3 key questions for the Ohio State offense vs. USC on Saturday night

A critical Week 9 game for Ohio State takes place on Saturday against No. 25 USC, looking to set the tone for the remainder of the season.With some new faces taking to the lineup this week, and some old ones returning, the Ohio State offense will once again have a different group of starters and rotational players on the field. What do the Buckeyes have to do offensively on Saturday to return back to Columbus with a win? Here are three key questions Ohio State needs to answer positively to avoid a post-bye week lull as the team heads out to L.A. for a tussle with a Trojans team that would love nothing more than to spring the upset.How Does The Offense Flow With A New QB?“They’ve both prepared really well, they know what the plan is… they’re both ready to go”Ryan Day says that both Tavien St Clair and Luke Fahey have leaned into this opportunity and prepared well.The Buckeyes will go through a walk through tomorrow, and get their bodies… pic.twitter.com/LLzPS3TNld— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) October 30, 2026Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair have been battling the reps out in practice over the last two weeks since the injury to Julian Sayin. The question is, who starts? While that will be known before we know the outcome of the game, the biggest question is how the offense will flow, and how it will be adjusted to the skill set of whoever is under center.Ryan Day was non-committal about naming his starting quarterback earlier this week, and both he and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said that there will be a game plan in place for both -- and for numerous different potential scenarios throughout the game. One of those scenarios included playing both quarterbacks.The Ohio State offense was clearly revolving around the passing attack and the chemistry between Sayin and Jeremiah Smith. So, will things be altered to more of a run-first attack to alleviate some of the pressure on the young QBs? Will the plan be to get the quarterback into a rhythm early with some quick-hitting routes from the wideouts? It's a question that will be answered early on, but the most important question heading into the weekend.Will The Offensive Line Find A Rhythm Now At Full Health?What to expect from Ohio State's offensive line with new QB vs USC https://t.co/MshpRRU8N4— Columbus Dispatch (@DispatchAlerts) October 30, 2026The offensive line has been filled by bandaids this season and had been a revolving door before the Buckeyes' bye week. Now Austin Siereveld, a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection last year who has 26 career starts under his belt, will be returning to action after missing the past two games, and will pair with Gabe VanSickle and Phillip Daniels on the right side of the line. It'll be just the third time that trio has been active together this season. Siereveld brings leadership and a veteran presence in big games to the lineup. He's also versatile and gives the Buckeyes additional flexibility to move others around the line.The offensive line is always the quarterback's best friend, but that statement is emphasized even more this week and moving forward. A young quarterback and inconsistent rushing attack will look much better with a consistent and effective offensive line, and it'll start with the presence of Siereveld.How Does The Rushing Back Rotation Look?Ryan Day Challenges Ohio State Offensive Line and Running Backs to Step Up Against USC https://t.co/FzPElzVSeipic.twitter.com/1oaohjD171— BucksInsider (@bucksinsider) October 28, 2026It'll be the second game that the Buckeyes will play without Ja'Kobi Jackson, with a much different dynamic and variables involved than before. Not only will the quarterback position and offensive line play into things, but so will the depth at running back. Bo Jackson is clearly the top running back on the roster now, so what will snap counts look like with Legend Bey and Isaiah West?West is coming off of a game against Indiana where he turned in six carries for 45 yards as the second back on the team in place of Ja'Kobi Jackson. Can he replicate that type of effectiveness and efficiency moving forward? Legend Bey continues to be an afterthought and hasn't been able to break his way into the rotation. Can he do it this week or at all moving forward? Having that type of versatility, especially as a pass catcher out of the backfield, would be a young quarterback's best friend.Bo Jackson hasn't shown this year that he can be relied on game in and game out as the lone runner, so this running back room needs to find a way to continue to find success with different players on the field. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: 3 key questions for the Ohio State offense vs. USC on Saturday night