Halloween at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum had all the ingredients of a game that would linger long after the final whistle. Ohio State and USC delivered a pregame player confrontation, a stunning upset that sent Trojans fans spilling onto the field, and a tense postgame exchange between Lincoln Riley and members of the Buckeyes’ staff.
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The evening had plenty of drama. So, here’s what you need to know about everything that unfolded.
Ohio State and USC players clash
The first flashpoint came before either team had a chance to settle into the game. Several Ohio State LBs found themselves exchanging words with USC defenders near the sideline. A video shared by USC reporter Kendell Hollowell on X showed both groups getting into each other’s faces, with neither side backing down.
Cincere Johnson, Riley Pettijohn, TJ Alford, and Garrett Stover were among the Buckeyes involved. USC LB Desman Stephens II and DT Tomuhini “Tom Tom” Topui Jr. were also part of the exchange.
Things became heated enough for Ohio State RBs coach Carlos Locklyn to step in. He gathered his players and began pushing them toward the tunnel while officials worked to separate the two groups. Alford, in particular, appeared reluctant to leave the argument behind, continuing to shout toward the Trojans as his coach tried to move him along.
The confrontation eventually fizzled out without turning into a physical fight. But the mood around the stadium had already changed. There was a football reason for all that tension. What was it?
Ohio State arrived in Los Angeles ranked No. 2, carrying a 6-1 record and plenty of expectations. USC, meanwhile, was trying to put a disappointing loss behind it and rescue a season that had started slipping away.
The Buckeyes also had an uncomfortable problem at QB. Julian Sayin remained unavailable after injuring his throwing arm against Indiana on October 17. That left true freshman Luke Fahey with the responsibility of making his first career start against USC. He finished with 21 completions on 38 attempts for 260 yards and one touchdown, in a heartbreaking 30-18 upset defeat.
USC, on the other hand, finally delivered the kind of performance its supporters had been waiting for. QB Jayden Maiava completed 15 of 22 passes for 222 yards. The Trojans also found success on the ground, combining for 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 27 attempts.
For Lincoln Riley, the result carried extra weight. USC improved to 7-2, while the victory gave him his first win over a top-five opponent since 2017. Interestingly, a week earlier, the mood around the program had been very different, but now that coach Riley delivered the biggest victory of his USC tenure, his team and fans have a renewed hope.
Unsurprisingly, the celebration was immediate. The Trojans fans poured onto the Coliseum field after the upset.
Fans storm the field
The final whistle turned the rain-soaked Coliseum into a sea of celebration. Thousands of students and fans flooded the field, while USC supporters took the party a step further by bringing down the goalposts.
While the SEC punishes schools for storming the field, the Big Ten doesn’t have any defined policies for the same. However, the Big Ten does review such incidents in order to uphold the safety of players and coaches.
That said, after USC’s win, the coaches of both teams got into a scuffle.
Lincoln Riley’s exchange with Ohio State staff
As Lincoln Riley made his way off the field, video circulating on social media appeared to capture him exchanging heated words with members of Ohio State’s coaching staff. The audio was difficult to make out, but the clips seemed to pick up an apparent “f— you” followed by another frustrated remark, “That’s bulls–t!”
Whatever sparked the exchange wasn’t immediately clear. Still, the footage added another layer to an afternoon that had already featured plenty of hostility between the programs.
Lincoln Riley later addressed another pressing issue during his postgame news conference. With the questions surrounding his job having intensified after USC’s recent struggles, the Trojans coach pulled out a prepared note and made his position clear.
“This program is built on internal joy, not external applause,” he said.
He thanked the players, staff, university administrators, and everyone involved in the program before reaffirming his commitment to the job.
“I said before this game that I’m the right person for this job, and as long as all those people know that, that’s all I care about,” he added. “I appreciate being a part of this university and all it does. I appreciate our kids and our staff, and I’m going to continue to fight on because that’s what being a Trojan is all about. Adios.”
For Ohio State, the trip to Los Angeles ended with a damaging loss and a long list of questions. For USC, it was a night worth celebrating. The pregame confrontation set the tone, the upset delivered the biggest punch, and the postgame fireworks ensured nobody would be forgetting this Halloween meeting anytime soon.