LIVE - USC Spring Game Final: Defense 42, Offense 34

USC’s 2023 spring ball comes to a close on Saturday with the Trojans’ spring game. It’ll kick at 12 pm in the Coliseum. WeAreSC is on site to provide all the running updates throughout the game.

How to Watch

Time: 12 pm
Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Television: Pac-12 Network
Game thread: WeAreSC Spring Ball Game Thread

Big Day for USC Recruiting

There will be a ton of recruits in attendance for this one. And some big names will be present.

Here’s a look at the running list of recruits expected.

And here’s WeAreSC’s Marshall Levenson breaking down the most important USC visitors.

And Levenson offered an in-depth look at visitor Taylor Tatum, the nation’s No. 2 running back. This isn’t Tatum’s first visit to USC as he continues to be a key target for the Trojans.

Scoring for the Spring Game

The defense will start with a 24-0 lead.

The defense will score three points for each turnover, fourth-down stop and missed field goal. That side of the ball will score seven points for a defensive touchdown and safety.

The offense will score via traditional means. That group can score six points for a touchdown, three points for a field goal and one for an extra point.

Pregame Warmups

The special teams players are the first out in full uniform.

Michael Jackson III, Zachariah Branch, Dorian Singer, Raleek Brown, Tahj Washington and Quinten Joyner are out returning kicks and punts.

Neither wide receiver Makai Lemon nor safety Latrell McCutchin are dressed to play today.

The top group across the offensive line during warmups is, from left to right, Michael Tarquin, Gino Quinones, Justin Dedich, Jarrett Kingston, Jonah Monheim.

First Quarter

Zachariah Branch and Tahj Washington are back deep to receive the opening kickoff.

Arizona State transfer Eddie Czaplicki will handle the kickoff. He hits it down to the four-yard line where it’s fair caught by Branch.

Caleb Williams starts this one out just okay. He fired a laser downfield to Brenden Rice for 45 yards. Welcome back Mr. Heisman.

And it’s Williams to Mario Williams for a touchdown on the third play of the day. The USC defense is already clinging to a 24-7 lead after 1:10 of play.

True freshmen Tackett Curtis and Sam Greene are on the field with the second-team defense to start the next drive. True freshman left tackle Elijah Paige is out there as well.

Greene gets credit for a sack to stop the drive. Raesjon Davis made a nice play there by sticking with a running back downfield so quarterback Miller Moss couldn’t find an easy completion. Second-team offense is forced to punt.

First flag of the day is thrown against Ceyair Wright in coverage as Malachi Nelson threw to Kyron Hudson.

True freshman running back Quinten Joyner breaks free for a long gain against the first-team defense. Head coach Lincoln Riley talked about how he makes big plays in every practice. There was another one.

De’jon Benton breaks through the line for a sack.

Denis Lynch connects on a 45-yard field goal. The USC defense leads the offense 27-10.

Zachariah Branch drops the first pass intended for him. He was ready to make a move on the first defender and didn’t secure the ball.

MarShawn Lloyd just had one of the highlight plays of the day. He caught a short pass and made several defenders miss, including a nice spin move that left Xamarion Gordon on the ground. To his credit, Gordon got up and finished the tackle as Lloyd tried to cut all the way back across the field. It finished as a 34-yard gain.

Miller Moss throws a touchdown to Dorian Singer on a ball that finishes in the hands of cornerback Jacobe Covington. I don’t think we’re going to get a challenge flag in the spring game. USC defense now leads 27-17.

They’ve now gone back and given Covington credit for the interception in the endzone. But also allowed the touchdown to count. The score is technically 30-17 and we’re in the multiverse where something can be an interception and a touchdown.

Joyner takes it 26 yards up the middle for a touchdown. It’s been a really strong 15 minutes of football from the true freshman.

Mason Cobb showing his versatility. He’s in on back-to-back tackles and then tracks a wide receiver all the way across the field to knock a pass down along the sideline. USC needs that kind of play from its inside linebackers this year.

Halftime

The Heisman Trust is here to award Caleb Williams with USC’s copy of his Heisman Trophy.

The Heisman Trust will donate $25,000 to the Caleb Cares Foundation. Williams is wearing Caleb Cares cleats for the game today.

Outgoing seniors Brett Neilon, Travis Dye, Sean Mahoney, Brandon Outlaw and Clyde Moore are with Williams as he accepts the trophy. Big applause from the USC fans in attendance

Second Half

Earl Barquet Jr. credited with a sack of Malachi Nelson on the first play of the second half.

Rush end Jamil Muhammad punches the ball away from Nelson and it’s eventually recovered by Max Williams.

We’ve apparently resolved the rip in space and time. The touchdown to Dorian Singer that was actually an interception by Jacobe Covington and also somehow a touchdown by Dorian Singer is now 100% an interception by Jacobe Covington. The offense loses seven points and we’re now at 33-17 as the official score.

Tuliaupupu records a sack. This has been a really nice showing from him.

Three more points for the defense as Zachariah Branch is brought down short of the first down.

Raleek Brown finally gets his hands on the ball and shows that impressive wiggle he has. Brown makes the first defender miss and gets up the sideline for a first down. The offense goes to Brown on a reverse the following play and Greene is in the backfield to drop him for a loss.

True freshman safety Christian Pierce makes his presence felt. He’s usually showing off his hitting ability but this time he comes over the top, goes up high and picks off a pass before it can get to the receiver. Another great play by a true freshman today. The defense pushes its lead to 39-17.

Really pretty throw from Moss as he lays a ball in perfect to Branch downfield for a big gain. Moss needs a drive here after the offense hasn’t scored a touchdown since the first two drives of the game.

Lynch connects on a 43-yard field goal to cut the defense’s lead to 39-20 with 7:36 remaining.

A’Marion Paterson takes a physical run into the endzone. He’s another true freshman making a mark today. The defense now leads 39-27 with 3:06 remaining.

Raleek Brown and Domani Jackson get tangled on a jump ball. Brown winds up with the catch as the two former high school teammates engage in some extended tussling over the ball.

Peterson gets some Ooohs from the crowd as he hurdles a defender on a long run. Matt Colombo finishes the drive with a short touchdown. Defense has to finish this off now as they lead 39-34 with 1:21 remaining and time for a game-winning drive by the offense.

Covington seals this one for the defense with an interception on the final play of the game. That’s the second pick for Covington and the third for the defense today.

The USC defense beats the USC offense, 42-34.