LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Trent Mosley took a screen pass straight through the heart of Ohio State's defense for an exhilarating touchdown on the second snap, Southern California realized something special might be brewing on Halloween night.
By the time thousands of students and fans stormed onto the rain-soaked Coliseum field at the final whistle, the Trojans had their season and their program back on track with a landmark victory.
Jayden Maiava passed for 222 yards and a touchdown, King Miller and Waymond Jordan rushed for scores, and USC shocked the No. 2 Buckeyes 30-18 on Saturday night for the biggest win of head coach Lincoln Riley’s tenure.
“That's two of the best teams in the country on the field right there,” Riley said. “It's going to come down to who plays the situations best, and we did it tonight.”
Freshman sensation Mosley finished with five receptions for 101 yards after his tone-setting, 69-yard TD scamper for the Trojans (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten), who rebounded from a faith-shaking loss at Wisconsin last week by scoring more points than Ohio State’s vaunted defense had allowed in its previous 31 games.
“I think we learned how good we are,” Mosley said. “When we trust each other and play together as a team, that’s what we can do.”
The USC defense didn’t allow a touchdown in the first 57 minutes by an Ohio State offense led by freshman quarterback Luke Fahey, who passed for 260 yards in his first career start in place of injured Julian Sayin for the Buckeyes (6-2, 4-1).
Jeremiah Smith finally made a 1-yard TD catch with 2:12 remaining, but the Buckeyes’ 2-point conversion attempt failed, and USC recovered the onside kick before making its third field goal with 1:46 left.
“At the end of the day, as a team, we weren’t able to play well enough to support a young freshman quarterback who has his first start on the road like this,” said coach Ryan Day, lamenting the Buckeyes’ 11 penalties for 75 yards.
With a light, steady rain falling throughout the holiday evening, USC beat a top-12 team for the first time in Riley’s half-decade in charge. The postgame party was wet, but not dampened after the Trojans beat a top-five opponent at the Coliseum for the first time since 2015.
Bo Jackson rushed for 121 yards and Smith had 10 receptions for 83 yards for the Buckeyes, who couldn't make it close despite racking up 464 total yards. Smith's TD catch was his 40th, breaking Braylon Edwards' Big Ten career record.
Ohio State hadn’t lost two games this early in a season since 2011, the year before Urban Meyer arrived in Columbus. The Buckeyes fell to 58-2 against unranked teams under Day, with this defeat joining their infamous home loss to Michigan in 2024.
One week after the Trojans produced the fewest points ever from a Riley-led offense, they shockingly surged to a 20-9 halftime lead following Mosley's run through a defense that hadn't allowed a play longer than 36 yards all season. Mosley then broke a 44-yard punt return and made an 18-yard reception to set up Jordan's 9-yard TD run.
Ohio State produced 192 yards, but only three field goals from its first five drives — even when the Buckeyes reached the USC 1 shortly before halftime.
“When we play like that, we're unstoppable,” USC defensive end Braylan Shelby said.
The Trojans went up 27-9 in the third quarter when Miller punched it in following a spectacular 70-yard reception by freshman tight end Mark Bowman, who hurdled a defender and broke multiple tackles in a highlight-reel moment. Riley and Bowman both claimed the coach taught the teenager how to hurdle.
“That was ridiculous,” Day said. "We’re going for the punch-out there. We've just got to get him on the ground around the 40-yard line and live to see another snap.”
Fahey got the start after Sayin injured his arm two weeks ago against Indiana. The freshman from nearby Orange County made several big throws and was hurt by a handful of big drops, finishing 21 for 38.
“I don’t think we could have expected anything better from Luke today,” tight end Mason Williams said. “Really, he went out there and he battled ... and when you get a freshman quarterback starting in a big game like that, when you can get what you got out of him today, we’ve got to be able to do our jobs, everyone on the field, and strive to make his job a little easier.”
Ohio State: Sayin's absence clearly is a mitigating factor in this enormous setback, but the freshman QB played no role in the Buckeyes' least effective defensive performance in a long time. Day's detractors got ample fuel for their concerns, yet the Buckeyes' College Football Playoff hopes are not yet dead.
USC: Riley and his program appeared to be in big trouble last week in Madison, but this win provides a massive boost of energy and validity. The Trojans are almost certain to return to the AP Top 25. They've got a rough remaining schedule, but this gives them a chance to take a major step forward this season — and the belief it might actually be possible.
Ohio State: Host Oregon on Saturday.
USC: Bye, then at Indiana on Nov. 14.
Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here
Ohio State quarterback Luke Fahey (13) is unable to score against Southern California linebacker Ta'mere Robinson (14) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A fresh WNBA CHAMPIONS T-shirt over her uniform, Gabby Williams cradled the shiny MVP trophy in one arm and gave it a kiss. She held up a No. 1 with her left hand, then hugged and high-fived her supporters all the way to Golden State's locker room where she pulled on some goggles for the celebration.
