USC football could not get out of its own way versus IndianaMicah Huff,
The USC Trojans fell to 7-3 on the season after fumbling a winnable game against the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday. Coming into Week 11, the Trojans were in a great position to expose the Hoosiers; instead, they further proved that they are not ready for prime time under Lincoln Riley.
It was a game full of mistakes, but unfortunately for USC, they made more than IU, and they could not capitalize on the Hoosiers' turnovers as much as Indiana did. The Trojans' offense had no issue driving down the field consistently. They were doing things to the Hoosiers' defense that no team this season has been able to. Even in this loss, the Trojans looked on the same level as Indiana, and that is what is most frustrating.
Jayden Maiava had some ups in this game, but the downs were costly. He threw 3 interceptions total, and 2 of them played a huge role. With the score 20-13 in the red zone, the offense was humming, and Maiava made a poor decision to force the ball. His interception late in the 4th quarter was the costliest. He had moments where he looked like the best quarterback on the field, but his mistakes just reflect what this USC Trojans team has been over the last few years. Good but not good enough.
The Trojans' defense fought extremely hard, and they bottled up the Hoosiers' offense at critical moments. When the game seemed like it could get away, USC linebacker Deven Bryant came up with an interception before halftime, helping the Trojans get the momentum needed to tie the game. Even with their great performance, their 4 dropped interceptions were too much for this team to overcome. 3 interceptions came in the end zone. You are not going to beat Indiana with that.
Many thought the Trojans would have to be perfect to win this game, but they just had to get back 1-2 mistakes, and this game looks different. In the end, this is a classic Lincoln Riley loss. Penalties and costly mistakes were the biggest reasons they lost this game. The road woes are back for USC, and that will be a narrative that will be tough to get off their backs.
Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football could not get out of its own way versus Indiana
Source: Sports
0 Comments