USC running back Woody Marks bowled his way into the end zone with eight seconds left to give the No. 23 Trojans a 27-20 win over No. 13 LSU in Las Vegas on Sunday night.
The Trojans got the ball back with 1:47 to go after LSU tied the game on a field goal by Damien Ramos. USC calmly drove down the field despite having just one timeout and got the opportunity for the game-winning score when Miller Moss found Kyron Hudson along the sideline with 13 seconds to go.
Hudson got hit inside the 30 and LSU’s Jardin Gilbert was flagged for targeting on the hit. Gilbert’s helmet-to-helmet contact moved the ball inside the 20 and set up Marks’ 14-yard TD as it appeared that USC would be playing for a game-winning field goal attempt.
LSU had one last-gasp chance after Marks’ TD, but QB Garrett Nussmeier was picked off by Mason Cobb on the Tigers’ first play of the drive.
LSU has lost five straight Week 1 games
In a stat that seems too wild to be real, Sunday night’s loss is the fifth consecutive Week 1 defeat for LSU since the Tigers went undefeated in 2019 on the way to a national title.
LSU opened the 2020 season with a 44-34 loss at home to Mississippi State and followed that up with a 38-27 loss at UCLA to start the 2021 season. The first game of the Brian Kelly era started with a missed extra point and a 24-23 loss to Florida State in New Orleans, and the Seminoles beat the Tigers again by 21 points in 2023 on the way to an undefeated season.
The Tigers have been scheduling big Week 1 contests thanks to the massive paydays that come with neutral site games and the College Football Playoff’s increased importance on non-conference wins. With the playoff expanding to 12 teams this season, LSU is far from out of playoff contention. And there’s plenty of good things to take away from the game for Tiger fans.
Nussmeier showed he’s a worthy successor to 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels as he was 29-of-38 passing for 304 yards and two touchdowns. Nussmeier had an immediate connection with star receiver Kyren Lacy (seven catches for 94 yards) and looked calm and decisive in the pocket.
The Tigers’ defense wasn’t overwhelmed either. LSU had three first-round draft picks on offense a season ago but wasn’t a factor for the SEC title because of a defense that gave up six yards a play. The secondary still needs some work, but the unit showed promise in defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s first game in charge. USC ran for just 69 yards, though Moss threw for 378 yards on just 37 pass attempts.
USC gets a statement win
The Trojans also made a change at defensive coordinator in the offseason after firing Alex Grinch during the 2023 season. USC hired UCLA coordinator D’Anton Lynn to run the defense over the offseason and the change was evident on Sunday. The Trojans looked much more physical and were far better tacklers than they have been in recent seasons. Yes, LSU racked up 421 yards of offense, but it was a fine first showing for the USC defense.
Moss also looked like a worthy successor to 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams. Moss threw for six touchdowns in his first start in the Holiday Bowl a season ago and completed passes to 10 different players on Sunday night.
Given the way the USC defense looked, you can’t blame Trojan fans for thinking about the College Football Playoff in USC’s first season in the Big Ten. And we’ll find out about USC’s playoff viability soon enough. The Trojans play at Michigan in three weeks before also playing against Wisconsin and Penn State over the first five games of the season.
