LOS ANGELES — A shortened week. An unranked opponent that was coming off a bye. USC’s Friday night game against Northwestern had all the makings of a trap game.
The Wildcats kept things interesting for a while, but No. 20 USC used a balanced offensive performance to take control in the second half and pull away for a 38-17 win.
The Trojans (7-2 overall, 5-1 Big Ten) stayed in the hunt for a potential spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff while rolling up the most yards (482) and points anyone had scored against Northwestern’s defense this season.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 24 of 33 passes for 299 yards and two touchdown passes and ran for another TD. Makai Lemon had a touchdown catch and a scoring run while hauling in 11 receptions for a career-high 161 yards, and Ja’Kobi Lane had seven catches for 74 yards.
Running back King Miller added a game-high 127 rushing yards on 15 carries.
All was running smoothly in the first quarter, with both teams scoring a touchdown apiece and only one penalty between the two of them – Northwestern (5-4 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) was called for a pass interference.
After struggling to mount drives of significance while holding off Nebraska last week, USC opened its first home game in nearly a month with a 16-play touchdown drive. Lemon capped the drive with a 7-yard catch for his seventh touchdown grab of the season. Maiava had nine completions on the drive – the same number he managed all night in Lincoln.
Northwestern countered with a 13-play drive that ended when Griffin Wilde dove to make an 8-yard catch with 45 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The second quarter got messy. But there was some success in creativity for the Trojans, too.
Lincoln Riley dialed up a fake punt on a fourth-and-6 that saw third-string quarterback Sam Huard to connect with Tanook Hines on a 10-yard pass for a first down. Huard had changed his uniform number before the game to No. 80 – the same as punter Sam Johnson.
Jayden Maiava, who used his legs significantly during the win in Nebraska, scrambled for a 6-yard touchdown three plays after the trick play.
Northwestern caught up once again with 7:20 left in the second quarter. Running back Caleb Komolafe broke off a 37-yard run to get the Wildcats to the 2-yard line, then his teammates collectively pushed him into the end zone to level the score at 14-14.
USC was given its first penalty of the game at the least opportune time. Maiava threw a long pass to Hines, who scooped up the ball while diving to the ground. However, the play was negated due to an illegal man downfield penalty caused by right tackle Justin Tauanuu.
Maiava threw an interception for the fourth straight game when he was picked off by defensive lineman Najee Story with 2:47 remaining until halftime. Story rumbled 25 yards toward the end zone, but Maiava didn’t stand idly by – he rushed in and dropped a shoulder to tackle Story and dislodge the ball just before he reached the goal line.
The ball bounced into and out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback and keeping the ball in USC’s hands.
The Trojans didn’t squander the opportunity and used the speed of walk-on running back King Miller for a go-ahead touchdown. Miller churned out a 65-yard run, then Maiava and Ja’Kobi Lane teamed up for a 13-yard reception to get USC to the 12-yard line.
Miller finished the drive with a swift run up the left side for a touchdown and a 21-14 lead.
USC added a third-quarter touchdown when Lane pulled in a Maiava pass with one hand and secured it for a 10-yard touchdown catch and a two-touchdown lead.
Northwestern added a Jack Olsen 33-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the third, but Lemon scored on a 4-yard jet sweep for a 35-17 lead with 11:14 left in the fourth to help ice a win that kept the Trojans in the national title conversation into mid-November for the first time since Coach Lincoln Riley’s first season in 2022.
The Trojans held Northwestern to 27 yards of offense in the fourth quarter, and Ryon Sayeri tacked on a 22-yard field goal with 4:39 left for the final points.
Preston Stone passed for 150 yards and Komolafe rushed for 118 yards and a score for the Wildcats.
More to come on this story.