No. 18 USC just took a brutal 27-13 loss to No. 9 Indiana, their first ever defeat to the Hoosiers, but the real gut punch came from an Indiana fan who walked onto the field and nailed a 35-yard field goal after USC’s own kicker, Caden Chittenden, missed a crucial 27-yard attempt.
The Kick That Haunts USC
Talk about adding insult to injury. With the game still within reach early in the fourth quarter, USC kicker Caden Chittenden stepped up for a 27-yard field goal that would have cut Indiana’s lead to four points. He missed it. Just like that, a chance to get back in the game slipped away. But it gets worse, way worse. Shortly after that miss, an Indiana fan somehow found their way onto the field and, get this, successfully kicked a field goal from 35 yards out. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s a highlight reel moment for Indiana fans and a gut-wrenching watch for anyone who bleeds cardinal and gold.
Playoff Hopes on Life Support
The missed field goal and the fan’s unbelievable follow-up were just the beginning of USC’s unraveling. The Trojans never got any closer to mounting a comeback after that fourth-quarter miss. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw interceptions on each of the team’s next two possessions, effectively sealing their fate. The 27-13 final score reflects a complete collapse, and the ripple effects are huge. This loss to Indiana, their first against the Hoosiers ever, may have just knocked USC completely out of College Football Playoff contention.
This wasn’t just a loss, it was a knockout blow that may have already ended their College Football Playoff dreams. And the fact that an Indiana fan showed up the Trojans’ professional kicker on their own field? That’s a scene nobody in college football is forgetting anytime soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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