LINCOLN, Neb. — During the two weeks since USC’s deflating defeat at Notre Dame, Lincoln Riley reiterated the same rallying cry with his team. Their destiny, he told them, was still in their hands. A special season was still within reach. A College Football Playoff run was still in play.
All it would take was his Trojans putting the past behind them and playing their best football.
But that’s not what happened Saturday. After two weeks preparing to put their best foot forward, USC put together one of its least impressive efforts of the season. Its offense was out of sorts. Its defense was run over on the ground. And yet still, in spite of it all, the Trojans managed to escape with a 21-17 victory.
It didn’t seem like it would go that way for the better part of three quarters Saturday. Jayden Maiava, who entered the game third in the nation in passing yards per game, struggled to do much of anything downfield. The Trojans’ top receivers were held totally in check. As a result, USC was left to rely on walk-on running back King Miller to keep the offense moving.
Miller answered the call, rushing for 129 yards in 18 carries. And in the fourth quarter, after Nebraska’s offense had ground to a halt, it was Miller who punched in the go-ahead touchdown.
But it would take a fortunate sequence of events for USC to even get in that position, starting first with a 43-yard flea flicker to Tanook Hines downfield. A few plays later, a controversial pass interference call brought them within striking distance for Miller to give the Trojans their first lead of the night.
For Maiava, the flea flicker was one of his few notable passes all night. He managed to complete just nine of his 23 passes for 135 yards. He also threw an interception.
USC’s defense did its best work in the second half to ensure Maiava’s poor performance wasn’t a problem. Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson ran for 165 yards in 29 carries, but the rest of the Huskers’ offense only managed 121 yards combined.
And with quarterback Dylan Raiola out for the second half with an injury, USC was able to limit Johnson just enough to weasel its way back into the game.
Considering the way USC came out Saturday, it was a wonder it was even in position to climb back.
Nebraska set the tone early by giving it to Johnson, who responded by busting through tackle after tackle. After USC had opened with a three-and-out, Nebraska held the ball for seven minutes and 14 plays on its first drive, before Raiola threw a third-down touchdown pass to punctuate the possession.
Meanwhile, the Trojans didn’t earn a first down until their third drive of the night. Miller was able to find some running room after that, rushing for 49 yards on a single drive. But just as Miller seemed to find momentum, USC turned away from the run.
With a first down inside the 10-yard line, Riley called three straight pass plays. Then, on the doorstep of a score, USC committed a false start on fourth and short. It ended up settling for a 27-yard field goal.
It was an especially uncharacteristic first half for an offense that came into Saturday averaging more yards than any other team in college football. Another field goal was all the Trojans could muster for the rest of the first half. It was the first time since their loss to Michigan last September that they couldn’t manage at least one first-half touchdown.
The Trojans’ top passing attack was completely grounded before halftime, as Maiava managed a meager 57 yards on six of 16 passing. Miller proved to be the Trojans’ only reliable source of first-half offense, piling up 82 of his 129 yards.
Halftime wouldn’t help matters much. On his first pass of the second half, Maiava threw a pass directly to a Nebraska defender that was easily intercepted.
USC’s defense offset Maiava’s mistake by forcing Nebraska’s quarterback to fumble a few plays later. But the Trojans were quickly stuffed on a fourth and short near midfield.
A missed Nebraska field goal put the ball back in Maiava’s hands. And this time, the Trojans’ quarterback used his legs to make Nebraska pay, stiff-arming his way to a 16-yard touchdown keeper. A two-point conversion tied it.
Miller pushed USC in front on the Trojans’ next possession with his score. It was all they’d need to leave Lincoln clinging to playoff hopes that hadn’t seemed likely even an hour earlier.
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