USC quarterback Jayden Maiava leads Trojans to tight win over Nebraska

In the last gasps of a lost season, USC’s new quarterback stood in the Coliseum tunnel, his mind racing. Any last hopes of the Trojans salvaging their season — or at least securing a bowl bid —rested on his broad shoulders. Not to mention that his arrival would make history at USC, where he became the first-ever quarterback of Polynesian descent. Back in Hawaii, where his family is from, televisions were tuned in at watch parties meant just for him.

The surreality of that moment hit Jayden Maiava all at once Saturday. Nothing had been guaranteed when he transferred to USC more than 10 months earlier, joining a USC offense that already had a presumptive starter in Miller Moss. But he’d taken a chance and trusted the process, keeping his head down through nine games, and now, the keys to the Trojans’ offense were his.

USC 28, Nebraska 20, end of the game

Nebraska started on its 25.

Emmett Johnson ran for six yards. Heinrich Haarberg passed to Thomas Fidone II for no gain and two-minute timeout was triggered with 2:11 left on the clock. Dylan Raiola passed to Johnson for one yard. On fourth-and-three with 1:30 left, Raiola passed to Fidone for nine yards.

Raiola passed to Jahmal Banks for eight yards. Raiola tossed an incomplete pass broken up by DeCarlos Nicholson. On third-and-two at the Nebraska 49, Johnson ran for three yards.

Raiola passed to Johnson for one yard. He ran out of bounds with 31 seconds left. On second-and-nine, Raiola passed to Nate Boerkircher for nine yards.

On first down at the USC 38, Raiola tossed a pass to the end zone that was bobbled in traffic and nearly picked off before falling incomplete. Raiola was under pressure and tossed another incomplete pass. On third-and-10 with 11 seconds left, Raiola passed to Jaylen Lloyd along the sideline for 24 yards.

Nebraska called timeout with five seconds left on the clock.

On first down at the USC 14, Nebraska was called for a false start. The Huskers moved back five yards to the USC 19, Raiola passed into the end zone and the ball was intercepted by USC’s Greedy Vance Jr. There was a lot of contact on the final play, but the refs didn’t throw a penalty flag and the game ended.

USC 28, Nebraska 20, 2:45 left in the fourth quarter

USC started on its 16.

Woody Marks ran for seven yards. Marks ran for another seven yards.

Jayden Maiava tossed an incomplete pass under pressure. Marks ran for five yards. On third-and-five, Maiava passed to Duce Robinson for nine yards.

Quinten Joyner ran for four yards. USC snapped the ball early, fumbled and recovered for a three-yard loss. Maiava passed to slightly behind Makai Lemon and the ball bounced off two players before Lemon corraled it for a nine-yard gain. The call on the field of a first down was reviewed and overturned. On fourth-and-half a yard at the 46 1/2-yard line, Maiava tossed and option pitch to Marks for 34 yards up the left sideline.

Marks ran for four yards to the Nebraska 9. Maiava passed short of Joyner, but Joyner reached back to grab it for a five-yard gain. On third-and-one, Joyner ran for one yard.

On first-and-goal at the Nebraksa 2, Maiava faked a handoff and ran for a two-yard touchdown.

Michael Lantz hit the extra point to give USC an eight-point lead.

USC 21, Nebraska 20, 12:58 left in the fourth quarter

Nebraska started on its 20.

Heinrich Haarberg ran for 13 yards.

Dante Dowdell ran for two yards. Dowdell ran for three yards. On third-and-five, Dylan Raiola tosses a screen pass to Emmett Johnson for two yards. Kamari Ramsey’s open-field tackle stopped a potential touchdown catch.

Nebraska called timeout at the 10:31 mark. The Huskers took a delay of game penalty before punting to the USC 16.

USC 21, Nebraska 20, 12:58 left in the fourth quarter

On second-and-seven, Jayden Maiava passed to Zachariah Branch for 23 yards.

Woody Marks ran for two yards. Maiava tossed an incomplete pass. On third-and-eight at the Nebraska 14, Marks ran for four yards.

On fourth-and-four at the Nebraska 10, Michael Lantz’s 27-yard field attempt was blocked by USC transfer Ceyair Wright.

USC 21, Nebraska 20, end of third quarter

USC started on its 25 after the touchback.

Jayden Maiava passed to Zachariah Branch for 12 yards.

