With 12:03 minutes left in the 94th edition of the crosstown showdown Saturday night at Rose Bowl Stadium, USC trailed 13-9, looking for its first touchdown of the game. It was third down and the Trojans’ first drive of the fourth quarter when redshirt sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava took the shotgun snap, stepped up in the pocket and peddled backward, attempting to spin his way out of trouble from UCLA defenders in his best Caleb Williams impression. 

But unlike Williams, Maiava couldn’t escape the pressure and was flung down for a sack, leading to another punt. 

Fast forward three USC (6-5, 4-5 Big Ten) offensive plays and Maiava found himself trying to make magic out of nothing once again. This time, he delivered.

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The Trojans struggled in goal-to-go situations all day — three drives, -2 total yards — but Maiava changed the narrative when it mattered most. Under center, he took the first down snap, dropped black, shifted to his right and felt heat coming from behind. 

Maiava evaded one tackler, prompting a run to the left side of the field while Bruin defenders trailed after him. Nearing the sideline, Maiava shifted his shoulders and threw the ball perfectly over the outstretched hand of a defender to a spot only sophomore wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane could tip it to himself in the back of the endzone.

“[Maiava] made a great play. He’s been able to make a few plays for us right now, when things aren’t exactly there, making some off-schedule plays,” said Head Coach Lincoln Riley in a postgame press conference. “We did a good job protecting him on that play, giving him time, and he did a great job finding [Lane] in the back.”

It was masterful. Perfectly embodying Williams this time around while giving USC a much-needed touchdown, Maiava and his miraculous play gave the Trojans all they needed to hold onto the lead, take down the Bruins (4-7, 3-6) 19-13 and clinch bowl game eligibility.

Although USC pulled out the win, it was a rough offensive day for both teams, especially in the first half.

USC’s aforementioned red zone struggles marred any spark plug Maiava attempted to generate. The Trojans were forced to kick three straight field goals, but it was enough for them to go into halftime with a slender 9-3 lead. 

There were multiple questionable decisions by Riley — not going for it on fourth and goal from the 2-yard line, lack of creative play calling by running multiple fade routes in the red zone — but in the second half, Riley showed exactly why he’s been hailed as an offensive mastermind. 

Maiava struggled early, but as the game continued, Riley schemed up plays to get Maiava on the move and used his play-extending abilities. The play before Maiava’s miraculous game-winning touchdown, Riley called a trick play to get USC in striking distance.

What looked initially like one of Riley’s signature receiver screen passes turned into a double pass from sophomore wide receiver Makai Lemon to redshirt junior wide receiver Kyron Hudson for a 39-yard gain. It was a shot of adrenaline for the Trojans, and they scored on the next play. 

“I threw a touchdown in high school, similar like that, so had a little bit experience,” Lemon said after the game. “ I’ve got to sell it, make the pass and [Hudson] was down there.”

In Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s return to Pasadena, the defense kept USC in the game. Bruin’s redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers was able to get out of the pocket and extend multiple plays. His off-script maneuvering resulted in seven plays over 20 yards, but the USC defense stood tall time and time again, forcing three punts and multiple empty possessions. 

The defense made several key plays, leading to the Trojans’ victory. 

USC allowed just one first down on the Bruins’ final three drives. With the game on the line, UCLA had a fourth and inches at its 34-yard line and attempted a quarterback sneak. The defense held strong and didn’t allow Garbers to get a single yard.

“We were able to affect the quarterback and that for us has been a little bit of our Achilles’ heel defensively this year, especially early in the year,” Riley said. “To see the whole D-line, starting to step up and affect the quarterback then that changes the way that we can play the game. It gives us opportunities to call things differently, to be aggressive in different areas.”

On their ensuing possession, the Bruins needed a touchdown to take the lead and potentially win the game. But instead of breaking — or even bending a little — Lynn’s unit stood tall and forced four straight incompletions from Garbers, granting Maiava and the Trojans victory formation. 

“The main thing [is] finishing, knowing that we had obstacles during the year that we didn’t like. But what can we do when it starts and using those as learning lessons,” Hudson said. “Last year didn’t go as planned, so just using that as motivation for [today].”  

It was another storied chapter in the epic that is the USC-UCLA rivalry, especially for redshirt senior safety Akili Arnold. Growing up in Mission Viejo, Arnold had been watching this rivalry since he was little, even being in attendance at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for one of its renditions.

“It was, it was really cool. When I first pulled up here. When we’re on the bus, I got kind of emotional, because I’m from here, and the importance of this game, this rivalry’s been going on for so long,” Arnold said after the game. “Just being able to be a part of it, and contribute to the victory, it meant a lot.”

The game was chippy all night, with both pregame and halftime scuffles. Pile that with the fact that flu broke out on USC’s football team — Riley said he believes at least 27 players caught the bug — and the Trojans fought through all the adversity to secure a marquee win in an otherwise disappointing season.

“Winning breeds confidence, it brings excitement, it’s confirmation on the things that you do. For us to win one, especially this fashion, playing as well defensively as we did. Overcoming all that we did this week, we could write a book about this week alone,” Riley said. “We’ve talked about the three-game season right here at the end. We had a big win last week. Obviously, this is a massive win for us, and we’re looking forward to that one next week.”

With a bowl game and rivalry victory secured, USC will now look to its other bitter rivals: No. 5 Notre Dame (10-1). The Trojans will face the Fighting Irish on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at the Coliseum.