Jayden Maiava leads Trojans to victory after dramatic second-quarter momentum shift

PublishedNovember 8, 2025 12:27 AM EST•UpdatedNovember 8, 2025 12:27 AM EST

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The USC Trojans finished the 2024 season at 6-6, losing five games in which they had 90+% win expectancy and a lead in the fourth quarter. Despite a difficult schedule, it was an unqualified disaster in year three of the Lincoln Riley era in Los Angeles. 

SC entered the 2025 season unranked, even with top level skill position talent and a highly regarded defensive coaching staff. An impressive start put the Trojans into the top-10 in some analytical and efficiency-based ranking systems, though they were mostly ignored by AP Poll voters in favor of teams like LSU and Tennessee.

A loss to Illinois seemed to derail their promising season, but a dominant win over the Michigan Wolverines at the Coliseum got things back on track. But a tough loss to Notre Dame in South Bend followed, removing any margin for error. SC recovered for a big road win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and returned home to host the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday night.

Sitting at No. 19 in the first College Football Playoff poll, SC might have a clear path to the first ever playoff appearance: win out, and get in. They're off to a good start. 

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

USC Dominates Northwestern To Keep Hope Alive

Friday night seemed to set up for a USC letdown. Coming off a difficult, physical, hard-fought win in Lincoln over a tough Nebraska team on Saturday. More travel. A short week. Playing an underrated Northwestern team that, as always, is tough in the trenches. The same Northwestern team that allowed just 11 points to Penn State, in Happy Valley, the game that got James Franklin fired.

But SC, after a bit of a wobbly start, took control of the game in the second quarter and never looked back. And it started with a crazy fake punt, an SC interception and Northwestern fumble. 

On 4th and six from their own 45 and a half yard line, the Trojans lined up in punt formation. But after the snap, backup quarterback Sam guard threw an absolute dart for an easy first down wearing number 80, the same as the usual punter.

Then, with just under three minutes remaining in the second quarter, Jayden Maiava dropped back to pass, only to see it picked out of the air by defensive lineman Najee Story. Story seemed headed for the endzone, rumbling down the sidelines, until…out of nowhere, Maiava lowered his head and knocked the ball out.

Northwestern had players in the endzone, but nobody could fall on it, and it went out of bounds for a touchback.

On the first play afterward, King Miller ran for 55 yards. Ja'Kobi Lane caught a 13-yard pass. Then Miller went for 12 and a touchdown. Three plays, 80 yards and a 21-14 lead, after it seemed like Northwestern could take advantage of a huge turnover.

USC's skill position advantage came into play later on too, when Lane made yet another highlight reel catch for a touchdown and a 28-14 lead. 

USC kept scoring, opening up a 38-17 lead in the fourth quarter, with 8.1 yards per play offensively. That'll work. 

The Trojans improved to 7-2, and host the #20 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday at the Coliseum. Win that game, and the trip to Oregon on November 22nd becomes a huge opportunity. UCLA looms in the last week of the season, but pull an upset in Eugene, and a berth in the College Football Playoff starts to look very, very likely.

There's a long way to go, but Lincoln Riley had to win this game, had to show that SC has improved from the 2024 debacle. The Trojans are a winnable game at Illinois away from being 8-1 and likely in the top 10. Still, they'll be favored in two of their last three games, and a 9-3 season would be a step forward. A 10-2 year with a win over Oregon? That's a leap.