BATON ROUGE, LA– In the first half of Saturday’s showdown against the LSU Tigers, the UCLA Bruins matched the NO.16 program in the country in Baton Rouge-a late touchdown at the end of the first half- made it even at halftime. Sadly, LSU dominated the second half with a convincing 34-17 victory over the UCLA Bruins.
Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers, who threw some extremely accurate balls, passed for 281 yards and two touchdowns for UCLA (1-2), but continued his ongoing problem with ball security, losing a fumble in the first half and was intercepted in the second.
Photo by Jabril Douglas / fi360 News
“It’s baby steps, but I just like the way my team is fighting. They are being resilient and continually trying to fight during the game,” UCLA coach DeShaun Foster said. “As long as my guys continue to fight and they want to get better, we will get better.”
LSU entered the game as more than three-touchdown favorites. These moral victories only make the loss all the more stinging and crushing.
Both teams went 75 yards on their opening possessions for touchdowns on a 5-yard reception by LSU’s Zavion Thomas and a 20-yard catch by UCLA’s Jack Pedersen.
Photo by Jabril Douglas / fi360 News
Then in the closing moments of the first half, the Bruin faithful witnessed an inspiring play. Maybe the crazy upset was possible, the Bruins drew even in the final seconds of the half. on an 11-yard scoring passing to Logan Loya that Garbers bravely stepped into, releasing just as he was taking a heavy hit.
It was the final score for UCLA on this sunny and sweltering afternoon. LSU imposed their will in the second half, outscoring UCLA 17-0 as the Bruins were blanked.
Breakout LSU freshman running back Caden Durham scored on a 35-yard catch and run. Josh Williams’ 2-yard scoring run in the third quarter gave the Tigers the lead for good. Aaron Anderson finished with six catches for 75 yards.
Photo by Jabril Douglas / fi360 News
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier completed 32 of 44 passes, highlighted by his 45-yard scoring strike to Kyle Parker deep down the right sideline, and did not turn the ball over.
The road isn’t getting any easier for the Bruins, who face another new BIG 10 foe in the NO. 8 Oregon Ducks next week. On Saturday, September 28th it will be a nightcap since kickoff is 8:00pm. The BIG 10 debut between the Bruins and the Ducks will air on Fox.
GLENDALE, Az– The Arizona Cardinals snapped a nine game home losing streak to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, September 15th. From the kickoff- it was all Cardinals and Kyler Murray in a 41-10 rout of the now 0- 2 Los Angeles Rams with no end in site.
The Rams are reeling. After losing star wide receiver Puka Nacua last week in their 26-20 Overtime loss to the Lions, the Rams suffered a devastating blow when All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp left the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw a perfect game, a 158.3 passer rating and rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had an incredible outing.
In the first three-plus minutes of Sunday’s game against the Rams, Harrison exploded for touchdown catches of 23 and 60 yards, thrilling the State Farm Stadium crowd in his home debut in the regular season.
Kyler Murray evaded the Rams defense, acrobatically scrambling outside the pocket before firing a scorching touchdown pass. It just might be the signature highlight of the young season.
By the end of the first quarter, Harrison had four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Amazingly, all of Harrison’s catches came in that first quarter and specifically, the first nine-plus minutes.
Murray said his favorite throw to Harrison was the first touchdown, lobbing a 23-yard score in the back of the end zone.
“It was big for him. His first touchdown,” Murray said. “Obviously after last week, to get the jitters out last week and put everything to rest, just come out here and play hard, play together and get a win, it was good.”
Murray finished 17-of-21 passing for 266 yards with three touchdowns. He also had 59 yards rushing on five attempts to help power the Cardinals to a win.
Nothing went right for Los Angeles. Besides Kupp being sidelined for weeks, the running game has struggled. With a rotating offensive line, Kyren Williams has not lived up to expectations.
In addition, the depleted Rams defense was unable to successfully rush the quarterback.
In eight seasons as Rams Head Coach, Sean McVay never stared at a disappointing 0-2 start.
Their home opener against the 49ers is next Sunday. Coming home to the comforts of SoFi Stadium, the Rams need their fans to cheer them on in a must win. Anything to prevent the entire stadium from being red.
