey’s pass nearly got picked on third down. Then, after falling behind 14-3, it looked like Ohio State was going to respond, but a brutal illegal substitution penalty killed their momentum, forcing a third and long and another field goal. The most heartbreaking moment? Near the end of the half, Ohio State thought they had their first touchdown on a Luke Fahey tush push, but after review, the ball was ruled just short of the goal line. The Trojans defense held strong, and Connor Hawkins was called on for his third field goal of the game. If they want to win this, Ohio State *has* to convert those opportunities in the second half.
Jeremiah Smith Is Still Untouchable, Even With a New QB
There were definitely some questions swirling around the Ohio State offense coming into this game, especially with quarterback Julian Sayin injured and true freshman Luke Fahey taking the reins. We all wondered how this change would impact Heisman favorite Jeremiah Smith. Well, so far, it looks like Smith is still going to dominate, no matter who’s under center. The Buckeyes made it clear on their very first offensive drive: they’re still going to lean on their leading receiver. Fahey found Smith on Ohio State’s first play, a clear sign that the connection is still there.
Ohio State absolutely needs to figure out their red zone issues and contain Trent Mosley if they want to turn this game around. The second half is going to be a battle, and the Buckeyes have to show up in a big way to avoid a crushing loss.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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