No. 6 Indiana snagged a crucial 27-13 victory over No. 15 USC on Saturday, completely knocking the Trojans’ playoff and Big Ten title hopes right off the rails after they managed just one touchdown in five red zone trips. It was a brutal day for USC, who absolutely needed this win, and instead, watched their dreams dissolve in Bloomington.
Grant Wilson Steps Up, Keeps Indiana Rolling
Grant Wilson, making his very first start for Indiana, threw two touchdown passes and helped secure a monster win. Talk about throwing a new guy into the fire! Coach Curt Cignetti made the call to go with Wilson even though Josh Hoover was healthy, and it paid off. Wilson had his ups and downs, for sure, going 17 of 27 for 305 yards and one interception. But when it mattered, he delivered. He started hot with a 47-yard pass to Shazz Preston on Indiana’s third play, then hit Brock Schott for a 13-yard TD to take a 7-0 lead. Khobie Martin punched in a 1-yard score in the third quarter that was the tie-breaker, and Charlie Becker sealed the deal with a 42-yard TD catch with just 3:30 left on the clock. The Hoosiers have been struggling offensively for five straight games, but somehow, they just keep finding ways to win. That’s a scrappy team right there, refusing to give up!
USC’s Red Zone Nightmare and Lincoln Riley’s Road Woes
You simply cannot win big games scoring just one touchdown on five trips inside the 20-yard line. USC learned that the hard way. Quarterback Jayden Maiava had a tough outing, going 26 of 42 for 311 yards and one touchdown, but he threw three back-breaking interceptions, two of them in the fourth quarter, with one coming inside Indiana’s 5-yard line. Just brutal turnovers at the absolute worst times. Deven Bryant did pick off Wilson, and Trent Mosley pulled in nine catches for 130 yards, but it wasn’t enough. This loss drops Coach Lincoln Riley’s road record against Top 25 foes to a dismal 1-8. Ouch. This one stings for USC, and it looks like their Big Ten title and playoff aspirations are cooked.
What’s Next for Both Teams
For No. 6 Indiana, this 27-13 win solidified their postseason resume, moving them to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten. They’ve now won three straight since that loss to No. 2 Ohio State, and their hopes of repeating as Big Ten and even national champions are still very much alive. They’re heading to the Emerald City next Saturday to face off against Washington, so get ready, Seattle, for a ranked team to roll into town. As for No. 15 USC, they’ll host Maryland next Saturday, but after this collapse, that game means a whole lot less than it could have.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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