Corvallis, OR – The old civil war jumped off in early week 3 match up between undefeated visiting No 9 Oregon Duck and Oregon State Beavers both with 2-0 record to start the season. When clock ticked triple zeros, the Ducks quaked away with 49-14 victory.
Oregon signal caller Dilon Gabriel introduced himself on the filed in the crosstown state matchup. After he threw for 291 yards, 2 touchdowns on 20/24 passes and also running for a 54-yard touchdown.
“If you give me the time, I’ll do the crime’, said Oregon quarterback Dilon Gabriel, “It feels good, I think as we continue to execute at a high level.”
Photo by Evan Luecke / fi360 News
The Ducks defense shut down the Beavers in the second half as the kept their foot on the gas with 27 unanswered points.
“We played to our standard today,” said coach Dan Lanning “Tale of two half’s today.”
The running game was present too with 240 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground. Running Back Jordan James ran for 86-yards on 12 caries with two touchdowns.
Gabriel’s favorite receiving target was Tez Johnson with had 7 catches for 110 yards. Now Jayden Limar had two big catches for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Photo by Evan Luecke / fi360 News
Oregon St running game led for Anthony Hankerson was working with him leading his team with 57-yards, reaching the endzone twice for his teams only points in the first half.
Gevani McCoy tried to get his team back in scoring position throwing for 172 yards attempting 34 passes in catchup mode connecting on 22 of them. Trent Walker was his main target catching 8 passes for 68 yards averaging 8.5 yards per catch.
“Really proud of our guys performance and it shows what we are capable of,” said Lanning “Are guys focus was really cranked up staying in a rhythm.”
Photo by Evan Luecke / fi360 News
This Oregon team made sure they finished this game and never let up on the gas as they did last year verse the Beavers.
Now the Ducks will have a bye week before traveling to Pasadena to face off with the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl. The Beavers will host Purdue Saturday for 5:30pm kickoff who will be looking to shake off the tough loss to Norte Dame.
Pasadena, CA – UCLA opened up a new era of Bruin football on Saturday afternoon as they hosted Indiana in their inaugural Big Ten conference game. However, the Hoosiers played the spoiler in their 42-13 drubbing over the Bruins at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA head coach Deshaun Foster said the loss felt personal in his home coaching debut.
“This hurts, I’m a Bruin through and through,” Foster said. “I don’t want to get emotional, but it hurts. That’s not acceptable and we’re gonna fix it.”
Garbers running from pressure. (Photo by Full Image 360)
The UCLA offense sputtered all game long as they couldn’t get in sync after quarterback Ethan Garbers fumbled on the Bruins first play from scrimmage.
A self-inflicted wound that just can’t happen, especially on the first play of the game,” Garbers added.
Garbers finished the game 14 for 23 with 137 yards through the air and one interception as the Bruins pass attack was relatively non-existent.
“At the end of the day, it just comes down to execution and we just didn’t do it tonight,” Garbers confessed.
Foster reiterated that the Bruins have to stay ahead of the chains if they want to be successful on offense
Cross pulls in a one handed catch for big yards. (Photo by Full Image 360)
“Offensively, we have to learn to stay ahead of the chains,” Foster said. “It’s a learning experience for both sides of the ball and we have to continue to improve.”
Despite having talented junior TJ Harden in the backfield, the Bruins once again struggled to run the ball effectively. Harden rushed for just 48 yards on 12 carries as UCLA’s offensive line struggled to get a push upfront.
I know it’s going to get repetitive, but we are just not executing.” Foster admitted. “I would want to say some other things. I would like to tell you guys something else. But i’d be lying. We’re executing at practice, but it is not carrying over to the game.”
The Hoosiers offense was rolling coming into this game after dropping over 70 points last week in their win. After starting the game with back-to-back touchdown drives, it was apparent that Indiana’s offense wasn’t going to show any signs of cooling down.
Rourke throws a pass. (Photo by Full Image 360)
The Hoosiers’ quarterback Kurtis Rourke was surgical in the rout over the Bruins. He threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns as the Bruins secondary struggled.
Foster was honest about the unit’s performance.
“It wasn’t really what we would like. Guys didn’t really execute. We have got to get in there and watch the film and find a way to get guys to execute. But you can’t make any excuses. We lined up and got beat.”
