With one big hit, Jayden Maiava gets on track and delivers No. 19 USC past Northwestern

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

His pass had just been picked off, a most unfortunate turn at a most unfortunate time for USC, when Jayden Maiava took off sprinting toward the pylon.

The past month to that point hadn’t been one to remember for the Trojans quarterback. The week before, at Nebraska, Maiava completed just nine passes. Two weeks before that, he struggled through a rain-soaked loss in South Bend. This interception was his sixth in five weeks — and a pass he’d surely prefer to have back.

But as Northwestern’s Najee Story rumbled toward that same pylon with ball in hand, USC’s quarterback closed in, lowered his shoulder and catapulted his entire body toward the 288-pound defensive tackle. On a Friday night filled with strange twists for the Trojans, who walked away with an 38-17 win over Northwestern, none was more consequential than that moment, as Maiava’s hit jostled the ball loose and it bounced in the end zone and out of bounds.

The fumble gave USC possession — and turned the tides in a game that the Trojans absolutely couldn’t afford to give away as they hang on to slim hopes of making the College Football Playoff.

From that point on, they outscored Northwestern, 24-3.

The circumstances Friday were already tailor-made for trouble. There was the shorter-than-usual turnaround from the Nebraska trip, as well as Maiava’s recent inconsistencies through the air. Not to mention a defense that allowed almost 500 rushing yards over the last two games.

But none of those issues looked so pressing Friday. Especially after halftime, once USC’s defense finally clamped down on a Northwestern offense that gashed the Trojans early on the ground. The Wildcats managed a meager 103 yards in the second half.

Maiava was also much sharper as a passer. Aside from his second-quarter interception, Maiava completed 24 of his 33 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Over half of that output came from top wideout Makai Lemon, who bounced back from an off game in Lincoln to catch 11 passes for 161 yards.

Once again, the Trojans' offense benefited from a big performance from walk-on-turned-starter King Miller, who continues to thrive since taking over USC’s backfield. It was Miller who would make Northwestern pay after losing that fumble in the end zone.

On the very next play, Miller burst through a hole in Northwestern’s defense and sprinted for 55 yards. Two plays later, he punched in a touchdown to give USC a 21-14 lead. It was the last score the Trojans would need to secure their fourth Big Ten victory of the season.

USC tried to set the tone right away with a 16-play opening drive, capped by a Lemon touchdown. A week after he completed just nine passes total against Nebraska, Maiava had nine completions on the first possession alone Friday.

After matching that with its own long touchdown drive, Northwestern immediately stopped USC for what appeared to be a three-and-out. The Trojans sent out the punt team.

Only after the fact would anyone notice that the player wearing the usual No. 80 worn by USC punter Sam Johnson was in this case backup quarterback Sam Huard, whose number had officially been changed from No. 7 for the game.

The diabolical move from Riley would pay off. Huard completed the fake punt pass for a first down. Five plays later, Maiava took off toward the end zone and punched it in for his team-leading sixth rushing score of the season.

Then Northwestern matched that effort, too, marching down the field behind running back Caleb Komolafe, who had 117 all-purpose yards in the first half alone.

USC’s defense finally managed to get its first stop with five minutes before halftime. But on the next drive, the Wildcats nearly flipped the game on its head with their interception of Maiava.

Alas, from there it turned in the Trojans' direction instead. The fumble into the end zone amounted to a critical 14-point swing, as Miller broke the game open with his big run on the next drive.

There was no putting it back together from there, as USC found its stride and cruised the rest of the way to a Friday night victory.

Read more:Old soul Makai Lemon never takes his eye off the prize — helping USC reach the CFP

Sign up for more USC news with Times of Troy. In your inbox every Monday morning.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos