No. 25 USC moves to 4-0 with 45-31 win over Michigan State

It wasn’t always pretty and things got rough in the third quarter, but the Trojans finished off a 45-31 win over the Michigan State Spartans, thanks to 517 yards of offense and 283 rushing yards.

The Trojans force a turnover on downs as Aidan Chiles throws an incompletion on fourth down. USC will take over at the Michigan State 28-yard line with 6:30 remaining and an opportunity to close the door on the Spartans.

USC stretches it’s lead to 38-24 with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Makai Lemon with 8:20 remaining in the game.

The Spartans go 32 yards in eight plays following the fumble recovery and suddently it’s 31-24 USC with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

USC wide receiver DJ Jordan gets the ball punched out and Michigan State has the ball again at the USC 32-yard line with 5:50 left in the third quarter.

The USC defense commits four penalties on a Michigan State touchdown drive. The first negated a Michigan State punt. The second gave the Spartans a first down on what should have been a fourth-down incompletion. The third was a 15-yard penalty. And the fourth turned what would have been a third-and-8 into a first down. Michigan State punched it in for a 4-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Aidan Chiles. it’s 31-17 USC with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter.

The Trojans got a 40-yard run from Waymond Jordan to move the ball deep into Michigan State territory and Jayden Maiava finishes it off with a 10-yard touchdown to tight end Walker Lyons. It’s 31-10 USC with 11:22 remaining in the third quarter.

USC forces a three-and-out to open the second half and the Trojans will start with the ball at their own 43-yard line following a strong return from Makai Lemon.

Score – USC 24, Michigan State 10
Total yards – USC 355, Michigan State 173
Rushing yards – USC 164, Michigan State 36
Passing yards – USC 191, Michigan State 137
Average yards per play – USC 9.3, Michigan State 6.7
Penalties – USC 4-for-33, Michigan State 3-for-31
Tackles for loss – USC 5, Michigan State 0

Michigan State is wide left on a 56-yard field goal attempt on the final snap of the first half and USC will take a 24-10 lead into the locker room.

True freshman wide receiver Tanook Hines hauls in his first-career touchdown pass as Jayden Maiava floats a 7-yard score to him. It’s 24-10 USC with just 37 seconds remaining in the first half.

That fourth-down turnover by the Trojans looked like it was going to shift momentum fully to the Spartans but USC stepped up in the redzone thanks to a big tackle for loss from Jahkeem Stewart. Michigan State does hit a 29-yard field goal to cut the USC lead to 17-10 with 4:26 remaining in the first half.

After a 35-yard run, USC throws it four times in a row and can’t pick up a first down. The Trojans turn it over after Makai Lemon is stopped just short of the line to gain.

The Trojans force their first three-and-out of the night and take over possession at their own 11-yard line after another great Michigan State punt. There’s 9:22 remaining in the first half.

USC immediately takes advantage of the targeting penalty as Jayden Maiava hits Makai Lemon for a 40-yard touchdown pass. It’s 17-7 USC with 11:36 remaining in the second quarter.

Michigan State linebacker Jordan Hall is ejected from the game for targeting while tackling USC tight end Lake McRee. That’s a huge hit to the Spartans’ defense.

USC defensive linemen Braylan Shelby and Devan Thompkins combine on a third-down sack to force a Michigan State punt. The Trojans will take over at their own 7-yard line after a fair catch. USC still leads 10-7 with 13:36 remaining in the second quarter.

Jayden Maiava pulls the ball on 3rd and 1 and goes 15 yards into the endzone for a Trojan touchdown. USC goes ahead 10-7 with 2:38 remaining in the first quarter. That’s Maiava’s third rushing touchdown of the season.

Michigan State carved up the USC defense on its first drive as it goes 75 yards in six plays, capped by a 42-yard touchdown pass from Aidan Chiles to a wide-open Chrishon McCray. It’s 7-3 Michigan State with 5:27 remaining in the first quarter.

USC was flagged for a delay of game on 1st and goal from the 9 and for a false start on 3rd and 3 that kept them from scoring a touchdown on that opening drive.

USC drives the ball into the Michigan State red zone but sees another drive stall. The Trojans had to settle for four field goal attempts in the redzone last week against Purdue. Ryon Sayeri connets from 25 yards out to put USC ahead 3-0 with 9:03 remaining in the first quarter.

USC defensive end Kameryn Fountain has changed his name to Kameryn Crawford.

The Trojans won the toss and elected to receive the opening kick. They’ll be headed out of the peristyle end.

Former USC quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national champion Matt Leinart got a huge ovation from the crowd when he took the mic to lead the team out of the tunnel.

USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane was listed as “questionable” on the availability report but he’s not in uniform tonight as the Trojans go through pregame stretching.

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USC players “out” for today:

Wide receiver Zacharyus Williams
Defensive back Prophet Brown
Defensive back Alex Graham
Kicker Caden Chittenden
Running back Bryan Jackson
Cornerback Chasen Johnson

USC players “questionable” for today:

Wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane