Miller Moss and No. 13 USC dominate in 48-0 win over Utah State

At first, it seemed like an odd combination. A West Coast power known for its polish paired with a conference known for its bulk and corn-fed muscle. Two years of condescending tone from the rest of the Big Ten Conference suggested this about USC, which until this fall hadn't given much reason to believe it belonged in such a weight class.

But while the Big Ten's strongest teams were being trounced on Saturday, USC's 48-0 win over Utah State didn't just make it look like a conference heavyweight. The team fought its way into the front row of the College Football Playoffs before the Big Ten had even started.

That effort once again started on defense, where USC's newly formed unit shut down and posted its first shutout since November 2011. The No. 13 Trojans held Utah State to 190 yards and allowed just a single third-down conversion, and only twice did the Aggies make it past the 50-yard line before the final minutes.

It wasn't just USC's stifling defense that gave it the upper hand. After barely holding ground against Louisiana State, USC proved it could run its ground against Utah State. Led by Woody Marks and Quinten Joyner, who combined to average more than eight yards per carry, USC racked up 249 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

The running attack was so dominant that quarterback Miller Moss didn't have to do much. Moss still threw for 229 yards and a touchdown in an efficient performance – and could have scored two more points if his receivers hadn't dropped two gimmes in the first half.

The mistakes made – a fumble here, a missed opportunity there – hardly mattered. Even a power outage in the Coliseum that delayed the lighting of the torch in the fourth quarter could only delay the inevitable.

USC wide receiver Kyron Hudson (right) pushes past Utah State cornerback Jaiden Francois in the second quarter on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

At this point, the Trojans' path to the playoffs was much clearer, and their schedule suddenly didn't look so overwhelming.

Michigan, the defending champion and USC's next opponent, could barely move the ball with a new quarterback and was swept out of the Big House by Texas. Notre Dame lost on a game-winning kick to Northern Illinois, a team it paid $1.4 million to win. Penn State needed a late comeback to beat Bowling Green, while Oregon narrowly missed out on Boise State.

With a trip to Ann Arbor looming, this week was critical to get everything in order, and that's exactly what USC did.

USC made it a point to establish the run early, and its two running backs wasted no time. Marks rushed for 49 yards on his first three runs before Joyner's first three ran for 53 yards. Each of them managed a run of over 30 yards before USC ended its second drive. At that point, the Trojans were averaging a whopping 14.6 yards per run.

After USC had to settle for a field goal on its first drive, Joyner made a statement on the next possession, fighting his way through Utah State's front line almost unchallenged for a nine-yard touchdown. From there, things just kept going for USC. Next, it was Marks who fired the ball home from two yards out, capping a methodical 11-play drive with his third touchdown in two weeks.

The Trojans threatened to tie the game several times from there before finally putting the Aggies out of their misery before halftime. The defense stopped a fourth-and-down attempt in Utah State territory early in the second quarter and intercepted a Bryson Barnes pass at the midcourt two drives later. But the USC offense let one possession slip away and dropped a sure touchdown pass on another, delaying its knockdown blow.

Maybe those missed opportunities would have haunted USC in years past. But not on Saturday. Not when the defense dominated and limited Utah State to a measly 101 yards in the first half.

Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold's interception gave Moss and Co. another chance with a minute to go in the half. And this time, the Trojans finally broke through when Moss found Makai Lemon for a six-yard touchdown, giving USC a seemingly insurmountable four-touchdown lead.

The Trojans (2-0) still scored three more points in the second half and wore down the Aggies until there was nothing left to gain. It was the kind of crushing performance that the Big Ten would be proud of.