LIVE: USC posts huge comeback win against Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl

USC posts a huge comeback win

The Trojans came all the way back from a 24-7 third-quarter deficit to post a 35-31 win against the Texas A&M Aggies. USC scored 21 points and posted 165 total yards in the fourth quarter.

USC TOUCHDOWN

Maiava finds Kyle Ford on a seven-yard slant for a touchdown and the Trojans go up 34-31 with just eight seconds remaining in the game. Maiava was tremendous on the final drive for the Trojans and Ja’Kobi Lane came up with two gigantic receptions. USC needs to cover a kickoff and get one final stop to win this game.

A&M back in front

Aggies’ quarterback Marcel Reed gets loose on a designed run and darts 19 yards for a touchdown that gives Texas A&M a 31-28 lead with 1:49 remaining in the game.

USC comes all the way back

The Trojans trailed 24-7 with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter and now lead 28-24 with 4:30 remaining as Maiava connects with Lane for a third touchdown tonight. Lane now has five receptions for 83 yards and three touchdowns.

USC defense rises up again

The Trojans allow 17 yards in five plays and then watch a 39-yard field goal attempt sail wide right from the Aggies. That’s three scoreless drives in a row for Texas A&M and USC and Maiava will have another shot to take the lead in this game.

Maiava is just 11-for-26 for 158 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions tonight.

Another pick for Maiava

There’s another poor throw into coverage from Maiava and it turns into his third interception of the night. USC had a chance to take control of the game with a long scoring drive and Maiava punts it away on the first snap of the drive with a deep shot into double coverage out of his own endzone on first down. Texas A&M takes over with 12:01 remaining at the USC 38-yard line.

Jackson gets in for his first

USC running back Bryan Jackson goes into the endzone from one yard out for the first touchdown of his college career. Jackson has been great for the Trojans tonight with 12 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. That score brings the Trojans to within 24-21 with 14:24 remaining in the game.

Trojans driving at the end of the third

The USC offense is on the move again after the Trojans forced a three-and-out. The Trojans have the ball at the Aggies’ six-yard line as the third quarter comes to and end. USC will open the fourth quarter with a chance to get right back into this game.

Maiava to Lane again

USC puts together a long drive with the help of a few defensive penalties on the Aggies. Maiava connects with Ja’Kobi Lane for another touchdown. This one for 17 yards. He now has two receptions for two touchdowns and each of his last six receptions have been for touchdowns.

Another pick for Maiava, and more points for A&M

Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell tips a screen pass into the air and comes down with an interception. The Aggies turn the pick into a touchdown three plays later and Texas A&M leads 24-7 with 5:16 remaining in the third quarter.

Aggies push their lead

Texas A&M hits a field goal and pushes the lead to 17-7 with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter. The Trojans will get the ball back and again needs to get back in this game.

Trojans go three-and-out…again

USC goes three-and-out as Maiava throws two more incompletions. The Trojans have now gone three-and-out and punted on the opening drives of the first and second halves.

Aggies open the second half with a score

Texas A&M goes 76 yards in eight plays and scores a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Reed to Noah Thomas. The Aggies have taken their opening drives of the first and second half in for touchdowns and now lead 14-7 with 11:03 remaining in the third quarter.

Halftime stats

Score – USC 7, Texas A&M 7
Total yards – USC 137, Texas A&M 157
Rushing yards – USC 68, Texas A&M 58
Passing yards – USC 69, Texas A&M 99
Interceptions thrown – USC 1, Texas A&M 2
Third-down conversions – USC 1-for-6, Texas A&M 4-for-8

Passing – Jayden Maiava 6-for-14 for 69 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing – Bryan Jackson 9 carries for 43 yards
A’Marion Peterson 6 carries for 29 yards
Receiving – Makai Lemon 2 receptions for 19 yards
Ja’Kobi Lane 1 reception for 30 yards, 1 TD

Trojans limp into halftime

Lincoln Riley makes a number of questionable clock management decisions over the final two minutes of the half and the Trojans eventually hook a 39-yard attempt wide left. The Trojans had a first down at the Texas A&M 31-yard line with 1:49 remaining. USC rushed three times, called two timeouts and attempted a field goal with 18 seconds left in the half. Complete mismanagement of the clock and the situation from Riley.

