Trojans Rally Past Hawkeyes in Rainy Coliseum Comeback
USC clawed back from a 21–7 deficit to earn one of its grittiest wins of the season, defeating Iowa 26–21 in a rainy showdown at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A crowd of 65,216 watched the Trojans score 19 unanswered points and shut out the Hawkeyes in the second half to stay unbeaten at home.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
USC clawed back from a 21–7 deficit to earn one of its grittiest wins of the season, defeating Iowa 26–21 in a rainy showdown at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A crowd of 65,216 watched the Trojans score 19 unanswered points and shut out the Hawkeyes in the second half to stay unbeaten at home.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 23 of 32 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown as the No. 17 Trojans improved to 8–2 overall and 6–1 in Big Ten play, extending their conference win streak to four games—their longest since joining the conference.
A Comeback of Historic Note
Iowa had not blown a 14-point lead since Oct. 31, 2020, against Northwestern. USC, meanwhile, had not won a game after trailing by 14 or more since its Holiday Bowl win over Texas A&M on Dec. 27, 2024.
Running back Bryan Jackson powered in two short-yardage touchdowns, helping USC outgain Iowa 360–320 and move the chains for 21 first downs. The Trojans held the Hawkeyes scoreless after halftime, dominating time of possession and field position as they mounted their comeback.
“This was a culture win right there,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “Our team’s resilience—their response at halftime. We just keep coming, and we’ve done that all year.”
Offensive Leaders Step Up
Receiver Ja’Kobi Lane had seven catches for 65 yards, praising the team’s second-half turnaround.
“You can’t ask for a better response than that,” Lane said. “Both sides of the ball jumped at that opportunity. I think there were some realizations at halftime that if we were going to respond, there were things that had to be done.”
Sophomore standout Makai Lemon had a career day with 10 catches for 153 yards. Running back King Miller added 83 rushing yards, bringing his season total to 719 on just 99 carries—a strong 7.3-yard average.
Hawkeyes Fade After Hot Start
Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski accounted for all three of the Hawkeyes’ first-half touchdowns—throwing one, running for another, and even catching a scoring pass. But the No. 21 Hawkeyes (6–4, 4–3 Big Ten) were blanked in the second half, continuing a season of narrow losses to ranked opponents.
“Certainly, we played complete team football in that first half,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Went about as well as we could have hoped. But in the second half, USC did a good job of coming back and maximizing their opportunities.”
Trojans Look Ahead
With the win, USC improved to 6–0 at the Coliseum this season and kept itself firmly in the Big Ten championship conversation. It is the first time the Trojans have entered mid-November with a legitimate title track since Riley’s debut campaign in 2022.
USC now prepares for a pivotal showdown at Autzen Stadium next weekend—a game that could define its postseason path.
Iowa returns home to face Michigan State.
