Jayden Maiava’s Five Touchdowns Lead USC Trojans Past Michigan State 45-

Jayden Maiava tallied five touchdowns as he guided the USC Trojans to victory over Michigan State 45-31 in their Big Ten home opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Trojans handed the Spartans their first defeat of the season, upping their record to 4-0 for the third time during Lincoln Riley’s tenure.

Below are updates from Saturday’s game.

0:00 – USC triumphs 45-31

2:39 – TOUCHDOWN Michigan State. Omari Kelly scores on a 75-yard touchdown. Michigan State trails 45-31.

2:57 – TOUCHDOWN USC. Jayden Maiava sneaks it in for a 1-yard touchdown run. USC leads 45-24.

6:35 – Turnover on downs. Aidan Chiles’s pass on 4th down is incomplete. USC takes over at the Michigan State 28-yard line.

8:20 – TOUCHDOWN USC. Makai Lemon scores on a 4-yard run from a fly sweep, capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive. USC leads 38-24.

8:25 – Michigan State penalized for a facemask on 3rd down, granting USC an automatic first down. The Trojans now have a 1st and goal at the 4-yard line.

11:00 – Jayden Maiava connects with Makai Lemon for a 10-yard gain on 4th down, securing the first down.

15:00 – Jayden Maiava rushes for 13 yards on 3rd down, advancing the ball into USC’s territory.

0:40 – TOUCHDOWN Michigan State. Aidan Chiles finds Jack Velling for a 1-yard touchdown, finishing an 8-play, 32-yard drive. Trail USC 31-24.

5:50 – FUMBLE. DJ Jordan loses the ball, recovered by Michigan State in USC’s territory.

5:58 – TOUCHDOWN Michigan State. Aidan Chiles rushes for a 4-yard touchdown, concluding an 11-play, 87-yard drive.

9:30 – DeCarlos Nicholson penalized for pass interference, moving the ball into USC territory.

11:22 – TOUCHDOWN USC. Jayden Maiava hits Walker Lyons for a 10-yard touchdown. USC leads 31-10.

12:30 – Waymond Jordan runs right for a 40-yard gain.

13:11 – Michigan State punts after a 3-and-out. Makai Lemon returns it for 23 yards into Michigan State territory.

0:00 – FIELD GOAL. Martin Connington’s 56-yard attempt is NO GOOD. USC leads 24-10.

0:37 – TOUCHDOWN USC. Freshman Tanook Hines scores his first career touchdown, capping an 11-play, 88-yard drive. USC leads 24-10.

0:42 – Injury timeout. A Michigan State player is down. USC will have a 2nd and goal from the 7.

1:00 – Injury timeout. A Michigan State player is down. USC will have a 1st and goal from the 9.

1:20 – Waymond Jordan runs left for a gain of 20 yards.

1:35 – Waymond Jordan’s 9-yard run advances the ball into Michigan State territory.

2:00 – Two-minute timeout. USC faces a 3rd and 2 at their own 30-yard line.

4:26 – FIELD GOAL. Martin Connington successfully kicks a 29-yard field goal. Michigan State trails 17-10.

8:05 – USC turns the ball over on downs. Jayden Maiava finds Makai Lemon for a 3-yard gain but falls short on 4th down.

9:00 – Waymond Jordan breaks through for a 35-yard run.

9:22 – Michigan State punts after a 3-and-out. Freshman Jahkeem Stewart makes a tackle for loss on second down, forcing the Spartans back. USC takes over at their own 11-yard line.

11:36 – TOUCHDOWN USC. Jayden Maiava connects with Makai Lemon for a 40-yard touchdown, finishing a 5-play, 73-yard drive. USC leads 17-7.

12:05 – Michigan State linebacker Jordan Hall penalized for targeting and ejected.

13:25 – Jayden Maiava passes to Makai Lemon for a 27-yard gain.

13:36 – Michigan State is forced to punt after being sacked by Devan Thompkins and Braylan Shelby on 3rd down. USC takes over at their own 7-yard line.

2:38 – TOUCHDOWN USC. Jayden Maiava runs for a 15-yard touchdown, finishing a 6-play, 72-yard drive. USC leads 10-7.

4:32 – Eli Sanders runs to the left for a 16-yard gain into Michigan State territory.

5:27 – Aidan Chiles locates a wide-open Chrishon McCray for a 42-yard touchdown, concluding a 6-play, 75-yard drive. Michigan State leads 7-3.

6:00 – Aidan Chiles connects with Nick Marsh for a 19-yard completion, advancing into USC territory.

9:03 – FIELD GOAL. Ryan Sayeri successfully kicks a 25-yard field goal. USC leads 3-0.

11:16 – Jayden Maiava throws a screen pass to Waymond Jordan for 20 yards. Michigan State penalized for a block below the waist. USC advances inside the 10-yard line.

12:00 – Eli Sanders runs left for an 18-yard gain into Michigan State territory.

15:00 – USC wins the coin toss and elects to receive.

USC is currently enjoying a 3-0 start in Lincoln Riley’s fourth year as head coach. They recently secured a 33-17 victory over Purdue on the road, marking the program’s inaugural away win outside California in the Big Ten and the first triumph in the Eastern Time Zone since 2012.

Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava has been outstanding through the first three games, totaling eight touchdowns without a single turnover and being sacked only once.

The dynamic duo at running back, Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders, have also been impressive, each averaging over seven yards per carry and combining for six touchdowns. Riley is employing a more balanced offensive strategy this year compared to the previous season.

Star receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon lead the receiving corps, and tight ends Lake McRee and Walker Lyons have become significant contributors to the offense.

On defense, D’Anton Lynn’s unit excels at pressuring the quarterback, leading the nation in sacks. Safety Bishop Fitzgerald has notably added value, registering three interceptions in three games.

However, there are areas needing improvement in this matchup. Penalties on the defensive end have been problematic, and they encountered difficulties in man coverage during the recent game against Purdue.

The Spartans arrive in California boasting a flawless 3-0 record, with prior victories against Western Michigan, Boston College (in double overtime), and Youngstown State.

Quarterback Aidan Chiles has made significant progress in his second year with the Spartans, accounting for seven touchdowns against one interception. However, he’s faced eight sacks this season and will contend with a Trojans defense capable of effective pass rushing with just a four-man front.

Chiles’s top target, Nick Marsh, was uncertain for this matchup but is ready to play.

With a late kickoff scheduled for Saturday’s matchup, Riley and general manager Chad Bowden sent a message to USC students and fans at the start of the week.

“You make a difference. Our team is strong, and Saturday night presents an incredible opportunity. It will be late. It will be dark. It will be a battle. But together, it will be unforgettable. See you Saturday at the Coliseum.”

Maiava and defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett also reached out to fans during media availability.

“Trojan students, we need you out there. Fill the Coliseum and I can’t wait to see all of you,” Maiava urged.

“The student section, we need everyone. We want all the Trojan family to come out and cheer. Having our family there will motivate us to perform at our best,” Jarrett added.