Williams made her way back to the Bay Area where she cherishes so many youth basketball memories exactly for a chance to do something like this — to win it all and be part of building something special.
And she has done that all right.
“I just walked into a group full of love,” Williams said. “And that just changed the entire trajectory of my career.”
Williams scored her team's final 11 points of the third quarter and dazzled through the fourth on the way to 30 points, and the Valkyries captured a championship in just their second season by beating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in a sensational first WNBA Finals Game 7 on Saturday night.
“Gabby is our closer she stayed patient, she stayed with it,” coach Natalie Nakase said. “Closing with 30, that is incredible!”
Williams joined Penny Taylor in 2007 for Phoenix as the only players in WNBA history to score 30 or more points in a winner-takes-all Finals game.
Jordin Canada scored 18 points, Allisha Gray 16 and Angel Reese had eight points and 12 rebounds for the Dream, denied another championship in the franchise's fourth try.
Gray made two free throws with 11 seconds left then Atlanta forced a jump ball — Gray against Williams — and Veronica Burton corralled it and converted two free throws with 5.1 seconds to go.
“I'm just so blessed, this is insane!” said Burton, cut by Dallas two years ago.
Rhyne Howard's layup tied it at 57 with 2:41 left only for Williams to answer once more with a clutch 3-pointer. She converted two free throws with 1:40 remaining, then Kiah Stokes scored a late basket. Stokes — now a four-time WNBA champion — pulled down 13 rebounds and blocked two more shots to cap her spectacular postseason.
Williams left Seattle with a great feeling about joining Golden State and its close-knit culture, returning to the Bay Area determined to prove herself as a WNBA star after all her international success — and now she's a postseason icon. Fans chanted “Gabby! Gabby!” throughout the fourth quarter.
“All it took was good people,” she said. “All we heard last year was we don’t have no stars. We don’t have no talent. Yeah right! We got good people. We got good people. We got winners. We got people who are ready to put their bodies on the floor to win a game.”
When the final buzzer sounded, the violet-clad sellout crowd at Chase Center went into a frenzy as players sprinted onto the floor to hug and celebrate as confetti fell from the rafters.
“Ballhalla” had become “Boohalla” for this far-but-haunted Halloween night in the raucous arena. Now, with a women's championship to its name right alongside the one earned by the Golden State Warriors in 2022.
“We gotta build a bigger trophy case,” co-owner Peter Guber said.
The team that led at halftime in the first six matchups had won every game so far, and the Dream were ahead 30-24 at the break. Atlanta also had been 16-0 this season when Reese made at least one 3. The Dream's DeWanna Bonner became the first player in WNBA history to reach 600 career postseason defensive rebounds.
Nakase told Williams at halftime the game would open up for her.
“Nat told me to stay patient, I trust her with my life,” Williams said. “I stayed patient.”
Nakase changed her starting lineup in a move that paid huge dividends after Golden State fell behind 2-1, inserting Kaila Charles and Tiffany Hayes and bringing Kayla Thornton and Cecilia Zandalasini off the bench.
The 37-year-old Hayes, who came out of retirement two years ago and spent 10 seasons with the Dream, scored 11 points in the winner-take-all Game 7 and brought energy all series that made Nakase want to win for the veteran guard as much as anybody.
Valkyries owner Joe Lacob guaranteed a championship within the first five years for this franchise three years ago when the Bay Area was granted an expansion team, and in improbable, joyful fashion, his team accomplished it in Year 2. That after becoming the first expansion organization to reach the playoffs in its inaugural year in 2025.
During the victory ceremony, Lacob shouted out the team and its leaders, while Nakase, general manager Ohemma Nyanin and President Jess Smith hugged. And Lacob thanked the fans who have sold out Chase Center for every game since Day 1.
“Ballhalla!” Lacob hollered.
“These ladies deserve all the credit in the world for the incredible resilience, every last one of them, and our coach,” he said later. “I can't even say how proud I am. I don't care men, women, whatever, it doesn't matter, that is an incredible year, an incredible performance, not only tonight but the whole playoffs.”
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams (1) reacts after making a 3-point basket against the Atlanta Dream during the second half of the WNBA Finals Game 7 at Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) reacts following a score during the second half of theWNBA Finals Game 7 at Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Valkyries' mascot Violet lies on the court over fallen confetti following a Golden State championship victory at the WNBA Finals Game 7 at Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) and forward Cecilia Zandalasini (24) reach to hug each other following their championship victory at the WNBA Finals Game 7 at Chase Center, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Atlanta Dream guard DeWanna Bonner (24) shoots against Golden State Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini (24) during the second half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) drives to the basket against Golden State Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini (24) during the second half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon (00) goes to the basket against Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) during the second half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) and forward Naz Hillmon (00) celebrates during the first half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals against the Golden State Valkyries on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) blocks a shot by Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) during the first half of Game 7 of the WNBA basketball finals on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
