Los Angeles, CA – Friday was the first meeting between the two teams since the 1996 Rose Bowl, a game USC won 41-32. The 1996 Rose Bowl MVP Keyshawn Johnson led USC out of the tunnel before Friday night’s contest.
“Awesome, awesome win. Privately, we were excited about the challenge that this became with flipping time zones,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “Obviously, it was a tough battle in Lincoln just a few days ago, and then having to turn over and play a really good football team coming off a bye week. I felt like the last few games would be a really important stretch for this season, and it’s cool to see our guys respond.”
USC got on the board first with a Jaydon Maiava 7-yard pass to Makai Lemon for a 7-0 lead. Northewestern answered with a Preston Stone 4-yard touchdown pass to Griffin Wilde with 45 seconds left in the first quarter.
Lemon had a career-high 161 receiving yards and matched his career-high receptions with 11. It was his fourth 100 plus yard receiving game of the season, surpassing his previous career high of 158 yards against Georgia Southern (Sept. 6).
The Trojans came right back with a 9-play, 58-yard drive that was capped by a Maiava 6-yard touchdown run to give USC a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. The Wildcats stormed back to tie it 14-14 with a Caleb Komolafe 2-yard touchdown run.
Northwestern missed an opportunity to take the lead before halftime when Maiava was intercepted by Najee Story at the Trojans 25. He returned it and was headed towards the end zone when Maiava laid a hit on him that jarred the ball loose at the 1-yard line. The ball went out of bounce resulting in a touchback.
“We got the look we wanted first to play. So I thought getting back to Lem (Makai Lemon, WR) was the right read, so I made the throw, and I don’t even know where he (DL Najee Story) came from, honestly,” Maiava said. “I just saw him running with the ball. Seeing him down the sideline, I thought I should just go out there and sacrifice my body for my brothers and to potentially get the ball back.”
On the next play, King MIller got looose for a 55-yard run. Miller scored on the ensuing play with a 12-yard run to give USC a 21-14 lead before halftime. Miller finished with 127 rushing yards.
USC’s defense forced a punt at the beginning of the third quarter and the Trojans scored on the following drive with another sensational 10-yard reception by Ja’kobi Lane in the end zone.
The USC defense held Northwestern to just three points in the second half, marking the second straight game the Trojans have held an opponent to three points in the second half after doing the same against Nebraska last week.
Northwestern added a field goal before Lemon scored on a 4-yard run to give USC a 35-17 lead in the fourth quarter.
Up next for USC is a home game against Iowa on Saturday, Nov.15.
