USC turned a shaky afternoon into a one-point edge, clawing back from a rough start to grab a 22-21 lead over Washington heading into the fourth quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The Trojans were in trouble early after Washington tacked on a touchdown to open the third quarter, pushing USC into a deeper hole after a first half that ended with the Trojans trailing by four. But USC answered with 12 straight points in the third, flipping the game on its head.
The first punch came through the air. Redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava found sophomore wide receiver Tanook Hines on a 10-yard touchdown pass, giving USC life and trimming into the deficit. Hines now has 51 receiving yards, while Maiava has moved to 185 passing yards.
Then the defense delivered the kind of swing play that can change everything. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Elijah Newby forced a fumble, and sophomore defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart scooped it up and ran it back for a touchdown, putting USC in front.
After a first half that left the Trojans searching for answers, the third quarter belonged to them. With one quarter left and the margin sitting at just one point, this one is set up for a finish.
Washington came into Los Angeles as a tough opponent, with a defense that had already been shutting down offenses through its first four games. USC also entered the matchup looking to get back in the win column against a former Pac-12 foe.
One bright spot in USC’s offense this season has been freshman wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, who has topped 100 receiving yards in three games. The Mater Dei High School product has continued to carve out a role as a true freshman.
And beyond the matchup itself, Sports Editor Dillon Zamperin also raised bigger questions about the state of the program, writing that after everything that’s happened this year, something has to change around the culture of the team, whether that points to Head Coach Lincoln Riley or not.
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USC Fans Have Plenty To Debate After That Gritty Washington Win
The heat was no joke, and neither was USCs defense in a 25-21 win over Washington that gave the Trojans plenty to feel good about and even more to debate. Against the kind of grind-it-out test that can expose a team in September, USCs pass rush came through with four sacks, multiple tackles for loss and a sack-fumble recovery that turned into a touchdown, the sort of sequence that can swing a close game and change the feel of a night.
For a team ranked No. 18, the result mattered just as much as the details, and there were enough of both to keep fans talking well after the final whistle. The game offered a useful look at individual performances and how USCs defensive plan held up in tough conditions, but it also left room for questions about which players are emerging, which adjustments are working and how sustainable this kind of gritty win might be as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Maiava's Rough Start Put USC's Offense Under A Harsh Spotlight
Jayden Maiavas afternoon against Washington put USCs offense under a harsh spotlight, as the Trojans spent much of the first half searching for any kind of rhythm. The quarterbacks decision-making and mechanics were both under scrutiny, and a series of poor throws, long holds in the pocket and drive-killing penalties left the offense looking flat when it needed to be sharp.
Maiava finished the half 12 of 19 for 143 yards, but the numbers only told part of the story as USC went to the locker room trailing 14-10. The Trojans still had time to settle in, but the opening half raised real questions about whether the offense could clean itself up quickly enough to change the tone of the game. [Read more 🡒]
USC Defense Escaped Washington After One Brutal Breakdown
USCs defense came out of Washington with a win, but not without a few uneasy moments that will linger in the film room. In a 25-21 victory over the Huskies, the Trojans had the kind of mixed outing that can leave a staff thankful for the result and still frustrated by the details, from a costly missed-tackle sequence that opened the door for a long touchdown to the kind of timely response that kept the game from slipping away.
Jahkeem Stewarts fumble return for a score gave USC a huge lift, and Kameryn Crawford made key defensive plays late to help secure the finish. Even so, Washington had chances behind Demond Williams Jr. and Chris Lawson, and the combination of injuries and breakdowns made this one feel closer than the Trojans would have preferred, with one brutal lapse standing out in a game they still managed to escape. [Read more 🡒]