Woody Marks ran for eight yards. Marks then ran for 13 yards.

Marks ran for three yards to the Nebraska 39 as time expired in the third quarter.

USC 21, Nebraska 20, 2:09 left in the third quarter

USC started on its 15.

Jayden Maiava ran for 11 yards.

Maiava was sacked for a loss of 10 yards and fumbled. Nebraska recovered the ball the USC 13.

Emmett Johnson ran for one yard. Dylan Raoila passed to Isaiah Neyor for six yards. Raiola passed to Johnson for a three-yard loss.

And John Hohl hit a 30-yard field goal to cut USC’s lead to one point.

USC 21, Nebraska 17, 4:50 left in the third quarter

Nebraska started on its 23 after a 23-yard kickoff return.

Dante Dowdell ran for 15 yards.

Dylan Raiola passed to Dowdell for a one-yard loss. Raoila passed to Janiran Bonner for a one-yard loss. Raiola passed to Jahmal Banks for 10 yards.

Nebraska punted to the USC 15.

USC 21, Nebraska 17, 7:15 left in the third quarter

USC started on its 25 after the touchback.

Woody Marks ran for four yards. Jayden Maiava passed to Marks for no gain. On third-and-six, Maiava passed to Kyron Hudson for 21 yards.

Maiava passed to Hudson for two yards. Maiva faked a handoff and hit Duce Robinson for a 48-yard touchdown. Michael Lantz hit the extra point.

Nebraska 17, USC 14 with 9:37 left in the third quarter

Nebraska started on its 25 after the touchback.

Emmett Johnson ran for six yards. Dylan Raiola passed to Isaiah Neyor for seven yards.

Dante Dowdell ran for 20 yards to the USC 42.

Dowdell ran for three yards. Raiola passed to Jahmal Banks for 13 yards.

Raiola ran for one yard amid a collapsing pocket. Johnson ran for 13 yards to the USC 12.

Johnson ran for two yards. Raiola was sacked for a loss of one yard. On third-and-eight at the USC 11, Raiola’s pass was incomplete. Officials reviewed the play and upheld the call.

John Hohl hit a 29-yard field goal.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, 15:00 left in the third quarter

Nebraska started on its 25 after the touchback.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, end of the second quarter

USC started on its 31 after the punt.

Jayden Maiava passed to Woody Marks for three yards. Zachariah Branch was called for unecessary roughness, triggering a loss of 15 yards and a 10-second runoff.

On second-and-22 with 1:14 remaining, Marks ran for 20 yards. USC calls timeout while Marks was treated for an injury on the field. On third-and-two at the USC 39, Quintent Joyner ran for no gain. Nebraska called timeout to stop the clock with 37 seconds left.

On fourth-and-two, USC punted to the Nebraska one-yard line.

With 26 seconds left, Heinrich Haarberg ran for two yards out of its own end zone and then ran out the clock.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, 1:35 left in the second quarter

Nebraska started on its 13-yard line after the punt.

Emmett Johnson ran for four yards to the Nebraska 17 and the two-minute warning was triggered.

Dylan Raiola passed to Emmett Johnson for two yards to the Nebraska 19. USC called timeout at the 1:48 mark. On third-and-four, USC’s Elijah Hughes sacked Raiola for a loss of six yards.

USC called another timeout with 1:42 left in the second quarter.

USC took a fair catch at its 41-yard line with 1:31 left. Makai Lemon was called for holding on the play and USC moved back 10 yards to its 31.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, 2:28 left in the second quarter

USC stared on its 35 after the interception.

Jayden Maiava passed to Zachariah Branch for a three-yard loss. Maiava passed to Duce Robinson for five yards. Maiava’s pass to Zachariah Branch was incomplete.

USC punted under pressure and Jacory Barney Jr. returned it four yards to the Nebraska 13.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, 4:01 left in the second quarter

Nebraska started on its 4 after the USC punt.

Dante Dowdell ran for no gain, but USC was called for illegal hands of the face and gave up 15 yards.

On first down at the Nebraska 19, Dylan Raiola passed to Isaiah Neyor four yards. Raiola passed to Janiran Bonner for 11 yards.

Raiola tossed an incomplete pass that was tipped by Mason Cobb. Emmett Johnson ran for 10 yards, breaking multiple tackles to gain the first down.

