Lincoln Riley Leads USC to Thrilling Last-Minute Victory Over LSU
USC head coach Lincoln Riley reminisces about a past Oklahoma win as USC secures a dramatic 27-20 victory over LSU with a last-minute touchdown run.
Bollywood Fever: Lincoln Riley couldn’t help but have a flashback to a memorable moment from three years ago when he was at the helm of Oklahoma. In a tie game against their archrival Texas, Riley’s Sooners secured a thrilling victory with a 33-yard run into the end zone, with just 3 seconds remaining. Fast forward to Sunday night, Riley found himself in a similar situation, this time as head coach of No. 23 Southern California.
In the season opener against No. 13 LSU, Riley’s Trojans needed just a field goal to seal the game, but a run by Woody Marks up the middle for a 13-yard touchdown with 8 seconds left gave USC a dramatic 27-20 win. The play called for Marks immediately brought back memories of that Oklahoma-Texas game for Riley.
“I told someone on the headset, ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if he creases this,’” Riley recalled. “And, of course, it happened.”
Quarterback Miller Moss had an outstanding performance, passing for 378 yards and a touchdown. His 20-yard completion to Kyron Hudson, followed by a crucial targeting penalty on LSU with 18 seconds left, set up Marks’ game-winning run—his second touchdown of the night.
“We worked really hard throughout the offseason to build the identity of a tough team that really cares about each other,” Moss said, reflecting on the team’s preparation and grit.
Moss outplayed LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier in a tightly contested quarterback duel. Nussmeier completed 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception on the final drive. Moss was equally efficient, going 27 of 36, in a game that saw both quarterbacks stepping into the spotlight after spending time behind recent Heisman Trophy winners—USC’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
In USC’s first season of Big Ten Conference play, this victory sends a strong message that the Trojans are serious contenders after a disappointing 8-5 season last year.
“That was some pretty good Big Ten football today,” Riley said with a smile, pleased with his team’s performance against a strong Southeastern Conference opponent.
While LSU still has opportunities to make a case for a College Football Playoff berth, this loss marks the Tigers’ third consecutive season-opening defeat under coach Brian Kelly, and their fifth straight loss overall.
“We didn’t play complementary football,” Kelly admitted. “But the thing that is most concerning for me are the personal fouls, the penalties that are selfish. They’re undisciplined penalties. That falls back on me. We take pride in running a disciplined program, but we have clearly not done a good enough job there because it impacted the game.”
Despite the loss, LSU had strong support, with their fans making up about 60% of the record-setting crowd of 63,969 at Allegiant Stadium, which sometimes felt like a home game for the Tigers. The star-studded audience included LSU greats Shaquille O’Neal and Jayden Daniels, alongside former USC Heisman winners Marcus Allen and Matt Leinart.
The game was defined by spectacular plays, including a remarkable one-handed, leaping catch by Kyron Hudson that set up a touchdown run by Marks, giving USC a 7-0 lead. LSU’s Kyren Lacy responded with an acrobatic touchdown catch of his own, tying the game.
Both teams had their missed opportunities—the Tigers were stopped on downs at USC’s 3-yard line, and Trojans kicker Michael Lantz missed a 29-yard field goal as the first half ended.
In the second half, the teams traded blows, with USC taking a 20-17 lead on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Moss to Ja’Kobi Lane. LSU tied the game with a 31-yard field goal by Damian Ramos, but left 1:47 on the clock—enough time for Moss to lead the Trojans on an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended in Marks’ game-winning touchdown.
USC’s victory not only sets the tone for their season but also highlights Lincoln Riley’s ability to lead his team in clutch moments, drawing on past experiences to secure thrilling wins.
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