It’s 7-7 at halftime.

USC defense playing well

The Trojans force another three-and-out by the Aggies. Braylan Shelby comes up with a big third-down sack to force a punt. USC has an opportunity now after the punt to take a lead late in the first half.

Another bad decision from Maiava

USC gets a 14-yard run, a nine-yard run, a three-yard run for a first down from A’Marion Peterson and then goes right back to the air. Maiava makes a poor decision on what looked like an RPO as he pulls the ball and throws an interception to Texas A&M defensive back BJ Mayes on a ball toward Makai Lemon into coverage. It never had a chance at a completion and gives the momentum back to Texas A&M with 5:55 remaining before halftime.

USC gets another stop

After two straight interceptions, the Trojans got a more conventional stop of the Aggies with a three-and-out. USC will take over at its own 25-yard line with 8:38 remaining in the first half as this game has settled down a bit for the Trojans.

Maiava to Lane

Maiava hits Ja’Kobi Lane on a short drag route and Lane takes it the rest of the way for a 30-yard touchdown. USC desperately needed to get something on that drive and they did. True freshman running back Bryan Jackson had a big drive with three straight runs that covered eight, seven and 12 yards. It’s 7-7 with 10:16 remaining in the second quarter.

USC gets another pick

Akili Arnold comes up with an interception on a tipped ball in the endzone. Jacobe Covington had good coverage on an Aggie receiver and the ball bounced into the air for Arnold. USC gets another much-needed turnover and now need to find something offensively.

First quarter is all Aggies

Texas A&M is outgaining USC 134-16 through the first 16 minutes of the game. The Trojans have run for -8 yards and have lost starting left tackle Elijah Paige to injury. Lincoln Riley has gotten nothing going on offense for quarterback Jayden Maiava and the Trojans had better find an answer quickly because time of possession in that first quarter was slanted 10:03 – 4:57 to Texas A&M.

USC offense still yet to arrive

The USC offense has been terrible over its first three drives. The Trojans just went three and out for the second time this game and now has 16 yards of offense on three possessions.

Ramsey comes up big

USC safety Kamari Ramsey makes an incredible interception while diving to pick off a deep ball from Reed. He gets the ball back for the Trojans at their own 46-yard line with 2:22 remaining.

USC still struggling

The Trojans punt again on their second possession after picking up just one first down. USC has 12 yards of offense on its first two possessions of the game.

Worst-case injury for the Trojans

USC is paper thin along the offensive line for this game and starting left tackle Elijah Paige just went down on a run play. He walked off the field slowly. True freshman Justin Tauanuu comes in for Paige.

Aggies march down the field

Texas A&M converts three third downs and a fourth down on a 16-play drive that goes 78 yards and takes 7:07. Quarterback Marcel Reed hits wide receiver Noah Thomas from seven yards out as Thomas beats USC safety Akili Arnold in the endzone. It’s 7-0 Texas A&M with 6:37 remaining in the first quarter as the opening drives for each team couldn’t have gone much worse for the Trojans.

Three-and-out for the Trojans

Running back A’Marion Peterson got the start for the Trojans but couldn’t gain much on first down. Maiava threw incomplete on third down as yet another USC receiver (tight end Lake McRee) was covered and the Aggies registered their first pass breakup of the game.

USC opens with possession

USC wins the toss and elects to receive. The Trojans and quarterback Jayden Maiava will take the field first.

Texas A&M injury issues

Eric Gentry on the field

USC linebacker Eric Gentry is on the field in cleats warming up for the first time since the fourth game of the season against Wisconsin. Gentry was hurt late in the game against the Badgers and did not play the rest of the regular season after announcing he would utilize a redshirt year. Because bowl games don’t count against the four-game threshold to maintain a redshirt, Gentry can play in this game and return to the Trojans next year for a final season of eligibility.

Team captains for the Trojans

USC has announced a different group of team captains before each game this season. Tonight, it’s quarterback Jayden Maiava, wide receiver Kyle Ford, center Kilian O’Connor, defensive lineman Devan Thompkins and linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold.

USC two-deep for the Las Vegas Bowl