The Bruins scored their only touchdown late in the second quarter when Harden walked into the end zone from one yard out.
Harden jumps out of tackle. (Photo by Full Image 360)
In the second half, UCLA couldn’t finish drives and instead settled for two field goals after drives of 9 and 11 plays long stalled out in Hoosiers territory.
Meanwhile the Indiana offense tacked on another three touchdowns in the second half to seal the deal.
With the loss the Bruins will fall to 1-1 as UCLA moves into the toughest part of their schedule, starting next Saturday at LSU followed up with games against Oregon and Penn State.
BERKELEY, Calif. – Fernando Mendoza threw for 198 yards and two touchdowns and ran for one more to lead California (3-0, 2-0 ACC) to a 31-10 victory Saturday night over San Diego State University (1-2, 0-1 Mountain West) before 35,197 at California Memorial Stadium.
Cal amassed 473 yards, with Jaivian Thomas running for 169 yards and Kadarius Calloway running for 87 yards and a touchdown. The Golden Bears open the season with three for the first time since 2019.
Photo by Jeremi Massey / fi360 News
Cal moved to 3-0 on the year, while San Diego State fell to 1-2 overall. Cal overcame six sacks, 12 penalties, a missed field goal and three failed fourth downs to come away with the victory.
At halftime, Cal led 7-3.
The Aztecs got on the scoreboard first after Nick Lopez kicked a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Cal would respond, with Mendoza scoring an 8-yard touchdown run.
The Golden Bears broke the game open in the third quarter and scored 17 unanswered points in the second half. Calloway punched in a 7-yard touchdown after Thomas peeled off a 57-yard run to set him up for the score. Mendoza threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Corey Dyches to cap off a 90-yard drive.
Photo by Jeremi Massey / fi360 News
Ryan Coe’s 48-yard field goal pushed Cal’s lead to 24-3 in the fourth quarter.
The Bears prevented the Aztecs from scoring a touchdown until the fourth quarter. After surrendering 32.8 points last season, Cal has held all three opponents to 14 or fewer points.
San Diego State receiver Jordan Napier caught a 40-yard pass from Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson to give the Aztecs their lone touchdown, bringing the score to 24-10.
Photo by Jeremi Massey / fi360 News
Mendoza added a 15-yard touchdown pass to Nyziah Hunter, giving the Freshman four touchdown receptions in three games this season.
Tupou’ata-Johnson went 13 for 29 for 156 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
San Diego State travels to Central Michigan on September 28th.
Photo by Jeremi Massey / fi360 News
California travels to Florida State on Saturday in its first conference game since joining the ACC.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on, September 14, 2024. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
Lafayette, IN- It’s College Football Saturday—tailgates, roaring fans, and the quest for trophies or bragging rights! Today, the storied Shillelagh Trophy is on the line as Purdue faces Notre Dame for their
88th meeting. This intrastate rivalry, dating back to 1896, didn’t see the birth of the trophy until 1957 when a passionate Notre Dame supporter, Joe McLaughlin, donated a shillelagh from Ireland. Coming off a dominant win over Indiana State and enjoying a bye week, Purdue looks to continue their momentum.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on, September 14, 2024. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
Meanwhile, Notre Dame, stung by a surprising loss to Northern Illinois, is fired up to avoid back-to-back defeats in front of a sold-out Ross-Ade Stadium crowd.
The first Shillelagh Trophy game in 1957 saw Notre Dame claim the inaugural victory, but the history between the two teams is more balanced than it seems. While Notre Dame holds the overall winning record, Purdue had strong stretches early on, particularly between 1954 and 1969 when they won 11 of 16 matchups. Despite their struggles in the rivalry, Purdue’s most recent victory came in 2007, though their 2004 win notably snapped a 30-game losing streak.
Since then, Notre Dame has dominated, maintaining their hold on the Shillelagh Trophy.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on, September 14, 2024. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
Fans leaving before halftime is often a telltale sign of a blowout in the making, and unfortunately, Purdue found themselves on the losing end today. Despite the explosive offense that Purdue showcased opening week vs Indiana State, the bye week seemed to have put them in a slump, with the team managing barely 70 yards of total offense in the first half. Their defense struggled mightily, while Notre Dame made a powerful statement, determined not to suffer back-to-back losses.
