The USC Trojans face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night in a Week 9 game that has become a must-win for Lincoln Riley’s program.

USC is coming off a blowout 24-7 loss to Wisconsin, and its College Football Playoff hopes now hang on whether it can pull off an upset of Ohio State.

There’s a lot more than one game on the line for the Trojans. Riley’s tenure at USC could all but be dead if the Trojans can’t find a way past the Buckeyes and keep their playoff chances alive.

USC’s playoff odds swing heavily on the Ohio State game

According to the A to Z Sports College Football Playoff predictor, USC has a 6 percent chance to make the CFP. A win over Ohio State would push those odds to 18 percent. A loss would drop the Trojans to just a 1 percent chance to reach the postseason.

Those numbers show how much is riding on Saturday night. Losing to Wisconsin in Week 8 was something USC couldn’t afford, and now the Trojans have their backs against the wall in their push to make the College Football Playoff for the first time under Riley.

USC enters as roughly a touchdown underdog against the Buckeyes. Ohio State is coming in with a backup quarterback, likely Luke Fahey, who would be making his first career start. That gives the Trojans an opening, even if they’re facing one of the most talented rosters in the country.

If Riley’s team can pull off the upset, the College Football Playoff is firmly back on the board for USC heading into its bye week.

The path doesn’t end with the Buckeyes

Beating Ohio State is only the first step. From there, USC would need to take care of Indiana in Week 11. A win over the Hoosiers would push the Trojans’ odds all the way to 58 percent to make the College Football Playoff, per the predictor.

On the flip side, a loss to Indiana would send USC right back down to 6 percent. That puts the Trojans in a spot where they likely need to win both of those games to feel good about their chances.

Who USC fans should root for in Weeks 9 and 10

The Trojans also need some help elsewhere. In Week 9, USC fans should be pulling for the Minnesota Golden Gophers to knock off Indiana.

Minnesota is 5-2 with wins over Michigan and Iowa, so the Gophers are certainly capable of beating the Hoosiers if they are hitting on all cylinders. Still, it’ll be a tough task on the road at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on Halloween. A Minnesota upset would add a 3 percent boost to USC’s odds of making the CFP.

Looking ahead to Week 10, USC fans will want to root for the Oregon Ducks. Oregon has been perhaps the biggest disappointment in college football with three losses already, and more could be on the way with games against Ohio State and Michigan still ahead.

The Ducks head to Columbus to face the Buckeyes in Week 10. If Oregon pulls off the win on the road, USC’s playoff odds would get a 2 percent boost.

None of the outside help matters much if the Trojans don’t handle their own business first. USC has to pull off the upset against Ohio State on Saturday night. If it can’t, its College Football Playoff hopes are as good as dead. If it does, everything is on the table for Riley and the Trojans.