<p>-
- No. 25 USC builds big lead, withstands Michigan State rally</p>
<p>Field Level MediaSeptember 21, 2025 at 1:31 AM</p>
<p>0</p>
<p>Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Chrishon McCray (13) score a touchdown against Southern California Trojans cornerback Marcelles Williams (25) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)</p>
<p>Jayden Maiava passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more scores as No. 25 Southern California answered a second-half Michigan State rally to beat the Spartans 45-31 on Saturday night in Los Angeles.</p>
<p>USC (4-0, 2-0 Big Ten Conference) built a two-touchdown lead by intermission, scoring on the second of Maiava's scoring passes with 37 seconds left on the first snap after a lengthy delay due to a serious injury to Michigan State linebacker Wayne Matthews III.</p>
<p>Matthews remained on the turf after he collided with Trojans running back Waymond Jordan. Medical staff tended to him, eventually moving Matthews onto a stretcher as he was carted off the field and taken to a nearby hospital.</p>
<p>Matthews was the second Spartans linebacker tasked with manning the defense's communications system who was removed from Saturday's game. Jordan Hall was disqualified earlier in the half due to a targeting call.</p>
<p>USC quickly grew the lead to 31-10 in the third when Maiava connected with Walker Lyons for a 10-yard touchdown pass. It was the Trojans quarterback's third scoring toss, with his two in the first half coming on connections of 40 yards with Makai Lemon and the 7-yarder to Tanook Hines after the Matthews injury.</p>
<p>Maiava also scored on a 15-yard rush in the first quarter to give USC a 10-7 lead.</p>
<p>Michigan State (3-1, 0-1), outscored 28-3 after Aidan Chiles' 42-yard touchdown hook-up with Chrishon McCray, chipped away at the deficit in the second half.</p>
<p>The Spartans scored on a 4-yard Chiles carry, then regained possession in USC territory when Armorion Smith forced a DJ Jordan fumble on the first play of the following drive. Michigan State capitalized when Chiles found Jack Velling on a rollout, pulling the Spartans to within a score on the 1-yard toss.</p>
<p>After running only seven plays in the entire third quarter, the Trojans used 13 plays to retake control with a drive ending with a 4-yard Lemon touchdown carry. USC's defense effectively slammed the door when it forced a turnover on downs in just four snaps on Michigan State's ensuing possession.</p>
<p>Maiava put an exclamation point on his sensational night with a goal-line touchdown carry. He finished 20-of-26 passing for 234 yards -- 127 went to Lemon on eight receptions -- and rushed for 31 yards on four carries.</p>
<p>Maiava also helped USC convert 8-of-12 third-down attempts on a night the Trojans did not punt until the final seconds.</p>
<p>Chiles went 12-of-21 passing for 212 yards with three touchdown passes, adding a 75-yard bomb to Omari Kelly in the game's waning minutes. Chiles was hit late on the play, resulting in an Anthony Lucas penalty.</p>
<p>USC was penalized 10 times for 83 yards.</p>
<p>--Field Level Media</p>
<a href="https://data852.click/5a32cd58501e613bf372/ee0a75caf0/?placementName=default" class="dirlink-1">Original Article on Source</a>
Source: "AOL Sports"
Source: AsherMag
Full Article on Source: VOUX MAG
#LALifestyle #USCelebrities
0 Comments