Notre Dame’s offense, led by quarterback Riley Leonard and running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, dominated the field. Leonard was a dual threat, rushing for 100 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries, while also passing for 112 yards. The offense accumulated nearly 400 total yards in the first half alone. Adding to the misery for Purdue, Notre Dame’s defense also got in on the action, with Boubacar Traore intercepting a pass from Hudson Card and returning it for a pick-six. Shortly thereafter, Jadarian Price delivered a 70-yard touchdown run, weaving through Purdue’s defense and pushing the score to 42-0 by halftime.
In Indiana, resilience and grit are key, and Purdue attempted to channel both as they started the second half with the ball. The drive showed some promise, with Hudson Card connecting on a few passes to his receivers, but ultimately, they were forced to go three-and-out, handing possession back to Notre Dame. With starter Riley Leonard’s day done after a stellar first half, Notre Dame turned to backup quarterback Steve Angeli, who quickly found Cooper Flanagan for a 28-yard touchdown pass, continuing their offensive dominance on just the second play of the half.
Purdue’s struggles persisted as they went three-and-out again, immediately giving the ball back to Notre Dame’s high-powered offense. The Fighting Irish wasted no time adding to their lead, scoring another quick touchdown to extend their advantage.
Despite the overwhelming deficit, Purdue finally showed some life on offense, crafting their best drive of the day late in the game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on, September 14, 2024. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
Hudson Card found a small spark, connecting with De’Nylon Morrissette for a 5-yard touchdown pass to put Purdue on the board. While it was too little, too late, the drive at least gave the remaining fans something to cheer for after a long afternoon of watching Notre Dame dominate both sides of the ball.
After Purdue’s lone touchdown, the team seemed to lose focus, with multiple drives ending in three-and-outs, turnovers, and missed tackles. The lack of execution was glaring, and as head coach Ryan Walters noted, it was a breakdown on all fronts. “It was a lack of physicality, undisciplined eyes, undisciplined technique, missed tackles — you name it, every mistake we made, they capitalized on it,” Walters admitted after the game. Allowing 362 rushing yards and six touchdowns to Notre Dame is not a recipe for winning football.
The Boilermakers never found their rhythm and struggled to stop Notre Dame’s relentless attack. As the game dragged on, Purdue’s issues on both offense and defense became more pronounced, leaving little room for any hope of a comeback. Despite the setback, Coach Walters and his staff will need to regroup quickly as the schedule doesn’t get any easier from here.
Purdue hits the road next week to face a tough Oregon State team before returning home on September 28th to face an improved Nebraska squad in what will be a key Big Ten matchup. While this loss was a tough pill to swallow, there’s no doubt Walters will have his team prepared for the challenges ahead.
Utah vs Utah St (Photo by Jason Strother / fi360 News)
LOGAN, Utah — Freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson made his first career start a memorable one, leading the University of Utah to a 38-21 victory over Utah State on Saturday in the “Battle of the Brothers” at Maverik Stadium.
Wilson threw for 239 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, rallying the No. 12 Utes from an early 14-3 deficit with a 25-0 run that proved too much for the Aggies. In doing so, he became the first true freshman in Utah history to throw three touchdown passes in his debut.
Utah vs Utah St (Photo by Jason Strother / fi360 News)
The game wasn’t without its struggles for Wilson, who overthrew several passes early and made a few missteps. However, as the game progressed, the young quarterback found his rhythm. In the third quarter, Wilson completed seven straight passes — including a 20-yard strike to Money Parks in double coverage — to set up key scoring drives.
“It’s getting over that ridge of being nervous,” Wilson said after the game. “I’m confident, I feel composed, and leaned on my offensive line, wide receivers, and running backs.”
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham praised Wilson’s growth throughout the game.
“He settled in and got more comfortable and confident as the game went on,” Whittingham said. “It was really good to see Isaac step up and play with some real confidence.”
Utah vs Utah St (Photo by Jason Strother / fi360 News)
But the Utes faced a fierce challenge from Utah State transfer quarterback Bryson Barnes, who played his first game against his former team with the same fearless style Utah fans remembered from his time in Salt Lake City. Barnes threw for 223 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, adding 49 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown.