Raiola heaved to ball deep along the left sideline and Braylan Shelby intercepted it at the USC 35. The pick was not returned and USC took over possession.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, 6:22 left in the second quarter

USC started on its 25 after the touchdback.

Woody Marks ran for 16 yards.

Jayden Maiava ran four yards. USC transfer Ceyair Wright was called for holding on the play, giving the Trojans another 10 yards on the play.

On first down at the Nebraska 45, Maiava tossed a deep pass that was just out of reach for Zachariah Branch. Maiava passed to Kyle Ford for 10 yards.

Quinten Joyner ran for no gain. Maiava’s pass under pressure was incomplete. Joyner was called for pass interference at the end ofthe play.

On second-and-24 at the 50-yard line, Maiava passed laterally to Woody Marks, who ran for four yards. On third-and-21, Maiava tossed an incomplete pass as he was hit.

On fourth-and-21, USC punted to the Nebraska 4.

USC 14, Nebraska 14, 9:21 left in the second quarter

Nebraska started on its 25 after the touchback.

Dylan Raoila passed to Jacory Barney Jr. for five yards. Raiola passed to Luke Lindemeyer for eight yards.

Dante Dowdell ran for five yards. Dowdell then ran for another yard. On third-and-four, Raiola passed Jahmal Banks for 16 yards.

Raiola tossed an incomplete pass. Raiola looked deep and tossed another incomplete pass. On third-and-10 at the USC 40, Raiola passed to Janiran Bonner for 11 yards.

Raiola passed to Emmett Johnson for a 29-yard touchdown.

Nebraska hit the extra point to tie the game.

USC 14, Nebraska 7, 13:05 left in the second quarter

USC opened the second quarter facing second-and-three at the Nebraska 46.

Jayden Maiava passed to Woody Marks for 11 yards. Nebraska’s Stefon Thompson held onto Marks as he entered the USC sideline area and shoved him out of bounds. Both teams jawed at each other. Officials quickly separated the players that had clashed earlier during pregame warm-ups. Nebraska was hit with a penalty for unnecessary roughness for shoving Marks after the play had ended, adding another 15 yards to the USC gain.

Maiava faked a handoff and ran for 13 yards.

Marks ran for five yards and Makai Lemon was called for unecessary roughness after a skirmish following the play.

USC then second-and-goal on the Nebraska 17. The Huskers were called offsides, bringing up second-and-goal at the Nebraska 12. Maiava passed toward Kyron Hudson, who bobbled the ball that touched the Nebraska defender’s helmet before Hudson eventually pulled it in for a 12-yard touchdown catch.

Michael Lantz hit hte extra point.

USC 7, Nebraska 7, end of first quarter

USC started on its 14-yard line.

Jayden Maiava rolled right while bringing defensive pressure with him, then tossed on the crowd to Woody Marks on the left for a 12-yard gain.

Maiava passed to Lake McRee for nine yards. Marks ran for 12 yards.

Maiava passed to Makai Lemon for seven yards and time expired in the first quarter.

After a rough start, Maiava has completed 9 of 14 passes for 89 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

USC 7, Nebraska 7, 2:06 left in the first quarter

Nebraska started on its 25 after the touchback.

Dylan Raiola passed to Jacory Barney Jr. for four yards. Emmett Johnson ran for nine yards.

Raiola passed to Johnson for four yards. Johnson then ran for two yards. On third-and-four, Raiola ran for two yards. On fourth-and-one at the Nebraska 44, the Huskers punted.

Zachariah Branch collected a fair catch at the USC 14.

USC 7, Nebraska 7, 5:04 left in the first quarter

USC started on its 35 after a 32-yard kickoff return by Makai Lemon

Jayden Maiava passed to Zachariah Branch for a loss of three yards. Woody Marks ran for six yards. On third-and-seven, Nebraska called timeout. Maiava passed to Kyle Ford for 18 yards.

Quinten Joyner ran for five yards. Joyner then ran for two yards and six yards on the next two plays.

On first down at the Nebraska 31, Wood Marks ran for a three-yard loss. On second-and-13, Maiava heaved the ball up while falling out of bounds. Duce Robinson stretched out and caught it for a gain of 28 yards.

Maiava passed to Branch for a six-yard touchdown and Michael Lantz hit an extra point to close the drive.

Nebraska 7, USC 0, 9:37 left in the first quarter

USC started on its 21 after the punt.

