USC’s Late Mistakes Doom Trojans in Loss to Indiana

USC had a chance to tie the game late, but Indiana’s Isaiah Jones intercepted Jayden Maiava’s pass at the Hoosiers’ 1-yard line with 6:35 remaining. Indiana then extended its lead when Grant Wilson threw a 42-yard touchdown to Charlie Becker with 3:30 left, sealing a 27-13 win at Memorial Stadium on November 14.

The No. 18 Trojans fell to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten, while No. 9 Indiana improved to 9-1 and 6-1. USC’s playoff prospects took a significant hit, and the loss renewed questions about coach Lincoln Riley’s position. Riley is now 1-8 against ranked opponents on the road.

Mistakes repeatedly stalled USC. The Trojans converted just two of 11 third downs, missed two field goals and committed several special-teams penalties. A missed 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter left USC trailing 20-13 after the offense had reached Indiana’s 8-yard line.

USC briefly recovered before halftime. A Deven Bryant interception set up a 51-yard Maiava completion to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, followed by a seven-yard touchdown pass to Zacharyus Williams that tied the score at 10 with 21 seconds remaining in the half.

Wilson, who had backed up Josh Hoover for much of the season, completed 17 of 27 passes for 305 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. USC returns home to play Maryland next weekend, then finishes regular-season play against No. 4 UCLA at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl on November 28.

USC’s Collapse Raises Hard Questions About Riley’s Future

USC’s latest failure in a high-stakes road game has put Lincoln Riley’s tenure under renewed pressure. The No. 18 Trojans lost 27-13 to No. 9 Indiana on November 14, and their playoff hopes took a serious blow.

A late interception by Indiana’s Isaiah Jones ended USC’s chance to tie the score. The Trojans’ errors had already left them struggling to keep pace: they converted only two of 11 third downs, missed two field goals and committed multiple special-teams penalties. A missed 27-yard kick in the fourth quarter was especially costly after USC had driven to the Indiana 8-yard line.

The loss leaves Riley 1-8 against ranked opponents on the road. After a win over then-No. 2 Ohio State had raised expectations, USC’s inability to deliver in Bloomington has again put the coach’s future under the spotlight. The stakes are now clear for athletic director Jen Cohen as she weighs the program’s direction.

Indiana quarterback Grant Wilson threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, including a late 42-yard score that secured the win. USC next hosts Maryland before facing No. 4 UCLA at the Rose Bowl on November 28.

USC’s Costly Errors End Playoff Hopes and Put Riley Under Scrutiny

USC’s season took a damaging turn in Bloomington, where avoidable mistakes helped No. 9 Indiana hand the Trojans a 27-13 defeat on November 14. USC’s playoff chances are now badly diminished, and coach Lincoln Riley faces fresh scrutiny after another loss to a ranked road opponent.

The Trojans had a chance to tie late, but Jayden Maiava’s pass was intercepted by Isaiah Jones at Indiana’s 1-yard line. USC also missed two field goals, converted just two of 11 third downs and committed several special-teams penalties. A 27-yard miss in the fourth quarter wasted a drive that had reached the Hoosiers’ 8-yard line.

Those failures came after a second bye week and followed a win over then-No. 2 Ohio State that had revived USC’s hopes. Instead, the Trojans fell to 1-8 against ranked teams on the road under Riley. The loss puts the program’s leadership under renewed pressure, with athletic director Jen Cohen facing questions about Riley’s future.

Indiana’s Grant Wilson threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, including a 42-yard strike that put the game away. USC’s next chance to regroup comes at home against Maryland, followed by a regular-season finale against No. 4 UCLA on November 28.