LINCOLN, Neb. — Through the two weeks since USC’s deflating defeat at Notre Dame, Lincoln Riley reiterated the identical rallying cry along with his workforce. Their future, he informed them, was nonetheless of their fingers. A particular season was nonetheless inside attain. A School Soccer Playoff run was nonetheless in play.
All it might take was his Trojans placing the previous behind them and enjoying their greatest soccer.
However that’s not what occurred Saturday. After two weeks making ready to place their greatest foot ahead, USC put collectively one in all its least spectacular efforts of the season. Its offense was out of kinds. Its protection was run over on the bottom. And but nonetheless, despite all of it, the Trojans managed to flee with a 21-17 victory.
It didn’t seem to be it might go that method for the higher a part of three quarters Saturday. Jayden Maiava, who entered the sport third within the nation in passing yards per recreation, struggled to do a lot of something downfield. The Trojans’ high receivers have been held completely in test. Consequently, USC was left to depend on walk-on operating again King Miller to maintain the offense shifting.
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, flanked by operating again King Miller, seems to be to go towards Nebraska Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.
(Bonnie Ryan / Related Press)
Miller answered the decision, dashing for 129 yards in 18 carries. And within the fourth quarter, after Nebraska’s offense had floor to a halt, it was Miller who punched within the go-ahead landing.
However it might take a lucky sequence of occasions for USC to even get in that place, beginning first with a 43-yard flea flicker to Tanook Hines downfield. A number of performs later, a controversial go interference name introduced them inside putting distance for Miller to offer the Trojans their first lead of the evening.
For Maiava, the flea flicker was one in all his few notable passes all evening. He managed to finish simply 9 of his 23 passes for 135 yards. He additionally threw an interception.
USC’s protection did its greatest work within the second half to make sure Maiava’s poor efficiency wasn’t an issue. Nebraska operating again Emmett Johnson ran for 165 yards in 29 carries, however the remainder of the Huskers’ offense solely managed 121 yards mixed.
And with quarterback Dylan Raiola out for the second half with an harm, USC was capable of restrict Johnson simply sufficient to weasel its method again into the sport.
Contemplating the way in which USC got here out Saturday, it was a marvel it was even in place to climb again.
Nebraska set the tone early by giving it to Johnson, who responded by busting by means of deal with after deal with. After USC had opened with a three-and-out, Nebraska held the ball for seven minutes and 14 performs on its first drive, earlier than Raiola threw a third-down landing go to punctuate the possession.
In the meantime, the Trojans didn’t earn a primary down till their third drive of the evening. Miller was capable of finding some operating room after that, dashing for 49 yards on a single drive. However simply as Miller appeared to seek out momentum, USC turned away from the run.
Nebraska’s Elijah Jeudy pushes USC quarterback Jayden Maiava out of bounds Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.
(Steven Branscombe / Getty Pictures)
With a primary down contained in the 10-yard line, Riley known as three straight go performs. Then, on the doorstep of a rating, USC dedicated a false begin on fourth and quick. It ended up settling for a 27-yard area purpose.
It was an particularly uncharacteristic first half for an offense that got here into Saturday averaging extra yards than another workforce in faculty soccer. One other area purpose was all of the Trojans may muster for the remainder of the primary half. It was the primary time since their loss to Michigan final September that they couldn’t handle no less than one first-half landing.
The Trojans’ high passing assault was utterly grounded earlier than halftime, as Maiava managed a meager 57 yards on six of 16 passing. Miller proved to be the Trojans’ solely dependable supply of first-half offense, piling up 82 of his 129 yards.
Halftime wouldn’t assist issues a lot. On his first go of the second half, Maiava threw a go on to a Nebraska defender that was simply intercepted.
USC’s protection offset Maiava’s mistake by forcing Nebraska’s quarterback to fumble a couple of performs later. However the Trojans have been shortly stuffed on a fourth and quick close to midfield.
A missed Nebraska area purpose put the ball again in Maiava’s fingers. And this time, the Trojans’ quarterback used his legs to make Nebraska pay, stiff-arming his approach to a 16-yard landing keeper. A two-point conversion tied it.
Miller pushed USC in entrance on the Trojans’ subsequent possession along with his rating. It was all they’d want to depart Lincoln clinging to playoff hopes that hadn’t appeared possible even an hour earlier.
