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The Pasadena Star-News | Sat 08/30 08:24pm PST | Haley Sawyer
LOS ANGELES — USC scored six rushing touchdowns in a 73-13 season opener win on Saturday against Missouri State, which was playing in its first game as an FBS team and member of Conference USA.
It’s the first time USC scored over 50 points in a game since beating California 50-49 in 2023 and the most points scored since a 74-0 shutout of California in 1930.
“Proud of the team,” head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters after the game. “We set some goals in this game in terms of how we wanted to play complementary football in our first chance to play together as a team against someone else. We wanted to be able to affect their quarterback, wanted to be efficient offensively and then make some impactful special teams plays. And we did that.”
The Trojans (1-0) finished with 233 rushing yards, and the defense held the Bears (0-1) to 224 total yards of offense.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava went 15-for-18 in the game with 295 yards and two touchdowns.
Missouri State scored its only touchdown of the game on a 33-yard pass from Jacob Clark to Tristian Gardner. Yousef Obeid made two field goals of 44 and 46 yards.
Waymond Jordan (42 yards) was the first USC running back to carry the ball, as Riley previously indicated would happen, and did not squander the opportunity.
Maiava handed the ball to Jordan on a second-and-4 on the Trojans’ second series of the game, and the former JUCO star smoothly weaved through defenders for a 26-yard run that placed the ball at the 5-yard line.
Jordan punched the ball in from five yards out for USC’s first touchdown of the day and a 7-3 lead with 6:58 remaining in the first quarter.
Eli Sanders (33 yards) had a run nearly as long with a 17-yard scamper later in the opening quarter. USC continued to rotate in players and a third running back, Bryan Jackson, entered the game on the next play for a 3-yard touchdown run.
Sanders took the approach of a speedy downhill runner compared to Jordan’s meandering style and also caught a short pass from Maiava and ran it in 74 yards for a touchdown and returned punts for USC in the second quarter.
“Me and Waymond’s relationship on and off the field is super strong,” Sanders told reporters. “I can lean on him if I need help with homework or outside of football and in football. In the running back room, we push each other a lot. Grades, practice, everything. Definitely have a tight bond with Waymond.”
USC balanced out its rushing attack with Maiava’s passing to build a 42-10 lead by halftime. He plopped a shot pass over the heads of the linemen and into the hands of tight end Lake McRee, who took off for a 64-yard touchdown to open the second quarter.
McRee finished with two catches for 72 yards. Starting receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon were also major contributors — Lane had three catches for 33 yards and Lemon had seven catches for 90 yards.
“I had a little route over the middle,” McRee said. “It opened up pretty quick, and when I caught it, I thought there was going to be someone right there, so I kind of stuttered a little bit and then got my eyes around, saw there was one guy just made a miss and then ran.”
Bishop Fitzgerald was one of the top defensive performers of the day, along with Kameryn Fountain, with four total tackles and a pass breakup in addition to a 19-yard pick-six. He read the Bears’ passing play and ran in front of slot receiver Dash Luke for an interception that was returned for a touchdown and a 28-3 lead in the second quarter.
“For me, it was just repetition,” Fitzgerald told reporters. “I think the staff did a great job preparing us for the game. I’ve seen a lot of familiar looks, so it’s just kind of like second nature for me to go out there and do what I’ve been doing all practice this week.”
Freshman backup quarterback Husan Longstreet came into the game in the second half and scored on a five-yard quarterback sneak with 10:26 remaining in the third quarter.
The Trojans added four touchdowns in the second half on Longstreet’s run, a 75-yard rush by running back King Miller, another 17-yard rush by Longstreet and a 9-yard pass from Longstreet to Carson Tabaracci. Ryon Sayeri also hit a 32-yard field goal.
“Husan hasn’t gotten to play college football yet, and he’s our backup quarterback,” Riley told reporters. “So it was great to be able to get him some game reps and get that first one out of the way.”
Sayeri, another freshman, was responsible for kickoffs, field goals and PATs and went 8-for-8 on PATs.
USC will play one more nonconference game against Georgia Southern, which is coached by former Trojans head coach Clay Helton, before beginning its Big Ten slate at Purdue on Sept. 13.