Amid the tumult of a trying and disappointing season, on Saturday, the Trojans were able to capitalize on homefield advantage and take home a win.

Almost all of USC’s (5-5, 3-5 Big Ten) success this year has come at home, with an impressive 4-1 record at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but a disastrous 0-4 mark on the road.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava brought a spark that allowed the Trojans to  continue their home success, as USC took down Nebraska (5-5, 2-4) 28-20 in his first-ever start in cardinal and gold.

Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest at and around USC.

Trojan fans were invigorated at this homecoming matchup, excited by the prospect of a new leader under center, and the two teams gave them a great showdown.

USC and Nebraska were neck and neck until the final seconds of the game, trading scores and clutch defensive stops throughout the contest. But at the crucial juncture, it was the Trojans who had the playmakers to pull out a win.

USC took a 28-20 lead over Nebraska with 2:45 remaining after a touchdown run by Maiava, leaving the visitors with one last drive to try to send the game to overtime. Star true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola led the Cornhuskers down the field, eventually giving his team one last chance to punch it in — a 1st & 10 from the 14-yard line with five seconds remaining.

But it did not go according to plan for Raiola and Co. After a disastrous false start penalty backed up the Cornhuskers, an interception by USC redshirt senior cornerback Greedy Vance Jr. on the game’s final play put an end to any hopes of a miraculous comeback.

“[I’m] super proud of the very end, the last drive, offensively,” said Head Coach Lincoln Riley in a postgame press conference. “Then closing the door defensively there at the end was tremendous.”

Ahead of Saturday’s game, Riley announced redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss would not start against the Cornhuskers. Instead, the coaching staff turned to Maiava, a choice that proved to be a good one.

Maiava, in his first-ever start for the Trojans, would complete 25 of 35 passes for 259 yards and account for four touchdowns — three through the air and one on the ground. Maiava had a shaky start and a few crucial mistakes throughout the game, but his talent shone through and his performance cemented the Trojans’ victory.

“We start with the pick-six. Sometimes deals like that, especially at home, can take the air out of your sails a little bit,” Riley said. “The team didn’t even flinch, and they responded well. And to come back and win was awesome.”

This was not an easy win for the Trojans, as the game was extremely close throughout the contest and started disastrously. The Cornhuskers started off the scoring with a pick-six by junior defensive back Ceyair Wright, a former Trojan. It was the worst possible start to Maiava’s big day that he could have imagined.

But Maiava and the Trojans responded in impressive fashion, scoring on their next drive after a beautiful touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Zachariah Branch.

USC made a push to pull away from Nebraska in the second and third quarters, but the Cornhuskers would persist, keeping the score extremely close. But in the fourth quarter, where USC continuously has faltered with Moss at the helm this season, the Trojans finally began to dominate the game.

The Trojans showcased impressive defense and offense against the Cornhuskers, a rare feat in the Riley era. With consistent issues on defense in previous years and the inability to finish a game on offense this year, this rare sight of cohesion for USC may be a good sign for its final games. Maiava may be the key to Trojan success as USC chases bowl eligibility in its final two matchups.

Going into Saturday, USC had to win two of its next three games to reach six wins and have an opportunity to play in a bowl game this season. With the win over Nebraska, USC will only have to win one of its final matchups to finish the job — two huge duels with the Trojans’ most bitter rivals.

A victory over either crosstown nemesis UCLA (4-6, 3-5) or longtime foe No. 8 Notre Dame (9-1) would secure the Trojans’ eligibility for a bowl game. But the extra motivation of postseason play is likely unnecessary for those matchups, especially with the chance to spoil the playoff chances of the Fighting Irish with a win.

Shifting its focus now to its final away game of the season, USC will take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl Saturday at 7:30 p.m.