USC fall to Indiana 27-13 and end playoff hopes
USC lost 27-13 to Indiana, ending its College Football Playoff chances and drawing sharp criticism of quarterback Jayden Maiava and head coach Lincoln Riley.
USC's College Football Playoff hopes ended on Saturday after the Trojans lost 27-13 to the Indiana Hoosiers, a defeat that has intensified questions about the direction of the program under head coach Lincoln Riley.
USC trailed 20-13 late in the game and moved deep into the Indiana red zone with a chance to take control. Instead, quarterback Jayden Maiava threw an interception from the Indiana 6-yard line, the most damaging of four interceptions he threw in the game. The turnover was one of several missed opportunities that defined a frustrating afternoon for the Trojans. USC drove into the red zone five times but scored only one touchdown, and it was held back by two missed field goals, one from 51 yards and another from 27.
Indiana made its late chances count. Quarterback Grant Wilson connected with Charlie Becker on a 42-yard touchdown pass, and the Hoosiers later closed the game with a seven-play, 93-yard drive that sealed the win. A missed pass interference call against Indiana late in the game also drew attention, adding to the sense that USC had let several chances slip away. A later Indiana field goal, made by a fan from near the spot of one of USC's missed attempts, became a memorable postscript to a day that offered the Trojans little relief.
The loss carries weight beyond the scoreboard. USC had beaten Ohio State only two weeks earlier, which had raised expectations for a team still in contention for a playoff berth. Against Indiana, the Trojans could neither sustain their drives nor finish them, and the result removed them from the playoff picture for this season. The defeat leaves the program with little margin for error in the final stretch of the schedule.
Analysis of the performance has centered on Maiava, whose footwork, decision-making and accuracy under pressure have been questioned. Critics have also extended their criticism to Riley, now in his fifth season at USC, pointing to the team's struggles in developing its quarterback. Reports have suggested that USC could assemble Riley's buyout, though no such decision has been announced.
Attention now turns to the crosstown rivalry game against UCLA on Thanksgiving weekend. UCLA, under first-year coach Bob Chesney, has emerged as a strong playoff contender, which raises the stakes for USC as it closes its season against its Los Angeles rival. For a program that began the season with lofty aspirations, the remaining games will shape how the year is ultimately judged.
Source: foxnews.com
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