USC vs Missouri State — as it happened
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Scoring plays
Win probability
Braden Dawson / Daily Trojan
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Sean Campbell & Bennett Christofferson from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; photos by Braden Dawson & Joy Wang
USC reaches highest game score since 1930 in dominant win over Missouri State
While Missouri State University opened the scoring of Saturday’s season opener with a field goal, it was USC’s offense that looked unstoppable. Scoring a touchdown on all but two drives, one of which ended in a field goal, the Trojans cruised to a 73-13 win at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The 73-point performance was the most in a game since 1930 for USC.
We’re reporting live from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Refresh to see new updates.
Some further reading:
- Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava is ready to “go to war” against Missouri State as the team prepares for its second Big Ten season.
- USC’s wide receiver, junior Ja’Kobi Lane, is feeling “better than ever” after breaking his foot in May.
- Redshirt junior Kilian O’Connor, a former walk-on, earned the starting center spot over an experienced transfer. The line previously lost its presumed starting left guard due to the NCAA’s eligibility rules.
- The Trojans are looking at another tough schedule this season, including the 95th iteration of their rivalry with Notre Dame.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
Maiava dazzles in 73-13 rout of Missouri State
While Saturday night’s season opener wasn’t much of a test for USC football, it certainly was for redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava. There’s no question that he delivered.
In his four starts last season after taking over for Miller Moss, Maiava showed streaks of brilliance, throwing for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, but also made costly mistakes, including two pick-sixes that stifled momentum in USC’s only loss with Maiava under center thus far.
On Saturday, though, Maiava was anything but inconsistent.
8:45 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
USC reaches highest game score since 1930 in dominant win over Missouri State
While Missouri State University opened the scoring of Saturday’s season opener with a field goal, it was USC’s offense that looked unstoppable. Scoring a touchdown on all but two drives, one of which ended in a field goal, the Trojans cruised to a 73-13 win at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The 73-point performance was the most in a game since 1930 for USC.
While redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava was plagued with inconsistency last season, he showed great efficiency in the first half Saturday, completing 15-of-18 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a three-yard rushing touchdown. Every USC drive with Maiava at the helm ended in a touchdown.
True freshman quarterback Husan Longstreet took over in the second half and hit most of his major milestones, including completing his first collegiate pass, scoring his first touchdown on a five-yard run and throwing his first touchdown pass. While Longstreet sported a perfect completion percentage on nine attempts for 69 yards, his two-touchdown performance on a team-high eight rushes overshadowed his passing game.
7:42 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
USC continues to pile it on, with redshirt junior tight end Carson Tabaracci picking up the team’s 10th touchdown of the game on a 9-yard pass from Longstreet. The Trojans lead 73-13 with just under five minutes to play.
7:31 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
The USC defense is not letting up despite a 53-point lead, forcing their fifth punt of the game with help from a tackle for loss by redshirt freshman safety Marquis Gallegos. The Trojans will go back on offense with less than nine minutes left on the clock.
7:27 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
FIELD GOAL TROJANS.
USC failed to score a touchdown for just the second time this game, but will settle for redshirt freshman kicker Ryon Sayeri’s first career field goal to put the Trojans up 66-13. The only other Trojan drive that ended without a touchdown was due to a Longstreet fumble midway through the third quarter.
7:22 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
Missouri State suffered its second straight turnover as a fumble recovery by redshirt freshman safety Isaiah Rubin gave USC possession once again.
7:16 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
Longstreet rushes for his second touchdown of the game, this time from 17 yards out to extend the Trojan lead to 63-13. Longstreet has completed all four of his pass attempts for 36 yards and has rushed for 38 yards on six attempts.
7:12 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
USC has all but won season opener heading into fourth quarter
After three quarters of Trojan dominance, USC has a 56-13 lead over Missouri State and looks to finish off a commanding win to open the season. Freshman quarterback Husan Longstreet is looking good in his collegiate debut, with a 5-yard rushing touchdown and a perfect pass completion rate thus far.
7:08 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
Missouri State’s offensive woes continued as redshirt junior defensive end Garrett Pomerantz scooped up a deflected pass from Clark and took it 37 yards for the Trojans’ second interception of the game.
7:02 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
On the first play of the possession, redshirt freshman running back King Miller wove through the Bears’ defense and ran the ball 75 yards to secure yet another touchdown for the Trojans. USC now leads 56-13 with just over 20 minutes to play.
6:54 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
Field goal Bears.
A Longstreet fumble forced by sophomore defensive lineman Mitchell Toney in USC territory gave possession right back to the Bears, who picked up a field goal to stop a 21-0 USC run. The fumble marked the Trojans’ first possession of the game without a touchdown.
