USC Named Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week After Historic Upset of No. 2 Ohio State

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was still buzzing from the rain-soaked field storm when the Football Writers Association of America made it official on Monday: USC is the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week.

The honor, selected by the FWAA All-America Committee, recognizes the Trojans’ 30-18 Halloween-night upset of No. 2 Ohio State. It is USC’s fifth selection in the award’s 25-year history and its first since a 20-17 win over No. 5 Stanford in 2013 under interim head coach Ed Orgeron.

The Trojans had earned the honor three other times before that 2013 win: after a 23-0 road shutout of No. 6 Auburn in 2003, a 34-31 victory at Notre Dame in 2005, and a 35-3 rout of No. 5 Ohio State in 2008. Saturday’s win marked the second time the program collected the award by beating the Buckeyes.

For a program that entered the night coming off a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin and facing questions about its trajectory under Lincoln Riley, the statement was clear. USC scored on its second offensive play, built a 20-9 halftime lead, and held Ohio State without a touchdown for nearly 58 minutes. The Trojans put up more points against the Buckeyes’ defense than any opponent had in the previous 31 games. A rain-soaked Coliseum crowd responded by storming the field at the final whistle.

Freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley set the tone immediately. After a short completion to King Miller on the opening snap, Jayden Maiava hit Mosley on a screen. Mosley raced 69 yards to the end zone as the Coliseum volume rose with every step. Mosley finished with five catches for 101 yards and a score, plus a 44-yard punt return that helped set up another touchdown. Maiava completed 15 of 22 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

In the third quarter, freshman tight end Mark Bowman added the signature play. He caught a short pass, hurdled a defender, and broke free for a 70-yard gain that set up King Miller’s one-yard touchdown run and pushed the lead to 27-9. USC’s defense forced Ohio State into field goals on its early trips into Trojan territory and limited the Buckeyes to a late garbage-time score. The Trojans finished with 338 total yards to Ohio State’s 464 but controlled the critical moments.

“That’s two of the best teams in the country on the field right there,” Riley said afterward. “It’s going to come down to who plays the situations best, and we did it tonight.”

The victory was USC’s first home win over an Associated Press top-five opponent since 2015 and the biggest of Riley’s tenure. It also marked the program’s first top-12 win under the current head coach. Ohio State fell to 6-2 (4-1 Big Ten); USC improved to 7-2 (4-2).

As the Pop-Tarts Bowl Crazy Good Team of the Week, the Trojans will receive a delivery of assorted Pop-Tarts and a custom-crafted game ball from Big Game USA. Riley separately earned Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Week honors for the same performance.

USC has a bye this weekend before traveling to Indiana on Nov. 14. After snapping a streak of questions with a signature win at the Coliseum, the Trojans head into the second half of the season with a clear reminder of what the program can look like when everything clicks.