The eyes of Los Angeles were elsewhere, the city’s focus focused five miles on highway 110. Meanwhile, the rest of the country had presumably fallen asleep, unenthusiastic about night football between two teams from the bottom half of the Big Ten.
But after spending three weeks unveiling himself for all the world to see, USC returned to a sparsely filled Coliseum on Friday night with their confidence shaken and their egos bruised amid a three game droponly to put in some of his best work of the season during a 42-20 win over Rutgers.
Whether anyone was actually watching USC stop the bleeding from its brutal month touring the country was of little concern. Because for the first time since USC beat Wisconsin Here a month ago, the Trojans looked like they were part of a team capable of competing in the Big Ten.
That ship almost certainly sailed for the season following USC’s October nightmare, leaving the Trojans with few postseason options beyond a second-rate bowl game. But the version of the Trojans that appeared well after midnight ET on Friday offered a glimpse of what many expected from USC heading into the season.
The offense was electric, averaging over 9.2 yards per play. miller moss He made several big plays in the passing game, with six completions of 18 yards or more. Woody Marks scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half. A No. 1 receiver even seemed to emerge, as Makai Lemon continued his recent run by posting a career-best night of 134 yards and a touchdown.
USC’s defense even clamped down at a critical moment, shutting the door on Rutgers in the second half. He still gave up over 400 yards for the third straight week, allowing the Scarlet Knights to keep it close until the third quarter.
But the Trojans proved too powerful in the second half. With Rutgers still within a score, Moss hit Lemon for a 70-yard gain down the field. The quarterback ran himself for a score two plays later.
The pair put him aside shortly after that, when Moss found Lemon running downfield and hit him for a 40-yard touchdown.
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USC’s offense hummed from the start. Four consecutive plays went for first downs on the Trojans’ first drive before Marks capped it with a one-yard touchdown run.
Rutgers got its own rushing attack going early behind Kyle Monangai, the Big Ten’s second-leading rusher. He carried the ball on seven of Rutgers’ first eight plays, gaining 50 yards during the Scarlet Knights’ first drive alone.
But despite Monangai’s best efforts, the Scarlet Knights managed just one field goal on their first drive. And that wasn’t enough to keep up with USC.
It didn’t take long for the Trojans to make it clear. Lemon caught the kickoff at the goal line, then suddenly cut upfield, shaking two Rutgers defenders. With only green grass in front of him, Lemon ran 80 yards before being caught. Marks scored again soon after, his second touchdown in the first quarter.
Rutgers continued to move the ball against the USC defense, running many more plays (45 to 27) and monopolizing possession for most of the half. But when the Trojans had the ball, they had no problem flying from one side of the field to the other.
Moss picked apart Rutgers’ defense in the first half, completing 14 of his first 16 passes, including a touchdown to Kyle Ford, while Marks ran free on the ground, scoring three touchdowns. All four of USC’s first-half drives ended in touchdowns, while Rutgers managed to force the Trojans into third downs. only twice before halftime.
Still, as USC’s defense struggled to get off the field, it gave Rutgers a chance to get back into the game just before the half. Two USC pass interference penalties pushed Rutgers to the goal line with a chance to cut the Trojans’ lead to just 12.
But USC cornerback Prophet Brown dove to break up the first-down pass. Pressure from linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold forced an incomplete pass on second down. And at third, DeCarlos Nicholson, another of USC’s backup cornerbacks, broke a fadeout.
Rutgers ultimately settled for another field goal. And with USC desperately needing one night to put things right, that wasn’t enough to slow its momentum.
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