6:46 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
While USC’s offense is not slowing down, Missouri State hasn’t gotten anything going since scoring a touchdown midway through the second quarter. None of the Bears’ last three offensive possessions have advanced more than 15 yards.
Clark and company have only gotten more than one first down on two drives — the opening field goal and touchdown. USC has 20 first downs.
6:39 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
And just like that, Longstreet has the first touchdown of his career with a 5-yard run into the end zone. USC isn’t taking its foot off the gas here at the Coliseum after extending its lead to 49-10 with still over 25 minutes to play.
6:35 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
In the first half, Maiava was extremely efficient, completing 15 of 18 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns on top of his three-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
6:32 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
It appears Maiava will not be leading the Trojans in the second half, as freshman quarterback Husan Longstreet has entered the game to make his collegiate debut. Longstreet completed the first pass of his Trojan career for four yards and has led USC into Missouri State territory.
6:14 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
USC has a commanding lead over Missouri State at halftime.
The Trojans are up 42-10 at the half, having found the end zone on every offensive drive thus far and recording almost triple the Bears’ total yards. USC has outplayed Missouri State in nearly every facet of the game, and it looks all but inevitable that the Bears will return home disappointed in their FBS debut.
6:04 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
A screen pass to Sanders at USC’s own 21-yard line turned into a 73-yard touchdown to put the Trojans up 42-10 before the half. USC has now scored touchdowns on all five of its offensive possessions in the first half and has more than doubled both Missouri State’s total rushing and passing yards.
5:59 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
Fitzgerald broke up a third-down pass to stop the Bears in their tracks just after the two-minute warning and forced the first punt for either side since early in the second quarter. Maiava and company will try for a sixth touchdown as the first half wanes.
5:49 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava took it himself for the Trojans’ third rushing touchdown of the game. While Missouri State leads in time of possession by roughly a minute, USC is dominating the total offense with 285 yards from scrimmage to 122 from the Bears.
5:40 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
Touchdown Bears.
A successful fourth-down conversion gives Missouri State its first touchdown of the game, thanks to a 33-yard catch from freshman wide receiver Tristian Gardner. The Bears nearly doubled their scrimmage yards on the drive, and earned their only first downs outside of their first drive of the game.
5:29 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
Redshirt senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald takes it 39 yards to the house for a pick-six after intercepting a pass over the middle from Clark. USC now leads 28-3 after a made extra-point. Missouri State’s offense has struggled to get anything going since its offensive drive, totaling 57 yards from scrimmage compared to USC’s 209.
5:25 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
USC wasted no time as their third drive of the game began with redshirt senior tight end Lake McRee running for 44 yards after a 20-yard reception to pick up another Trojan touchdown. With the extra point, USC takes a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter. The Trojans have scored 7 points on all three offensive possessions thus far.
5:22 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
A sack from sophomore defensive end Kameryn Fountain on first down helped force Missouri State’s second consecutive three-and-out. USC has scored a touchdown on both of its first two drives and will try for a third.
5:18 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
USC has an early lead at the end of the first quarter.
A Missouri State field goal opened the scoring, but this game has been all Trojans since. Touchdowns on back-to-back drives have given USC a 14-3 lead heading into the second quarter.
5:13 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
Sophomore running back Bryan Jackson punched in a three-yard touchdown after redshirt senior running back Eli Sanders ran 17 yards to give the Trojans first-and-goal. USC now has 77 rushing yards to Missouri State’s 33. The Trojans now lead 14-3 after scoring touchdowns on both of their first two possessions.
5:04 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
The Bears went three-and-out after senior quarterback Jacob Clark couldn’t get anything going on Missouri State’s counter effort. The Trojans’ offense will take the field once more hoping to extend their lead.
4:58 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
TOUCHDOWN TROJANS.
Junior running back Waymond Jordan brought the Trojans into the red zone on a 26-yard carry and followed it up with a 5-yard touchdown run on the very next play to give USC the lead. The extra point was good, and USC now leads 7-3.
4:47 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
Field goal Bears.
The Bears are now on the board after a 23-yard run from senior running back Shomari Lawrence got them to USC’s 32-yard line. The Trojans will now have their first offensive possession of the season.
4:41 p.m.
Sean Campbell, Sports Editor
With the play clock winding down as Missouri State stared down a third-and-3 situation, Head Coach Ryan Beard elected to use the Bears’ first timeout of the half less than two minutes into the first quarter.
4:36 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
The Bears won the opening coin toss and have elected to receive. USC will start the 2025 season with its defense taking the field.
4:27 p.m.
Bennett Christofferson, Sports Editor
The National Anthem has been sung, fireworks have gone off and fans are heading to their seats as the Trojans are less than five minutes away from kicking off their season against Missouri State at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Stay tuned for live updates.
4:00 p.m.
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