What USC coach Lincoln Riley said about Ohio State before Saturday

Ohio State will travel to Southern California to take on USC for the first time since the Trojans joined the Big Ten on Saturday. It's a pivotal game for both teams, with USC needing a win to stay within arm's reach of the conference title and stay in the running for a College Football Playoff spot. The Buckeyes have those goals also in mind but more in the driver's seat, a place they'd rather not relinquish.USC head coach Lincoln Riley knows the challenge ahead of him and his team with the No. 2-ranked squad coming to the Coliseum, and he met with his local media on Thursday to preview what he saw from the Scarlet and Gray. We like to watch and listen to the opposing head coaches before and after each matchup with the Buckeyes, and Riley had plenty of compliments for OSU.Riley discussed the great player receiver Jeremiah Smith is, the skill of the personnel, defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's fingerprints on the defense, and more. You can catch the entire press conference below thanks to the USCAthletics YouTube Channel.It'll be a night game Saturday when the Buckeyes and Trojans kick things off at 7:30 p.m. ET, and we will be there before, during, and after.This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: What USC coach Lincoln Riley said about Ohio State before Saturday