Penn State (3-3, 0-3) remained winless in Big Ten play and dropped its third consecutive game with a 31-23 defeat at the hands of No. 19 USC (6-1, 3-1) in the White Out game on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium.
The Nittany Lions tied the game 17-17 at the end of the first half and took a 20-17 lead early in the third in front of a record crowd of 114,419. But Penn State’s defense was unable to stop quarterback Jayden Maiava and the Trojan offense, and while USC scored two second-half touchdowns, the hosts settled for two field goals.
Penn State had one last chance to tie the game with 3:59 left and no timeouts, but receiver Brett Eskildsen fumbled after a 25-yard gain in USC territory. The Trojans recovered and ran out the clock.
Maiava was 21-33 for 301 yards and three touchdowns, with freshman receiver Trent Mosley grabbing nine receptions for 111 yards and a score. Running back King Miller carried 19 times for 102 yards and a touchdown, playing a key role in the USC offense late against a helpless Penn State defense.
For the Nittany Lion offense, quarterback Rocco Becht was 21 of 32 for 289 yards and a touchdown. Chase Sowell caught four passes for 95 yards, all in the first half. The Penn State run game was once again ineffective, totaling 68 yards, with Carson Hansen’s 28 on 10 carries leading the way.
Penn State travels to Ann Arbor next week for a 3:30 p.m. meeting with Michigan.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Quarter
USC marched down field on the game’s opening drive. Jayden Maiava was a perfect 5-5 for 62 yards including a fourth-and-5 conversion and a 19-yard touchdown throw to Trent Mosley to cap off the eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
USC 7, Penn State 0 (1Q 10:37)
Penn State answered on its first possession. Rocco Becht connected with Chase Sowell down the sideline for a 47-yard gain to the Trojan 21, then on fourth and 2 found a wide-open tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who walked in for the 13-yard touchdown.
Penn State 7, USC 7 (1Q 7:26)
After a quick three-and-out for USC, Penn State moved into Trojan territory again. But after running back Carson Hansen took a 10-yard loss on a second-down trick play from the USC 43, tthe Nittany Lions couldn’t make up the lost ground and punted it back.
Maiava hooked up with Tanook Hines for a 14-yard gain and Zacahryus Williams for 22 to move USC to the Penn State 34 as the first quarter ended.
End 1st quarter: Penn State 7, USC 7
2nd Quarter
After an 11-yard pass and a pass interference call moved USC deep in the red zone, Maiava hit Hines at the goal line and the receiver leaned over for an 11-yard touchdown down reception.
USC 14, Penn State 7 (2Q 13:36)
Pass interference on third down kept Penn State’s drive alive before Becht connected with Sowell on their second big play of the night, this time down the sideline for 37-yard gain to the USC 23. A pair of 8-yard runs by James Peoples put the Nittany Lions on the 3 before Hansen took it in on a tough run up the middle for the score to finish off the seven-play, 75-yard drive.
Penn State 14, USC 14 (2Q 9:59)
Two Maiava completions got USC to the Penn State 39, but a run for no gain and two incompletions stopped the Trojans there. Ryon Sayeri’s 56-yard field goal attempt went wide right, and the Nittany Lions took over on offense.
Becht tossed a completion to tight end Gabe Burke for a 13-yard gain across midfield, but Penn State couldn’t capitalize on the field position. A Peoples loss and two incompletions forced Nathan Tiyce’s second punt of the day.
With USC starting at its own 10, Mosley took a short pass for a 20-yard gain, then Maiava’s pass on the run was hauled in by a sliding Hines for a 40-yard gain to the Penn State 25. The Nittany Lion defense held up from there, though, and the Trojans settled for a 37-yard Caden Chittenden field goal to take the lead.
USC 17, Penn State 14 (2Q 2:11)
Becht completed four passes, including an 18-yarder to Zay Robinson, to guide the Nittany Lions to the Trojan 40, then scrambled for 10 yards on fourth and 3 as the first half wound down. With three seconds remaining, Ryan Barker drilled a 48-yard field goal to tie the game heading into halftime.
End 2nd Quarter: Penn State 17, USC 17
3rd Quarter
Penn State was ready for USC’s onside kick to open the second half, recovering it at the Trojan 47 to start the third with excellent field position. Becht completions to Brett Eskildsen for 14 and Hansen for 10 helped the Nittany Lions get inside the red zone. The drive stalled at the 16, however, and Barker came out to make a 35-yard field goal that gave Penn State its first lead of the night.
Penn State 20, USC 17 (3Q 11:23)
USC responded with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive. After Maiava hit Mosley for a 20-yard gain, the Trojans began to find success in the ground game. Mosley took a reverse 9 yards, while running back King Miller carried five times for 39 yards, including a 13-yard run on a pitch for a touchdown as USC took back the lead.
USC 24 Penn State 20 (3Q 5:38)
Becht completed four passes for 56 yards, got enough push to convert on fourth and inches and scrambled for 5 to lead the Nittany Lions to the Trojan 7, where they faced a third and 5 as the the third quarter came to a close.
End 3rd quarter: USC 24, Penn State 20
4th Quarter
Becht’s throw to Ben Brahmer in the end zone on third down went incomplete, and Barker made a 26-yard field goal to pull Penn State within one early in the fourth.
USC 24, Penn State 23 (4Q 14:52)
The Nittany Lion defense once again was unable to slow down Maiava. The Trojan QB completed six of nine passes for 65 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown throw to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt on third down to stretch the USC lead to eight.
USC 31, Penn State 23 (4Q 11:11)
Penn State converted two fourth-and-shorts en route to the Trojan 39, but had to punt after Becht threw two incompletions and was sacked for a 9-yard loss.
The Nittany Lion defense finally forced a three-and-out for the first time in the half and after a punt Penn State’s offense went back to work from its own 40 with 4:15 remaining and no timeouts.
Disaster struck immediately, however, as Eskildsen fumbled the ball after a 25-yard reception at the USC 39 and the Trojans recovered.
Miller took over on the ground for USC, rushing four times for 34 yards as the Trojans ran out the clock.
More Penn State Football
View all Penn State Football
Penn State Football’s Identity? Déjà Poo All Over Again
Penn State football’s identity? We found it on Saturday, though it never went away: It’s an incredible fan base that turned out. Once again. After being punched in the stomach. […]
Column: It’s a Long Way Down for Penn State Football
Have you ever been scammed before? Merriam-Webster defines a scam as a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation. Joel Haas defines it as Penn State football in the first half […]
Penn State, USC Release Pregame Availability Reports
Penn State and USC released their final availability reports ahead of Saturday night’s White Out clash. Nittany Lion defensive tackle Armstrong Nnodim is the only game-time decision after being listed […]
