CHAMPAIGN, Unwell. — The unfastened ball tumbled by means of the top zone, slipping by means of one set of fingertips, then one other, blue-and-orange our bodies clawing desperately apart cardinal-and-gold ones. A lot had gone incorrect for USC all afternoon, from its struggling secondary to its stifled move rush to its inconsistent quarterback, however on the most important second in its season up to now, right here was a very lucky coincidence, as linebacker Eric Gentry punched out a fumble and, by some means, a way, Christian Pierce had recovered it.
After a seamless 4-0 begin to the Trojans’ season, the deck had appeared stacked towards all of them afternoon. Their beginning left sort out was out. Their beginning middle quickly joined him. Their high red-zone goal was restricted, and their defensive chief, Kamari Ramsey, was up all night time puking.
For some time, that gave the impression to be the least of the issues going through USC on Saturday. The dashing assault couldn’t discover room. Each strains have been being blown off the ball, and the secondary was struggling to cease the bleeding. Then there have been the self-inflicted errors, the exact same ones that had marred the season thus far.
All that, nonetheless, can be washed away with that unfastened ball ultimately zone, the second fumble Illinois had coughed up that near the top zone. A sliver of hope instantly turned to ecstasy as quarterback Jayden Maiava launched a rope to the nook of the top zone that discovered Makai Lemon for a go-ahead rating with underneath lower than two minutes remaining within the sport.
However that hope was erased simply as rapidly, fading as soon as once more into the frustration, as Illinois drove the sector for a game-winning area purpose as time expired, beating USC, 34-32.
Illinois (4-1, 1-1 in Massive Ten) gave the Trojans (4-1, 2-1) alternatives to take over the sport. They fumbled on the purpose line the primary time simply earlier than halftime, and struggled to maneuver the ball to begin the third quarter.
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) rushes for a landing in the course of the first half in a win over USC.
(Craig Pessman / Related Press)
However backbreaking errors continued to mar the Trojans on each side of the ball. Driving with an opportunity to tie the rating within the third quarter, Maiava threw an ill-advised move over the center that was intercepted.
USC’s protection compelled a uncommon three-and-out on the subsequent drive, just for its personal offense to go three-and-out in response.
Illinois wouldn’t waste its alternative after that, as Kadin Feagin caught a swing move, shook one USC defender, turned the nook and noticed nothing however open area in entrance of him. His 66-yard landing would safe Illinois’ lead till that late fumble gave USC life.
The Trojans may need been in higher form earlier than that if it weren’t for his or her protection, which struggled mightily all through Saturday. USC gave up 502 yards and was typically picked aside by Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, who had 331 passing yards and two touchdowns.
The Trojans additionally struggled once more with penalties, committing eight for 69 yards. Probably the most essential got here on the ultimate drive when cornerback DJ Harvey was referred to as for a important move interference penalty.
USC’s quarterback was not precisely at his greatest on Saturday. Beneath extra strain than he’d confronted all season, Maiava sailed a number of passes and missed a number of open receivers. He additionally threw his first interception of the season.
However he did make his share of eye-popping passes downfield, together with hitting Lemon within the nook of the top zone for that 19-yard, fourth-quarter landing. Maiava completed with 364 yards and two touchdowns.
Lemon did his greatest to hold USC on his personal, particularly with Ja’Kobi Lane out due to an harm. He caught 11 passes for 151 yards.
From the beginning, it was a tough day for the Trojans.
Simply as USC began to search out its stride early, Waymond Jordan burst by means of a gap on second down and misplaced management of the ball. The fumble, his second on a gap drive in three weeks, bounced proper into the arms of Illinois defensive again Jaheim Clarke, and the Illini mounted a 10-play landing drive from there, hanging with a 10-yard landing run from Altmyer.
Regardless of the fumble, USC went proper again on the following possession to the dashing assault and Jordan, who punched in a one-yard rating. However Illinois punched again with an excellent longer drive, capped by a trick-play landing from Altmyer.
USC pulled out a trick play of its personal a couple of minutes later, as Jordan, operating towards the sideline, tossed the ball to Maiava for a fringe flea-flicker. He instantly launched a move downfield to Lemon, who juked two defenders out of their footwear on his approach into the top zone.
However the 75-yard rating was finally referred to as again on account of backup middle J’Onre Reed being too far downfield.
The penalty was practically a devastating one. USC’s 13-play drive stalled simply previous midfield, as Maiava threw three consecutive incompletions, and the Trojans turned the ball over on downs. Illinois proceeded to march down the sector, all the way in which to the USC two-yard line.
In determined want of a break simply earlier than halftime, USC received a present on the purpose line. As Feagin tried to drive his approach by means of visitors, the ball got here unfastened, and USC recovered.
The sequence was vital. With out sufficient proof to overturn the decision, the Trojans charged down the sector in time to safe a area purpose. What maybe ought to have been a two-score lead for the Illini popping out of the half was as a substitute simply 4.
Nonetheless, it proved an excessive amount of for USC to beat.
