Mindless penalties, forced fumbles and a walk-off field goal: All this and more led to a heartbreaking Trojan loss away at Urbana-Champaign, with No. 22 Illinois ending USC’s unbeaten streak to start the season and sending it back into unranked purgatory.

“We knew this was going to be a battle,” Head Coach Lincoln Riley said in a postgame news conference. “We had a lot of fight coming back there in the end, but we missed too many opportunities on all sides of the ball.”

The game marked USC’s (4-1, 2-1 Big Ten) first loss this season, as well as its first game — and loss — against a ranked opponent. High-tension moments defined the game, with Illinois (4-1, 1-1) fumbling twice within five yards of the end zone and USC redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava throwing his first interception of the season.

“There’s a lot to love and a lot to correct, but we own all of it,” Riley said. “We’re ready to get back to work in the bye week.”

Back-and-forth affair ends in defeat

The Trojans started the game with the ball, immediately turning to junior running back Waymond Jordan as the main offensive outlet for the drive. Jordan took a direct snap to get USC out of a fourth-and-1 snag, but fumbled the ball to give Illinois possession. The Fighting Illini took advantage, with senior quarterback Luke Altmyer running it in on a designed play for the game’s first points. 

Jordan redeemed himself with a 1-yard rush touchdown to tie the game, capping off a 75-yard Trojan drive. However, Illinois answered quickly with a Philly Special that saw Altmyer catch a touchdown pass from senior wide receiver Hank Beatty.

Early in the second quarter, Maiava and junior wide receiver Makai Lemon teamed up for what would have been a 75-yard touchdown run, but a mindless ineligible player downfield penalty from redshirt senior center J’Onre Reed negated the score. The penalties speak for themselves: USC had eight penalties during the game for a total loss of 69 yards. 

However, the Trojans weren’t the only team to miss out on prime scoring opportunities. During what seemed to be a surefire Illini touchdown drive, freshman defensive end Jahkeem Stewart came up big in the Illini red zone, picking up junior running back Kaden Feagin’s fumble at the 2-yard line. USC marched down the field in the closing seconds to set up redshirt freshman kicker Ryon Sayeri’s successful field goal, ending the half behind 14-10 to Illinois.

The Trojans held Illinois to a field goal on the first drive of the second half, and multiple receptions by sophomore tight end Walker Lyons put them in a solid position to tie the game. But just when the Trojans seemed to have momentum after multiple first-down plays, senior linebacker Dylan Rosiek picked off Maiava for USC’s first interception all season. 

Despite a two-score deficit entering the fourth quarter, the Trojans were far from done. Lemon’s 19-yard touchdown reception and subsequent two-point conversion brought USC within six, and another Illini red zone fumble allowed USC to put up another touchdown from Lemon, giving it a narrow 32-31 lead.

However, with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Illinois once again muscled through the Trojan defense with ease, marching down to USC’s 24-yard line in just eight plays. Illinois-native junior kicker David Olano converted a buzzer-beating 41-yard field goal, clinching a 34-32 win and sending Illinois fans streaming onto the field. 

Defense struggles without key contributors

Without a doubt, the biggest factor — or non-factor — was the Trojan defense: Altmyer had ages in the pocket, and the Illini were able to get their run game back after a demoralizing 63-10 loss against No. 9 Indiana (5-0, 2-0) just a week prior. Against the Hoosiers, Illinois rushed for just 2 yards; they turned that stat on its head Saturday, rushing for 172 yards against the Trojans. 

A USC defensive line that has the fourth-most sacks in college football recorded just one sack against the Illini, demonstrating just how well Illinois’ veteran offensive line protected its quarterback. 

Additionally, the secondary was sorely missing veteran redshirt junior safety Kamari Ramsey, who was out due to food poisoning. Coverage was sparse, allowing Altmyer to find space in the defensive backfield, highlighted by a 64-yard pass touchdown caught by Feagin — a moment of redemption for the running back after his goal-line fumble in the first half. 

“Obviously, we’re playing pretty shorthanded in the secondary, but nobody cares,” Riley said. “That’s college football. We got to have other players step up. We need to play better and coach better.”

USC also faced injury struggles on the offensive line, with redshirt sophomore left tackle Elijah Paige out and redshirt junior center Kilian O’Connor leaving the game during the second quarter. The pressure on Maiava was evident, especially on the drive leading up to his interception. 

Altmyer had an incredible game as well, putting up a cycle with a rushing touchdown, a passing touchdown and a touchdown catch to go along with his 328 yards on 20-of-26 passing. 

‘We got to bounce back’

As disheartening as the last-second loss is for the Trojans, there were undoubtedly bright spots on offense. Lemon continued his incredible start to the season, going for 151 yards and two touchdown receptions, both of which came in fourth-quarter crunch time. Despite picking up his first interception, Maiava threw for a career-high 30 completions on 43 attempts, racking up 364 passing yards in the process.

Additionally, Lyons and redshirt senior tight end Lake McRee were both great receiving options for the Trojans, proving important in blocking as well. Jordan also ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns to make up for his opening fumble, proving why he’s been the Trojans’ go-to guy on the run game. 

Junior wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane was back in action after missing USC’s bout with Michigan State (3-1, 0-1) due to an unspecified injury. Lane stayed relatively quiet after averaging more than 30 yards per catch in his previous two games but still recorded 39 yards on four receptions.

“We got to bounce back in the bye week,” Riley said. “We’re not a very healthy football team, so we got to do a good job and get some of these guys’ bodies back.”

Now, as USC tries to repair its offensive line and get its defensive strategy back on board, the team looks forward to a bye week before another ranked Big Ten test. The Trojans will host No. 20 Michigan (3-1, 1-0) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 11.