USC Trojans Injury Report Reveals Major Concern As Pivotal Ohio State Game Looms

The USC Trojans look to upset the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The USC Trojans (6-2 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) will host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) in arguably their biggest game of the season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Halloween night. 

The Coliseum is set to be sold out as two of the most historic programs in college football face off. For the Trojans, a win over the Buckeyes will help keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive and take the pressure off Lincoln Riley, as his coaching seat with USC has warmed up after their recent 24-7 loss to the No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. 

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks off the field after the game against the Oregon Ducks at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With so much on the line for Riley and the Trojans, there is one injury concern that is becoming hard to ignore ahead of USC’s pivotal Halloween clash against the Buckeyes. Here’s a look at the Trojans' latest Big Ten availability report as Saturday night’s contest with the Buckeyes looms. 

USC Trojans Injury Report vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Out 

• WR Terrell Anderson
• WR Corey Simms
• S Kendarius Reddick
• LB Taylor “Taybo” Johnson
• LB Roman Marchetti
• OL Kilian O’Connor
• OL Hayden Treter

Questionable

• DT Jahkeem Stewart 
• TE Mark Bowman
• RB Shahn Alston
• DT Jamaal Jarrett

Defensive Injuries Major Concern For Trojans

Sep 4, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive coordinator Gary Patterson during the game against the Fresno State Bulldogs at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To upset the Buckeyes on Saturday night at the Coliseum, the Trojans will need a full effort from their defense. While the Trojans' defense, which has struggled during Riley's tenure, has made great strides in its first year under Gary Patterson, the unit still has shown its flaws.

Having key defensive players like Jahkeem Stewart and Jamaal Jarrett listed as questionable for Saturday night's pivotal matchup against the Buckeyes is a concern for the Trojans as they try to win their biggest game of the season.

USC Trojans CFP Chances Entering Ohio State

Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) holds the ball along the sidelines during a timeout in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the Trojans, the recent road loss to the Badgers was an opportunity to boost their CFP chances. Instead, USC returned to an unfortunate reality under Riley: a defeat away from the Coliseum against a Big Ten opponent as the favorite. 

Entering Saturday night’s matchup, the Trojans, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), have a 3.7 percent chance to make the CFP as USC finds itself ranked outside of the AP Top 25 for the first time this season. 

Oct 17, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) walks off the field with his arm in a sling after the game against the Indiana Hoosiers Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A loss Saturday night to a Buckeyes team without their star quarterback, Julian Sayin, would all but eliminate the Trojans from the CFP in Riley’s fifth season in Los Angeles. In addition to Saturday night’s matchup with the Buckeyes, the Trojans have two other road games remaining on their schedule against teams currently ranked in the top-10: the No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers (Nov. 14) and the No. 7 UCLA Bruins.

The Trojans' Senior Day matchup against the Maryland Terrapins, who recently fired coach Mike Locksley, serves as a soft spot in a difficult ending to USC’s regular season schedule. Saturday night’s matchup at the Coliseum between the Trojans and Buckeyes will be the first time the two teams face off as Big Ten opponents.

USC Trojans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Kickoff Time, Betting Odds

Oct 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) looks to pass the ball against the Washington Huskies during the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Saturday night’s clash will be the 25th all-time meeting between the Trojans and Buckeyes, as USC leads the series 13-10-1. The last meeting came in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, where former quarterback Sam Darnold and the Trojans fell 24-7 to the Buckeyes. 

Going up against yet another top-ranked Buckeyes team, the Trojans, despite their recent dominance at the Coliseum, are 6.5-point underdogs, per DraftKings Sportsbook. USC has been an underdog two other times this season against the Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions and is 1-1 in those matchups. 

The Trojans look to give Riley the biggest win of his USC tenure with a victory over Ohio State on Saturday night at the Coliseum. The Trojans and Buckeyes will kick off at 4:30 p.m. PT on NBC.

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