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The Trojans' offense fell asleep in the second half

Posted on by Vanessa
The Trojans' offense fell asleep in the second half

USC was just 30 minutes away from defeating the No. 4 team in the country, Penn State. Instead, they couldn't finish the game as they lost the game in the second half. With the loss, USC is eliminated from Big Ten competition.

“Trojans fall out of College Football Playoff race”

With the loss, USC is completely eliminated from the CFP race. Before the season began, the Trojans knew their matchups against Penn State and Michigan would be difficult. What they didn't expect was a road loss to Minnesota before their home game against Penn State. A win over undefeated No. 4 Penn State would have given the Trojans a big boost to the playoffs. Instead, three losses ended the Trojans' chances of making the playoffs. Just six games into the 2024 season, USC head coach Lincoln Riley and USC saw their season effectively end.

USC

Oct. 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) runs the ball for a first down before being stopped by Penn State Nittany Lions safety Jaylen Reed (1) and cornerback Zion Tracy (7) during the first half at United Airlines Field in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The USC rush defense came into play

The Trojans' rush defense faltered after a tough week against Minnesota, as the Gophers rushed for 193 yards while Minnesota running back Darius Taylor had 144 yards on the ground. Although USC lost the game, their front seven held the Nittany Lions to 118 yards on the ground. Penn State's longest run of the game was just 19 yards. They held Penn State star running back Nicholas Singleton to 10 carries and 26 yards, a season-low for the junior running back. The Nittany Lions' leading rusher, Kaytron Allen, managed just 56 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown. Despite the result, it was a promising performance for the Trojans rush defense. If they could produce more performances like this, USC's defense could be significantly improved in the future.

USC

Oct. 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) is stopped by USC Trojans safety Kamari Ramsey (7) after a short win in the second half at United Airlines Field in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The offense comes to life in the first half and falls asleep in the second half

The Trojans went into halftime up 20-6. The USC offense scored over 20 points in the first half for the first time in over three games. USC quarterback Miller Moss looked great in the first half as Riley posted an excellent half that allowed the Trojans to keep Penn State's defense off balance for much of the first half. However, the Trojans were outscored 27-7 in the second half and overtime. USC needs to find a way to keep its offense consistent if it wants to compete as one of the best teams in the country. USC hasn't been able to put together a complete offensive game since a 48-0 win over Utah State in Week 2.

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