The USC Trojans kept on trucking, improving to 4-0 for the third time in four years under head coach Lincoln Riley. Their 45-31 victory over Michigan State also pushed their Big Ten record to 2-0.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
The USC Trojans kept on trucking, improving to 4-0 for the third time in four years under head coach Lincoln Riley. Their 45-31 victory over Michigan State also pushed their Big Ten record to 2-0.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava solidified his spot among the conference’s top signal-callers with another sharp performance. He threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, completing over 65 percent of his passes for the third time this season. Maiava also ran for two scores, continuing his efficient and turnover-free start to the year. Through four games, he has yet to throw an interception, helping power USC to a top-10 scoring offense.
Walker Lyons and Tanook Hines each caught touchdown passes as USC pulled away before halftime and held off a late Spartan rally. The win marked the first meeting between the programs since 1990.
“That was a game that had some unique twists and turns,” Riley said. “I thought we were controlling it, and then obviously we had a couple of errors in the third quarter with the penalties and the turnover that gave them momentum. But I liked the way our team responded and separated again in a really strong way. A lot to learn from, a lot that’s got to get better—but if you’re learning lessons as you win, it’s hard not to be excited.”
Michigan State (3-1, 0-1) was led by Long Beach native Aidan Chiles, who threw three touchdown passes and added a rushing score. The former Downey High standout accounted for 243 of the Spartans’ 333 total yards.
While USC’s offense rolled—racking up 517 total yards and not punting until the final minute—the defense had its struggles. Coverage breakdowns and mental mistakes led to 10 penalties, most committed on the defensive side. Still, running back Waymond Jordan gave the Trojans balance with 127 rushing yards, marking the fourth straight game USC topped 460 yards of offense after reaching that number just once in the final nine games of last season.
A frightening moment came late in the second quarter when Michigan State linebacker Wayne Mathews lay motionless on the Coliseum turf for nearly 10 minutes after colliding with Jordan. He was stabilized and carted off, but not before giving a thumbs-up to his teammates.
“What I was just told quickly is that we’re going through all the thorough evaluations,” Spartans coach Jonathan Smith said. “He was taken to the hospital. There are positive signs, but they’re still looking for confirmation through tests.”
USC was without wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, who was ruled out before kickoff. In his absence, Makai Lemon stepped into a larger role.
The Trojans now head to Illinois to face the Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium next week.