Woody Marks ran for four yards. Jayden Maiava tossed an incomplete pass. And Maiava tossed a pass that USC transfer Ceyair Wright intercepted and ran back 45 yards for a touchdown.

The Huskers hit the extra point.

USC 0, Nebraska 0, 10:17 left in the first quarter

Nebraska started on its 12 after the USC punt.

Dylan Raiola tossed an incomplete pass. Raiola passed to Jamal Banks for eight yards. Dante Dowdell ran for three yards and a first down.

Raiola ran for no gain. Raiola then passed to Dowdell for three yards. On third-and-seven, Raiola tossed an incomplete pass.

Nebraska punted and Zachariah Branch returned the ball four yards to the USC 21.

USC 0, Washington 0, 12:58 left in the first quarter

New starting quarterback Jayden Maiava passed to Zachariah Branch for six yards. Maiava tossed a deep pass that fell incomplete. Maiava passed to Woody Marks for six yards and a first down.

Marks ran for no gain. Maiava took another deep shot that fell incomplete. Maiava’s next pass was incomplete.

USC punted to the Nebraska 13.

The Maiava era started with a couple of deep shots that had distance, but were off target and contested.

USC 0, Nebraska 0, 15:00 left in the first quarter

Nebraska won the coin toss and deferred. After the touchback, USC started on its 25.

USC freshman edge-rushing duo Kameryn Fountain and Sam Greene have shown why they were recruited to join the Trojans’ defense: to get to the quarterback.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of long nights and early mornings,” Greene said. “Doing extra little things just to contribute to the team. That’s all I wanted to do ever since I signed that paper to come here.”

Both players secured their first collegiate sack in a decisive win over Rutgers last Saturday.

Before he played the position, Jayden Maiava had a sense of what a Samoan quarterback could mean to his community. Growing up in Oahu’s Palolo Valley in a big Samoan family, he’d felt that power firsthand. Like so many other boys his age on the Hawaiian Islands, he watched Marcus Mariota at Oregon and Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama with a sense of awe and wonder. He watched as the whole of Hawaii seemed to galvanize around them and boys emulated them, promising their friends they would be the next Marcus or Tua someday.

Jayden never had been so bold as to envision a similar path for himself. Playing football always had been a foregone conclusion, but he’d never really considered playing quarterback. In his own family, where football roots ran generations deep, no one had tried the position. Most had settled along the defensive or offensive fronts, where Polynesian prospects so often were penciled in. Plus, Jayden was a quiet kid — not the type you’d expect to welcome the pressure of the position.

John Robinson, who coached his signature run-oriented USC football team to a national title and took the Los Angeles Rams to two NFL conference championship games, has died. He was 89.

Robinson, whose USC teams won four Rose Bowls in his two stints with the Trojans, died Monday in Baton Rouge, La., of complications from pneumonia, USC announced.

Robinson succeeded the legendary John McKay at USC in 1976 and continued the Trojans’ winning tradition for seven seasons. The Rams lured him to pro football in 1983 and he led the franchise to numerous playoff appearances and the brink of two Super Bowls before returning to USC a decade later. His last coaching job was at Nevada Las Vegas, where he temporarily revived a moribund program.

The two coaches spent enough hours together, tossing around Air Raid ideas on the same Texas Tech staff from 2004 to 2007, to understand each other’s tendencies at a pretty deep level. But after all those years and all the games their teams have played since, Lincoln Riley is less sure than ever what to expect from Dana Holgorsen on Saturday when USC faces Nebraska.

That’s because two weeks ago, Holgorsen wasn’t even on Nebraska’s staff. The longtime coach was working as an offensive assistant at Texas Christian after being fired as Houston’s coach. In the first week of November, Holgorsen joined Matt Rhule’s staff at Nebraska in a similar role.

One loss to UCLA later, Holgorsen climbed the ladder to coordinator.

USC Sports

Jayden Maiava poised to become the first Polynesian starting quarterback at USC

Jayden Maiava knows he will be setting an example for others when he becomes the first Polynesian to start at quarterback at USC Saturday.

Nov. 14, 2024

USC (4-5) looks to bolster its bowl hopes with a win over Nebraska (5-4) on Saturday at the Coliseum. The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. PST and will be shown on Fox. The radio broadcast will be available on 710 AM in the Los Angeles area.

Here’s a look at the betting odds for the game: