Ring the Victory Bell! USC rallies to beat crosstown rivals UCLA 19-13 to clinch a bowl game

Ring the Victory Bell, the USC Trojans have won the battle of Los Angeles. 

USC rallied in the fourth quarter for 19-13 victory over the crosstown rivals UCLA to qualify for a bowl game with their sixth win of the season. 

Sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 221 yards and a touchdown in the win. 

Saturday’s showdown on NBC wasn’t the clash of two top-ranked teams that the 2022 rendition was, but there was still a postseason berth on the line, the coveted Victory Bell prize, and bragging rights in the City of Angels. 

The game was also a polar opposite affair from the last two games that were featured two high-octane offenses. 

Saturday’s game was a battle of defenses, and a personal one for both scores. After leading UCLA’s defense last season, former Bruins’ defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, switched sides to take over the defensive reigns for the Trojans.

Lynn’s defense has lived up to the hype this season, but it was the Trojans’ offense, especially trying to fill the void at quarterback left by Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, that had been their downfall all season long. 

Quarterback Miller Moss struggled midway through the seasons with three straight losses, and was benched after a 26-21 loss to Washington in favor of the UNLV transfer Maiava. 

Maiava, a scrambling, and more athletic quarterback than Moss, won his first start for the Trojans last week against Nebraska and is now 2-0 as a starter for USC.

After four combined field goals, the Bruins finally got the first touchdown of the game when Ethan Garbers found tight-end Molilki Matavao on a screen pass for a 10-yard touchdown that gave them a 10-9 lead. 

Despite struggling on offense in the second half, the Trojans finally broke through with a go-ahead touchdown of their own when sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava escaped the pocket, evading defenders like a rabbit being chased by a coyote, until he found receiver Ja’Kobi Lane in the left corner of the end zone for the go-ahead score. 

On the ensuring drive, the Bruins went for it on fourth and inches and were stuffed on a quarterback keeper by the Trojans’ defense. USC took over with great field position and extended their lead to 19-13 after a 30-yard field goal.

On one of the grandest stages in all of college football, it was only fitting that the USC defense, led by Lynn, would have to win the game with a stop.

On fourth and 10 with the game on the line, the Trojans forced Garbers out of the pocket, where he threw an incomplete pass to hand USC the victory.

No team has won back-to-back games in the rivalry since USC did it 2019-20.

Source: NBC Los Angeles