USC football earns stripes against LSU to open season

Faced with the bright lights of Las Vegas, No. 23 USC entered Sunday with many things to prove.

The Trojans (1-0) fielded a new starting quarterback, a new defensive coordinator and a changed roster, all while debuting in a new conference.

And unlike many other ranked teams, USC didn’t schedule a Group of Five or FCS team in Week 1 but rather bet on itself against an SEC juggernaut.

But when it was all said and done, the Trojans (1-0) knew that a win against No. 13 LSU (0-1) to begin the new campaign would send a commanding message concerning the lingering question marks surrounding the team.

In front of an Allegiant Stadium-record-breaking sea of 63,969 spectators, the Trojans not only showed their worth as a new Big Ten program but as a legitimate opponent against one of the nation’s finest. Scoring with eight seconds to go, USC’s 27-20 advantage put the Tigers to rest.

“We worked really hard throughout the offseason to build an identity of a tough team, of a team that really cares about each other,” said redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss. “Our identity really shone through throughout the latter part of that game.”

Moss not only flashed his own talented traits but spread the wealth among the team’s plethora of star-studded pass-catchers. Moss dealt throws to 10 different players, with four eclipsing 50 yards. The gunslinger completed 75% of his throws, totaling 378 yards.

One wideout in particular — redshirt junior Kyron Hudson — showed the duality between flashiness and hard-nosed, clutch football. Hudson reeled in an inconceivable one-handed grab in the second quarter, while later putting the Trojans in position to win by picking up a crucial first down with only 13 ticks remaining. Hudson led the team with 83 receiving yards on five catches.

“Football is football, and we’re the USC Trojans, and we’re gonna come ready to play every single game, whoever it is,” Hudson said. “We prepared and the outcome came our way.”

USC’s lone passing touchdown reminded fans of the connection between Moss and sophomore wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane present in the 2024 Holiday Bowl. The two converted for a 28-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving the Trojans needed momentum down the stretch.

On the other side of the football, USC’s run defense — once considered lackluster and full of gaping holes — held firm against LSU and its polarizing offensive line unit. Senior linebacker Eric Gentry co-led the Trojans with five tackles but especially made his presence felt in the Tiger backfield, where he notched two tackles for loss.

The win wasn’t all gravy, though. USC squandered multiple red-zone opportunities, including redshirt senior kicker Michael Lantz missing a 29-yard field goal try as the first half expired.

The Trojans also had trouble limiting Tigers fifth-year senior wide receiver Kyren Lacy right from kickoff. Redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier found the toe-tapping Lacy to match USC’s opening touchdown in the second quarter, and would target him 10 times for 94 yards.

“We had some missed opportunities as a football team that we felt like for a while we were outplaying a little bit more than what the scoreboard looked like,” said head coach Lincoln Riley. “When there was adversity, we didn’t panic.”

The Trojans’ run game wasn’t its strong suit, but it ultimately won them the game. Mississippi State transfer redshirt senior running back Woody Marks scored USC’s first and final touchdowns and eliminated any potential plan for a last-second field goal prayer.

Marks’ 13-yard go-ahead touchdown run — as the clock nearly reached zero — silenced the swarm of purple that populated a portion of Allegiant Stadium.

LSU controlled the ball for six more minutes than USC, but the Trojans showed that playing cerebrally could outweigh time of possession. This was present on the first drive of the game, as although the Tigers converted a fourth-down try in USC territory, they failed to convert on a later attempt on the Trojans’ 3-yard line and surrendered possession.

Riley moves to a perfect 3-0 in season openers as USC’s leader, while LSU head coach Brian Kelly suffers his third straight season-starting loss.

Next, the Trojans will face Utah State (1-0) to commence play at home. Although playing a less stacked team than LSU, Moss and company will want to stay on track before Big Ten play begins.

USC will host the Aggies on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with expectations to stay red-hot.