With more than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, USC led by 14. It all went downhill after that. By the time the game clock hit triple zeroes, Maryland fans stormed the field after the Terrapins’ improbable come-from-behind 29-28 victory Saturday night. 

USC (3-4, 1-4 Big Ten) came into SECU Stadium needing a bounce-back performance, but the Trojans suffered another last-minute loss after blowing a fourth-quarter lead. USC was in prime position to put the game away, but the Terrapins (4-3, 1-3) blocked redshirt senior kicker Michael Lantz’s 41-yard field goal attempt and recovered to put belief in the Maryland sideline. 

With the clock running down, redshirt junior quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. orchestrated the game-winning five-play touchdown drive. He capped it off by running the ball in himself for the three-yard score, dancing away USC’s hopes.

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It was an all-out air raid for both teams, with both quarterbacks throwing the ball at least 50 times. Edwards Jr. came out on the better side of the gunslinger affair with the win. The redshirt junior was 39 of 50 for a career-high 373 yards with 3 total touchdowns and an interception in an impressive display. USC’s redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss completed 34 of his 50 pass attempts for 336 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.

With under a minute to go, Moss and the Trojans had a chance to get in position to kick a game-winning field goal. The Trojans marched all the way to Maryland’s 40-yard line, but the drive sputtered and USC turned it over on downs, clinching the victory for the Terps.

The game began on a less emphatic note after a string of punts and little-to-no success on offense to open the game.

As time dwindled away in the opening quarter, Moss delivered a beautiful ball in the back corner of the endzone to redshirt junior wide receiver Kyron Hudson for the 22-yard score. It was a similar-looking throw and catch for Maryland, and Edwards Jr. found junior wide receiver Octavian Smith Jr. 16 yards away to tie it up.

The highlight reel of the day happened on USC’s next drive, courtesy of sophomore wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. Fifteen yards from the endzone, Lane reeled in an improbable one-handed catch on his left side to put the Trojans back up seven.

Thanks to a good punt return by Branch to start the drive, USC had a short field goal for its final touchdown drive of the first half. It took just four plays for the Trojans to find the end zone. Redshirt senior running back Woody Marks bullied his way into the endzone from 5 yards away to put USC’s lead at 21-7 heading into the half.

Coming out of the half, USC seemingly did everything in its power to give the Terrapins some life. Maryland turned the ball over on downs on its first drive of the second half, but instead of putting the game away, Moss gave the Terrapins some life with a costly mistake. 

Off of his back foot, Moss threw the ball right to Maryland redshirt sophomore defensive back Lavain Scruggs, who almost ran it back all the way for a pick-six. The Terrapins didn’t waste any time, though — Edwards Jr. hit senior wide receiver Tai Felton for an 18-yard catch and run touchdown to bring it within seven. 

USC had a three-and-out on its ensuing drive, and Maryland continued to march down the field. The Trojan defense stood tall on a fourth and goal as senior cornerback Jaylin Smith reeled in a clutch interception to hold the lead to seven and give USC possession back at the 20-yard line. The Trojans capitalized off the turnover by way of a 26-yard touchdown catch by sophomore wide receiver Duce Robinson to bring it back to a multi-possession game.

But it was all Maryland after that, as redshirt junior running back Roman Hemby got the comeback going for the Terrapins with a 10-yard rushing touchdown. Maryland made the eventual game-winning decision to go for 2 points and succeeded on a quick slant pass by Edwards Jr. 

That makes four losses in five games for USC and a losing record for the first time in Head Coach Lincoln Riley’s tenure, as the Trojans are still winless on the road this season.