Barnes sparked the Aggies’ early 14-3 lead with a pair of touchdown passes, including a 39-yard strike to Otto Tia and a 35-yard bomb to Jalen Royals, setting up a touchdown pass to Jack Hestera. Barnes’ gutsy performance also included a daring 14-yard scramble on third-and-15 that helped keep Utah State’s hopes alive late in the game.
“He’s the toughest player on the field when he’s out there,” interim head coach Nate Dreiling said. “And he willed our way to stay in that game.”
Despite Barnes’ efforts, Utah’s superior talent and Wilson’s poise helped the Utes regain control. A second-quarter interception by Barnes shifted momentum in Utah’s favor, allowing the Utes to score just before halftime and take a 17-14 lead they would not relinquish.
Utah vs Utah St (Photo by Jason Strother / fi360 News)
Rahsul Faison was a bright spot for the Aggies, rushing for 119 yards on 19 carries, while Tia added five receptions for 78 yards. But ultimately, mistakes and missed opportunities plagued Utah State. Barnes overthrew a potential touchdown pass to Tia in the fourth quarter that could have cut the Utes’ lead to a single possession.
“When you’re playing a team like Utah, who’s picked to win the Big 12, things have to go pretty perfect,” Dreiling said.
In the end, Wilson’s steady hand and Utah’s relentless defense sealed the victory, giving the Utes confidence in their quarterback of the future.
“It’s comforting knowing that Isaac is capable of doing what you saw this afternoon,” Whittingham said.
Utah vs Utah St (Photo by Jason Strother / fi360 News)
For Utah State, the performance suggested the Aggies have the offensive firepower to compete in the Mountain West this season, and the Barnes-led offense proved it could stand toe-to-toe with one of the nation’s top defenses.
The “Battle of the Brothers” may have ended in a Utah victory, but both teams saw glimpses of potential as the season moves forward.
INGLEWOOD, CA– A fight broke out at the Los Angeles Chargers Las Vegas Raiders game at scorching SoFi Stadium on September 8th. The Chargers defeated the Raiders, 22-10 in the debut of the Jim Harbaugh era, but the multiple scuffles on the sidelines and in the end zone is what the game will be remembered for.
After a failed 2-point conversion at SoFi Stadium, players from both teams were involved in a lengthy scrum in the back of the end zone that lasted awhile. Players and coaches from both teams came running out to try to end the incident that appeared to start between Chargers receiver Joshua Palmer and Raiders cornerback Jack Jones.
Both Palmer and Jones were hit with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and ejected.
On the field, The Chargers entered halftime down 7-6 after a very slow first half, but put up 13 points in the fourth quarter to grab the win, the first under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who landed there after leading Michigan to a National Title last season in college football.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert went 17-of-26 for 144 yards with one touchdown in the win for the Chargers. J.K. Dobbins had 135 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries to lead them on the ground, and McConkey had a team-high 39 receiving yards on five catches.
The Chargers averaged 6.5 yards per carry and rushed for 176 yards as a team to pick up the win for Harbaugh, who returned to the NFL after leading Michigan Wolverines to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023, in what proved to be a chippy contest against the division rivals.
The Harbaugh era begins with a win, and the result is just as important as how the Chargers got there. They stuck with the running game in the second half, finishing with 176 yards on 26 carries. Dobbins led the way, including with a 61-yard run on the Chargers’ game-sealing touchdown drive.
After a sloppy first half, the offense’s physicality came alive in the second half. That extended to a brawl that erupted after a Chargers’ two-point attempt in the fourth quarter. The vision also materialized on defense, as the Chargers edge rushers dominated the game. Joey Bosa, who had a sack and forced fumble, was one of the best players on the field on either side. Khalil Mack added two sacks.
EUGENE, OR – After missing a go-ahead extra point in the third quarter, Oregon’s Atticus Finch became the hero of the night when he kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired to give the Ducks their second win of the season, defeating Boise State 37-34.
Head Coach Dan Lanning made multiple adjustments throughout the game. Most notably, was the rotation of offensive lineman who struggled to get a push in the run game and allowed 4 sacks on the night. After the game Lanning stated that “we’re going to figure out who the best is”.
