LIVE: USC finishes off a 19-13 win over UCLA

Trojans gut out a win at the Rose Bowl

Sam Greene helps force an incompletion on fourth down and the Bruins turn it over with 1:46 left and no timeouts. The Trojans can kneel this game out and come away with a 19-13 win that gets them to six wins and guarantees bowl eligibility. It’s ugly, but any win over UCLA is worth celebrating.

USC tacks on but UCLA is still alive

USC throws incomplete on third-and-five and has to settle for yet another red zone field goal. It’s 19-13 USC but UCLA will get the ball with 2:09 left down just six.

Fourth-down stop by the Trojans

USC’s defensive line gets a huge push on fourth-and-inches to stop a quarterback sneak attempt by Ethan Garbers. The Trojans will take over at the UCLA 34-yard line with 4:59 remaining and a chance to put this one away.

USC finally gets into the endzone

Maiava scrambles around for an eternity and somehow gets a pass past a UCLA defensive back and into the hands of Ja’Kobi Lane in the back corner of the endzone. USC jumps ahead 16-13 on the first touchdown of the day for the Trojans with 6:55 remaining in the game.

Big stop for the Trojans

Easton Mascarenas-Arnold comes up with a third-down sack and the Bruins have to punt. It’s shanked and USC will AGAIN start with great field position this half. Trojans will take over at the UCLA 49-yard line with 8:16 remaining.

Lincoln Riley’s offense continues to implode

A gigantic third-down sack of Maiava forces another USC punt. The Trojans have now gone 17 yards in 16 offensive plays in the second half of this game (a 15-yard penalty included). Another phenomenal punt by Eddie Czaplicki is downed at the UCLA one-yard line and the Trojans will have a chance for a big defensive stand with 11:08 remaining and trailing 13-9.

Woody Marks down on the field

USC running back Woody Marks is down on the field with trainers attending to him following a tackle for loss. He’s up and walking slowly off the field under his own power. He’s been the offensive MVP all season for the Trojans and losing him would be a huge hit. But he looks like he’s shaking it out and just ran up and down the sideline a bit. Seems like he’ll be good to return at some point.

Lemon lifts USC again

Makai Lemon puts together a big kickoff return and, paired with a late hit penalty, USC will set up at the UCLA 40 yard line. Lemon now has 157 total yards in the game. The Trojans will start with the ball to open the fourth quarter.

UCLA stretches its lead

It’s a familiar score at the Rose Bowl as the Bruins go up 13-9 following yet another field goal. UCLA picked up a key third-and-six on the drive in overcoming a 2nd-and-14 following a USC sack. It’s 13-9 with just four seconds left in the third quarter.

Another empty USC possession

USC goes 15 yards in five plays and punts it back to the Bruins. Jayden Maiava is now 13-of-27 and has completed just two of his last eight attempts. UCLA takes over at its nine-yard line with 7:05 remaining in the third quarter.

Bruins take the lead

Garbers takes advantage of a USC blitz and finds tight end Moliki Matavao on a screen for a 10-yard touchdown. The Bruins take their first lead of the game, 10-9, with 9:37 remaining in the third quarter.

USC turns it over on downs

Just about as bad as it gets for USC to open the third quarter. Maiava goes 1-for-4 for seven yards and the Trojans turn it over on downs. After the Bruins kicked off from their five-yard line to open the half, they’re going to take over at their own 45-yard line for their first possession.

Great field position for USC

UCLA was flagged for three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties at the end of the first half and the Bruins had to kick from their own 5-yard line to open the third quarter. USC will take over at its own 48-yard line after a 16-yard return by Makai Lemon. Trojans need a touchdown drive here with this field position.

