No. 13 USC Trojans dominate Utah State in first shutdown win since 2011

The No. 13 USC Trojans dominated from start to finish, defeating Utah State 48-0 in their first home game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was the first time USC had a shutout since the Trojans beat UCLA 50-0 in 2011. Not even a few power outages could slow the Trojans down.

“Great team win, very good football from all sides,” Riley said. “Really proud of our defense, in modern college football it's very hard to shut people down.”

After having to settle for a field goal on their first possession, USC marched all the way down the field again on their second drive. A big 33-yard run by sophomore running back Quinten Joyner, where he pushed through a couple of defenders and even picked up a big block from quarterback Miller Moss, got them back into the red zone. Joyner then ran in from 9 yards out on the next play, capping an eight-play, 88-yard drive that put them up 10-0 in the first quarter.

The Trojans started the game with a lot of running between Woody Marks and Joyner, managing 142 yards on 12 carries in the first quarter. USC finished the day with 249 yards.

USC's offense continued to thrive in the second quarter. A two-yard touchdown run by Marks and a six-yard touchdown reception by sophomore Makai Lemon, who scored his first career touchdown, gave the Trojans a 27-0 halftime lead. However, the Trojans had two possessions inside the 10-yard line where they failed to reach the end zone.

UNLV transfer QB Jayden Maiava made his first appearance as a member of the Trojans after Joyner's 2-yard touchdown for his second score of the day made it 34-0 in the third quarter. Moss finished his day 21 of 30 for 229 yards and a touchdown.

Maiava wasted no time introducing himself to the Trojans fans, staging a goal-line drive of his own that ended with a Caleb Williams-style play where Maiava outsmarted defenders in the backfield and scored a seven-yard touchdown, a play that had Lincoln Riley and Moss on the sideline smiling.

The USC defense made a statement with former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. They made life difficult for Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes all night.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold intercepted a ball from Barnes and safety Kamari Ramsey forced a fumble that resulted in a loss.

Utah State tried to prevent a 0-0 victory with a field ball in the last minute, but the ball went far to the left.

“I think we're nowhere near as good as we could be,” Mascarenas-Arnold said. “I think that's how a good defense should work.”

USC has a bye next week before traveling to Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 21 to face the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines in their first-ever Big Ten matchup.