The last day of October provided a chaotic slate of football, punctuated by drama and hard-nosed trench battles from coast to coast.
From USC’s defining win of the Lincoln Riley era to an overtime thriller featuring two 60-yard field goals, Halloween delivered all the tricks and treats of a conference race flipping the page into November.
Coliseum Chaos: Trojans Stun Buckeyes
Since becoming the head coach at USC five seasons ago, head coach Lincoln Riley has been looking for his signature win. That came on Saturday night at the L.A. Coliseum, where the Trojans defeated No. 2 Ohio State 30–18 to secure Riley's first top-10 win in Los Angeles.
Coming off a frustrating seven-point outing against Wisconsin, the USC offense wasted no time on Saturday. On just the second snap of the game, freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley took a screen pass from Jayden Maiava and sprinted 69 yards untouched to the house.
That opening spark set the stage for Maiava, who threw for 222 yards and orchestrated a Trojan attack that kept the Buckeyes playing catch-up all evening. Against one of the top defenses in the country, USC had 338 total yards and 15 first downs.
The Buckeyes — who were without starting quarterback Julian Sayin due to an ongoing injury — turned to backup Luke Fahey. While superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith hauled in 10 catches and his 40th career receiving touchdown to break Braylon Edwards’ all-time Big Ten record, Ohio State’s offense couldn't overcome Southern Cal’s fast start and defensive grit.
USC never trailed, capitalizing on explosive plays and red zone stops to log the biggest win of the Riley era.
“This win is for all the staff members, the players, the admin, all the people within the walls,” Riley said. Read more from the Trojans.
Heartland Hawkeyes Shut Out Badgers
Iowa turned Kinnick Stadium into a nightmare for rival No. 25 Wisconsin in a 30–0 victory. After scoring just 10 points in a loss to Minnesota, quarterback Hank Brown led the offensive effort with 222 passing yards and two touchdown passes, while running back Xavier Williams anchored the ground game with 78 rushing yards.
But it was the Hawkeyes' trademark defense that sealed the deal, forcing three turnovers and limiting Wisconsin to just 235 total yards. Caden Buhr chipped in three field goals, including a career-long 54-yard boot, as Iowa pitched a defensive masterpiece to retain the Heartland Trophy.
"First and foremost, I am really proud of our team and the way they responded after a tough week last week,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “They did a great job. If you watch the game, it was truly a team win. All three phases stepped up. We gave our guys a good plan, but most importantly, the players are the ones doing it and they played really well.” More from Iowa City.
Kick Magic in Bloomington: Hoosiers Outlast Gophers in OT
In a gritty battle that needed extra football, No. 4 Indiana pulled out a hard-fought 23–16 overtime win against Minnesota.
The afternoon turned historic when special teams stole the show. Minnesota’s Luke Drzewiecki and Indiana’s Paddy McAteer both connected on 60-yard field goals in the final minute to force overtime. It marked the first game in Division I football history to feature 60-yard field goals from both teams, let alone within 20 seconds of each other!
Indiana’s momentum shift came at the hands of seventh-year quarterback Grant Wilson, who replaced an injured Josh Hoover at the break. Wilson proved ready for the moment, setting up McAteer’s tying kick after a 33-yard connection with Charlie Becker (eight catches, 149 yards). In overtime, Wilson needed just one play, firing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Becker to complete the comeback.
“It’s the journey I’ve been on, seven years in college, a lot of ups and downs,” Wilson said. “The emotions were, just do your job, be prepared, and make sure you’re doing the right things.” Hear from the Hoosiers.
As the dust settled on a haunting final Saturday of October, one thing was certain: across the conference, every win is earned. Check out the other results — including Oregon’s win over No. 20 Northwestern — right here.