Desmond Howard went against the majority of his ESPN "College GameDay" colleagues Saturday, and the former Heisman Trophy winner ultimately had the last laugh. Howard was the only member of the show's featured prediction panel to select USC over No. 2 Ohio State ahead of Saturday night's Big Ten showdown. The Trojans rewarded his confidence with a stunning 30-18 victory over the Buckeyes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, delivering one of the biggest upsets of the college football weekend.
During Saturday's "College GameDay" broadcast, Howard acknowledged that Ohio State's injury situation influenced his outlook on the matchup. The Buckeyes entered the contest without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who suffered an injury against Indiana on Oct. 17. True freshman Luke Fahey was expected to make his first collegiate start in Sayin's absence, creating additional uncertainty for an Ohio State offense facing a difficult road environment.
While Howard backed USC, fellow analysts Nick Saban and Pat McAfee selected Ohio State. Kirk Herbstreit also picked the Buckeyes, leaving Howard alone in his prediction. USC wasted little time proving Howard right.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava connected with freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley for a 69-yard touchdown on the Trojans' second offensive play, immediately putting Ohio State on its heels. The Trojans built a 20-9 halftime advantage and continued controlling the matchup in the second half. Maiava finished with 222 passing yards and a touchdown, while Mosley recorded five receptions for 101 yards and a score.
Ohio State struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, failing to reach the end zone until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Fahey finished with 260 passing yards, but the Buckeyes' offensive struggles and defensive breakdowns proved too much to overcome. The victory improved USC to 7-2 and represented arguably the biggest win of Lincoln Riley's tenure with the program.
Ohio State, meanwhile, fell to 6-2, dealing another significant blow to its College Football Playoff aspirations. For Howard, the result offered a memorable moment of vindication after his fellow analysts favored the Buckeyes. And as USC fans celebrated a statement victory over one of college football's premier programs, Howard could take satisfaction in being the only panelist who saw the upset coming.
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