Rutgers ripped by USC to fall to .500 as losing streak reaches four

LOS ANGELES — Woody Marks ran for 3 touchdowns, Miller Moss had 2 scoring passes and a touchdown run, and Southern California snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Rutgers 42-20 connected Friday night.

The Trojans (4-4, 2-4 Big Ten), who adjacent look Washington connected Nov. 2, scored connected each 4 violative possessions successful nan first half, while their injury-depleted defense — missing 4 starters successful nan secondary — came up pinch immoderate timely stops.

“I don’t cognize if it’s alleviation arsenic conscionable overmuch affirmation of who we are, what we judge in,” said Moss, who was 20-of-28 passing for 308 yards. “I springiness a ton of in installments to nan guys successful that locker room, nan staff, really nan full programme connected really they look to travel together and conflict done adversity. And, yeah, it’s awesome to adjacent 1 out, and hopefully we get connected a tally present successful nan backmost half of nan season.”

Woody Marks rushes for 1 of his 3 touchdowns during USC’s 42-20 triumph complete Rutgers connected
Oct. 25, 2024. AP

Marks had 142 yards from scrimmage. Makai Lemon had 134 yards receiving connected 4 grabs pinch a touchdown, positive an 80-yard footwear return successful nan first 4th that group up Marks’ 2nd TD run.

Athan Kaliakmanis threw a 25-yard touchdown walk to Christian Dremel and Antwan Raymond ran for a touchdown, but nan Scarlet Knights (4-4, 1-4) dropped their 4th consecutive game.

Showing a consistency successful moving nan shot that looked much for illustration nan erstwhile 2 seasons successful nan Pac-12 pinch Caleb Williams astatine quarterback, USC went up and down nan section successful nan first half. The passing crippled accounted for 172 of nan offense’s 244 full yards done 2 quarters, pinch Moss hitting connected 14 of 16 attempts and uncovering Kyle Ford for an 11-yard touchdown.

Rutgers, which adjacent hosts Minnesota connected Nov. 9, trim it to 28-20 early successful nan 3rd 4th erstwhile Kaliakmanis covered 70 yards successful consecutive plays pinch throws to Dymere Miller and Dremel, followed by a 2-point walk to nan backmost from Chris Long connected a instrumentality play.

But Lemon ripped disconnected a 70-yard catch-and-run connected nan first play of nan ensuing drive, and Moss strolled into nan extremity area connected a 7-yard keeper to put USC backmost up by 2 possessions.

“We didn’t make immoderate of nan aforesaid mistakes that person plagued us,” Trojans caput coach Lincoln Riley said. “I cognize it benignant of sounds simple, but we did, we conscionable played better.”

Miller Moss threw 2 touchdowns and ran for different successful USC’s triumph complete Rutgers. AP

Kaliakmanis ended up pinch 313 yards passing, and Kyle Monangai had 86 yards connected 18 carries.

Pass unreserved perks up

Getting to nan backmost is what made protect coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s 1 play astatine UCLA specified a success, but nan commencement of his USC tenure had been defined by a staggering inability to create sacks. That turned astir against Rutgers, pinch nan Trojans signaling a season-high 4 takedowns of Kaliakmanis.

“I thought coming was conscionable a bully practice of nan existent personality of our defense, playing beingness for 4 consecutive quarters,” linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold said.

The takeaway

Rutgers: The defense has fallen isolated complete nan past 3 games, giving up 119 points to Wisconsin, UCLA and USC.

The Trojans gashed them for 8.7 yards per play, while nan Scarlet Knights did not grounds a sack and had 1 tackle for loss.

USC: The discourtesy has been searching for a lead receiver, and Lemon mightiness beryllium that quality maker.

His soft 40-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown precocious successful nan 3rd 4th to put nan crippled distant was nan benignant of explosive play that nan Trojans were noticeably lacking during their caller skid.