Lincoln Riley and the Trojans are leaving Las Vegas with a win.
No. 23 USC stunned No. 13 LSU in a thrilling contest at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada on Sunday night with a 27-20 win to open the season. Trojans quarterback Miller Moss led them on an eight-play, 75-yard game winning drive that lasted just more than 90 seconds late in the fourth quarter that Woody Marks sealed with a 13-yard touchdown run.
That score was set up by wide receiver Kyron Hudson, too, who pulled in a one-handed 20-yard grab with just 18 seconds left. That brought the Trojans into the red zone, thanks to a targeting call that Hudson drew while making the catch.
Moss finished throwing 27-of-36 for 378 yards and one touchdown in the win, which marked USC’s first as a member of the Big Ten conference. The Trojans intercepted LSU one final time to seal the win after their final touchdown, too.
The two teams went into halftime tied up 10-10 on Sunday night after a battle in the first 30 minutes. Garrett Nussmeier had 191 of his 304 yards in the first half and he found wide receiver Kyren Lacy seven times for 94 yards and a touchdown in the first half. But it was USC and Hudson that made the biggest play of the first half.
Hudson hauled in a wild one-handed grab that he somehow managed to keep from moving when he hit the ground in what was an early Catch of the Year candidate.
The Trojans made it back down to the red zone to open halftime, too, but had to settle for a second straight field goal. That allowed LSU to jump back up. The Tigers scored on a 13-yard completion to Aaron Anderson in the third, and then they came up with a massive fourth down stop to get the ball back midway through the fourth quarter.
After several stalled drives, USC quarterback Miller Moss mounted a quick three-play drive that he capped with a perfect 28-yard toss to Ja’Kobi Lane to get the Trojans up 20-17 late in the fourth.
Though LSU ran down the field immediately, USC stopped them in the red zone and forced a field goal that tied the game up with just less than two minutes to go. That set up Moss’ final drive that gave the Trojans the win and handed LSU it’s fifth consecutive opening-game loss.
LSU will return home to host Nicholls next week. USC will host Utah State next in its home opener before traveling to No. 9 Michigan on Sept. 21.
Live39 updates
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Final: USC 27, LSU 20
The Trojans are victors and the Tigers lose their season-opener for the fifth straight season.
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With just eight seconds left, USC’s Mason Cobb picked off LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier to seal it.
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Touchdown Trojans!
Woody Marks takes away the suspense of a last-second field goal by sprinting right through the LSU defense for a touchdown. There’s only eight seconds left in the game.
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Kyron Hudson catches a ball deep in LSU territory and it looks like they’re going to call targeting on LSU to add another 15 yards onto the play. The Trojans should be in prime range for a game-winning field goal after a review.
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The Trojans are at the LSU 42 with 18 seconds left after four complete passes quickly moved them down the field.
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USC came up with a pair of stops to force an LSU field goal, and we’re tied up again.
The Trojans will have a shot to win it here. It’s 20-20 now with 1:47 left.
Damian Ramos makes a 31-yard field goal to tie the game at 20 with 1:47 left.
Whew, what a game.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 2, 2024
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LSU in scoring position
We’ve reached the two minute warning, and LSU is suddenly in scoring position again. They’re in the red zone now, where a field goal would tie the game up.
The worst-case scenario for #USC is #LSU getting a first down and not scoring a TD soon.
— Antonio Morales (@AntonioCMorales) September 2, 2024
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USC 20, LSU 17
And there we go. Miller Moss just led USC on a three-play touchdown drive and took a huge shot to Ja’Kobi Lane after drawing an offside to put the Trojans back in the lead.
USC is up 20-17 now with 5:44 left in the game.
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USC’s defense holding strong
Once again, USC’s defense came up with another stop and the Trojans will get the ball back. We’ll see if Lincoln Riley can mount a better drive this time after the last one fell apart.
It’s LSU 17, USC 13 with 6:57 left.
Since taking the lead, LSU’s offense has gone 16 yards in eight plays, punted twice and taken just 4:23 off the clock.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 2, 2024
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USC stopped again
The Trojans made it down inside the LSU 35, but they opted to run it on third and 6 and got stopped in the backfield. They then went for it on fourth and 9, and the Tigers almost intercepted it.
That was a rough end to what was an otherwise very solid drive for USC and Lincoln Riley. LSU will take over now near midfield.
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USC gets the stop
And the Trojans got the stop. They’ll get the ball back now at their own 15 yard line now with 13:25 left in the game.
Huge stop by USC’s new-look defense.
Can the Trojans offense cash in? Buckle up.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 2, 2024
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End 3: LSU 17, USC 13
LSU has the ball and is driving again to start the fourth quarter. If USC can’t get a stop here quickly, the Trojans might be in trouble.
End Q3: LSU up 17-13 on USC and Tigers are moving again. Too much offensive inconsistency for the Trojans — in need of a defensive stop here to open the fourth, too
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) September 2, 2024
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LSU getting the ball back
That series was awful for the Trojans. They tried some sort of reversal that nearly ended up in a fumble, and were backed up nearly to the goal line before having to punt.
LSU is back in control here late in the third.
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LSU 17, USC 13
LSU finally ripped off a huge run after John Emery made it 39 yards down the middle to set up an eventual 13-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Anderson.
The Tigers are back in the lead now after that 78-yard, seven play drive. It’s 17-13 now with 3:42 left in the third.
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USC 13, LSU 10
USC made it all the way down into the red zone again, thanks to a 41-yard reception from Kyle Ford early in the drive, but the Trojans stalled out again. Michael Lantz drilled a 35-yard field goal just now to put them in the lead.
It’s 13-10 now with 7:13 left in the third.
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LSU punts it back
And LSU can’t get anything going either, so USC will get the ball back. A pretty slow start to the second half so far.
USC will start at its own 23 yards line with 11:27 left in the half.
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USC punts right away
Well that was quick. LSU just shut down the Trojans and forced a punt not even 90 seconds into the quarter, so the Tigers will now take over at their own 27.
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Second half is underway
LSU has kicked off, and the second half is underway
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Halftime Stats: USC 10, LSU 10
LSU
QB Garrett Nussmeier | 20/24, 191 yards, 1 TD
RB Josh Williams | 7 carries, 27 yards
WR Kyren Lacy | 7 catches, 94 yards, 1 TD
TE Mason Taylor | 6 catches, 47 yards
USC
QB Miller Moss | 13/15, 176 yards
RB Woody Marks | 7 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD
WR Zachariah Branch | 3 catches, 47 yards
WR Duce Robinson | 1 catch, 38 yards
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Halftime: USC 10, LSU 10
USC just made it 63 yards down the field in about a minute to set up a final 29-yard field goal attempt before halftime, but they missed. The clock management wasn’t great on that drive, either, and the Trojans didn’t take a single shot to the end zone.
So it’s now 10-10 at halftime.