Halftime stats

Score – USC 9, UCLA 3
Total yards – USC 239, UCLA 205
Rushing yards – USC 75, UCLA 96
Passing yards – USC 164, UCLA 109
Third-down conversions – USC 3-for-8, UCLA 1-for-5
Average yards per play – USC 6.6, UCLA 7.6

Jayden Maiava – 11-of-18 for 164 yards, two carries for nine yards
Woody Marks – 9 carries for 42 yards
Makai Lemon – 2 receptions for 69 yards
Akili Arnold – 4 tackles

More red zone issues

It’s another first-and-goal from inside the five-yard line and another field goal for the Trojans. USC is now up 9-3 with just 21 seconds remaining in the first half, but the Trojans continue to miss opportunities to put this thing away.

Another close call for Cobb

Mason Cobb looked to have an interception on a ball tipped into the air by Kobe Pepe. Though Cobb then fumbled it. But it was ruled an incomplete pass on the field and held up by replay review. The Bruins punt and the Trojans will take over at their own 16-yard line with 6:26 remaining in the first half.

More red zone woes for the Trojans

USC gets back into the red zone with a first-and-goal at the UCLA four-yard line and goes backward on a run, then throws two incomplete passes. Lantz connects on another short field goal but USC won’t feel good about turning two golden opportunities into just six points and keeping UCLA in this game.

Bruins turn it over on downs

USC brings pressure on 4th and two and forces a quick throw from Ethan Garbers that bounces off a UCLA receiver. The Trojans take over at their 43-yard line.

USC gets on the board

Michael Lantz connects on a 19-yard field goal but it’s a disappointing end to a good drive. The Trojans had first-and-goal at the 3-yard line and can’t punch it in thanks to two incomplete passes. It’s tied up 3-3 with 4:12 left in the first quarter. The drive included a big throw from Maiava to wide receiver Makai Lemon for 64 yards.

Trojans get a stop

It didn’t start great as UCLA running back T.J. Harden ripped off a 40-yard run on the first play of the drive, but the USC defense eventually gets a stop. UCLA downs the punt at the 5-yard line and the Trojans will hit the field for their second drive of the game.

USC comes up empty on opening drive

The Trojans tried to hit Zachariah Branch on back-to-back plays — the first one deep, the second a screen — and come up empty on both. Punter Eddie Czaplicki hits another impressive punt that goes 52 yards and forces a UCLA fair catch at the 7-yard line.

Nearly a big play

USC nearly got the first turnover of the game when Easton Mascarenas-Arnold came in untouched up the middle and hammered Ethan Garbers. The call on the field was a fumble but was overturned by replay to an incomplete pass. The Bruins connect on a 51-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 11:37 remaining in the first quarter.

USC starting defense

USC starts on the defensive side with this lineup:

DE Kameryn Fountain, DT Gavin Meyer, DT Nate Clifton, DE Sam Greene, LB Mason Cobb, LB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, LB Anthony Beavers, CB Jacobe Covington, S Akili Arnold, S Kamary Ramsey, CB Jaylin Smith.

Opening coin toss

USC wins the coin toss and elects to defer. It’s an interesting decision from Lincoln Riley, who typically elects to receive. It’ll be D’Anton Lynn’s defensive unit up first against his old team.

Team warmups

No real surprises as the USC team goes through warmups. Jaylin Smith and Jacobe Covington are working as the first-team corners. True freshman Kameryn Fountain and redshirt freshman Sam Greene are again working at the defensive end spots, with Gavin Meyer and Nate Clifton in the middle.

Victory Bell on the field

The unmistakable rings of the Victory Bell were just heard as UCLA cheerleaders wheeled it onto the field. Trojans will be looking to win that back and paint over that garish baby blue with a much more dignified cardinal color. The road team has won four-straight games in this rivalry.

Keeping an eye on Shelby

USC defensive end Braylan Shelby is listed as questionable for this game after sitting out last week’s contest against Nebraska. But he was working with the defensive linemen in very early warmups and looking like he’s preparing to play tonight.

USC game captains

USC announced five game captains for this one. Defensive back Jaylin Smith, offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon, center Jonah Monheim, defensive tackle Gavin Meyer and punter Eddie Czaplicki. The Trojans have started to push Czaplicki in the Ray Guy Award conversation and the veteran punter is very deserving of that this season.

USC – UCLA injury report

WeAreSC pregame reading