Photo by Evan Luecke / fi360 News
Lanning’s halftime adjustments were particularly effective as Oregon’s defense shut Boise State out in the third quarter and their offense found a spark with a 59-yard touchdown by wide receiver Traeshon Holden on their opening drive.
Boise State’s Heisman hopeful running back, Ashton Jeanty, kept the Broncos in the game after he capitalized on back-to-back fumbles in the fourth quarter. A 70-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 27, and an 8-yard touchdown that gave the Broncos their fourth lead of the game at 34-27.
Jeanty finished the night with 25 carries for 192 yards and three touchdowns and now leads the Nation in both rushing yards and touchdowns.
Photo by Evan Luecke / fi360 News
While Oregon’s offense struggled late, their special teams kept them in the game with touchdowns on an 85-yard punt return by Tez Johnson and a 100-yard kick return by Noah Whittington. Lanning stated “Usually in a game where you have two take aways you’re not going have an opportunity to win that game. I think really the difference tonight was special teams.”
Photo by Evan Luecke / fi360 News
Oregon will head north to Corvallis next Saturday, September 14th, to face in-state rival Oregon State.
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Utah State Aggies against the USC Trojans on September 7, 2024, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 News)
USC’s defense recorded its first shutout since 2011 in a dominating 48-0 win over Utah State Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Aggies were held to 190 total yards while the Trojans offense totaled 544 yards as they improved to 2-0 in the season.
The 103 net yards passing by Utah State tonight was the fewest passing yards surrendered in a game by the Trojans since holding California to 93 net passing yards on Nov. 10, 2018.
“Very proud of the defense. I was told it’s the first shutout at SC since 2011,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “It’s very hard to shut people out in modern-day college football. I’m really proud of us maintaining our play defensively the entire night. The offense did a good job running the ball — that was a big emphasis point, so we’re proud of the way the guys responded and ran the ball.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 07: Utah State Aggies against the USC Trojans on September 7, 2024, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 News)
Running back Woody Marks finished with 13 carries for 103 yards and his running mate Quinten Joyner added 10 carries for 84 yards. Both career highs for Joyner.
USC kicker Michael Lantz converted a 23-yard field goal to give the Trojans an early 3-0 lead. Utah was forced to punt on its next possession. Joyner led the ensuing drive with a 32-yard run then capped the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to give USC a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
After another Utah State punt, USC went on an 11-play, 77-yard drive which resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run from Marks. USC took a 17-0 lead at the beginning of the second quarter.
The Trojans added a 24-yard field goal from Lantz to extend the lead 20-0 with 1:41 left in the second quarter. On the next possession, Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes’ pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by USC linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 07: Utah State Aggies against the USC Trojans on September 7, 2024, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 News)
“I think the scoreboard and the statistics don’t really show how well the defense might have done,” Mascarenas-Arnold said. “The standard is the standard on our side of the ball and it’s the standard for the whole team. We know what we gotta do, and I think we had good execution today.”
USC capitalized on the turnover with a Miller Moss 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Makai Lemon. The Trojans took a 27-0 lead with four seconds left in the first half. In his first career start at the Coliseum, Moss went 21-for-30 for 229 yards and a TD. He completed 70 percent of his passes tonight and has completed 69.7 percent or more of his passes in each of his first 3 career starts.
The running game continued to dominate for the Trojans in the second half as Joyner scored his second touchdown of the game to give USC a 34-0 lead in the third quarter. Backup quarterback Jayden Maiava saw his first action as a Trojan, coming in late in the third quarter. In his first series, he led USC on a 59- yard scoring drive, going 5-for-5 passing and then scoring on a 7-yard TD run. Maiava finished 8-for-11 for 66 yards passing with his 7-yard TD run.
SEPTEMBER 07: Utah State Aggies against the USC Trojans on September 7, 2024, at United Airlines Field at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 News)
“He did a good job. It was fun to get him in the game,” Riley said of Maiava’s play. “Like a lot of these young guys, you never know when that opportunity is going to come. These reps are invaluable. Just glad we figured out how to turn some lights on so we could get the rest of them in.”
Running back A’Marion Peterson had a career-high in carries (3) and yards (18) and scored his first career touchdown on a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter.
USC will have a bye before they return to action against Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 21 for their Big 10 debut.
