USC Trojans earn much-needed Big Ten road win over Nebraska, 21-17

The USC Trojans and head coach Lincoln Riley get a very important Big Ten road win at Nebraska on a blackout night at Memorial Stadium with a 21-17 victory over the Cornhuskers. It wasn’t pretty for much of it, but King Miller rushed for 129 yards and the game-winning score in the fourth quarter. USC’s defense allowed just three points and 106 yards in the second half.

Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson trips in the backfield before he can get started on a 4th and 1 run deep in Cornhusker territory and the Trojans will take over on downs. USC has it at the Nebraska 27-yard line with 1:26 remaining, but the Huskers have just one timeout remaining.

USC can’t run off the rest of the clock and the Trojans are forced to punt. Nebraska takes over at its own 4-yard line with 3:27 remaining in the game, down 21-17.

The USC defense forces a punt after Kameryn Crawford gets a tackle on a third-down draw attempt by backup quarterback TJ Lateef. The Trojans have it at their own 25-yard line with 7:55 remaining and a chance to start putting this game away. USC is up 21-17 and a touchdown might do it with Nebraska having to rely on Lateef the rest of the way.

USC uses a flea-flicker from Maiava to Jaden Richardson to move the ball deep into Nebraska territory. The drive is finished with a redzone rushing touchdown by King Miller, who goes in from six yards out. USC takes its first lead of the game, 21-17, with 10:06 remaining in the game.

Nebraska kicker Kyle Cunanan connects from 39-yards out and Nebraska moves back ahead, 17-14, with 12:53 remaining in the game.

Jayden Maiava uses his legs with 16-yard runs on back-to-back plays. The second goes for a touchdown. King Miller takes the direct snap, fakes a pitch on a reverse and sprints in the endzone for the two-point conversion and just like that it’s 14-14 with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter.

Nebraska kicker Kyle Cunanan hits the right upright from 52 yards out and USC will get the ball at its own 34-yard line with 5:23 left in the third quarter. The Trojans still trail 14-6. USC has to find answers offensively. Lincoln Riley has managed just two drives of more than 30 yards tonight.

USC makes a critical error when center J’Onre Reed is flagged for a false start on 3rd-and-short. The Trojans try to run it twice to pick up the first down but Bryan Jackson is stuffed on a 4th-and-2. Nebraska takes over at its 46-yard line with 8:38 remaining as the Trojans haven’t scored on their last three drives and still do not have a touchdown in this game.

The USC defense had to rise up after the Maiava interception and Anthony Lucas gets home on Dylan Raiola to force a fumble that’s recovered by Kameryn Crawford. The Trojans take over at their 34-yard line with 12:04 left in the third quarter.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is injured on the play and is coming out of the game, giving way to backup TJ Lateef.

Score: USC 6, Nebraska 14
Total yards – USC 178, Nebraska 180
Rushing yards – USC 121, Nebraska 89
Passing yards – USC 57, Nebraska 91
Sacks – USC 0, Nebraska 2
Third downs – USC 3-of-8, Nebraska 4-of-6
Penalties – USC 5-for-25, Nebraska 2-for-15

USC cornerback Marcelles Williams is flagged for pass interference on third-and-10 and Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson goes into the endzone from 10 yards out on the next play. Nebraska pushes its lead to 14-6 with 1:37 remaining in the first half. The Huskers will also receive the second-half kickoff, so USC has an important offensive drive in front of it right now.

USC kicker Ryon Sayeri continues his outstanding season as he connects from 49 yards out to bring the Trojans a bit closer. It’s 7-6 Nebraska with 6:07 remaining in the first half.

Two punts in a row forced by the USC defense as Nebraska goes 19 yards in five plays. USC gets the ball back at its own 15-yard line with 10:29 remaining in the second quarter.

The Trojans had a first-and-goal snap from the Nebraska 7-yard line and called three pass plays, then committed a false start when looking to go for it on fourth-and-short. A 24-yard Ryon Sayeri field goal saves the Trojans from disaster in the red zone and it’s 7-3 Nebraska with 13:23 remaining in the second quarter.

The Trojans are finally going to the running game a bit as King Miller rips off back-to-back runs of 15 and 13 yards to end the first quarter. The second quarter will open with USC at the Nebraska 23-yard line with a first-and-ten.

The Trojans get a much-needed stop as Desman Stephens makes back-to-back stops on first and second down, then Bishop Fitzgerald tackles a scrambling Dylan Raiola short of the first down.

USC had to have a stop there to prevent Nebraska from gaining all the early momentum. The Trojans will start at their own 19-yard line with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter.

USC has run six plays and punted twice. Quarterback Jayden Maiava is 1-of-3 for two yards.

Nebraska will take over at its own 40-yard line for its second drive and USC has to find some answers quickly.

Nebraska goes 75 yards in 14 plays and 7:01 of game time to take a 7-0 lead on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Raiola to Dane Key. The Huskers rushed eight times for 36 yards on the drive and went 3-for-3 on third down.

USC runs a toss play on first down and then can’t convert a third down when it runs a touch pass to Makai Lemon out of an exotic formation. Bad start for the Trojans as they quickly give thew ball back to Nebraska.

The USC Trojans and quarterback Jayden Maiava will start with the ball as the Trojans will receive the opening kick. True freshman Tanook Hines and receiver Josiah Zamora are back for the Trojans.

Elijah Paige is warming up as the starting left tackle in position group drills. Paige, Raymond, Reed, Noa and Tauanuu are the first group.

Elijah Vaikona, Hayden Treter, Kaylon Miller and Ratumana Bulabalavu are the backups.

USC left guard Micah Banuelos won’t play tonight as the team comes out in full uniform and he’s in a sweatsuit. That means USC will have to shuffle its offensive line from the Notre Dame game. If Elijah Paige plays – as it appears he’s on track to do – it’s likely Paige, Tobias Raymond, J’Onre Reed, Alani Noa and Justin Tauanuu from left to right.

J’Onre Reed is snapping to starting quarterback Jayden Maiava as the quarterbacks and centers warm up. Kilian O’Connor is in full uniform for the first time since suffering an injury against Illinois, but is snapping to third-string quarterback Sam Huard.

Paige, O’Connor and Banuelos all participated in the very early warmups (before uniforms go on). That’s not something Paige and O’Connor did ahead of the Michigan or Notre Dame games.

The Big Ten Availability report is out and we took a look at the USC Trojans on it and what that means.

OUT:
WR Zacharyus Williams
DT Jamaal Jarrett
RB Eli Sanders
RB Waymond Jordan
CB DJ Harvey
LB Anthony Beavers
CB Prophet Brown
K Caden Chittenden
DT Floyd Boucard

QUESTIONABLE:
OC Kilian O’Connor
LT Elijah Paige
OG Micah Banuelos