This is the kind of loss that will make the USC big money private donors make Lincoln Riley wish he were back at Oklahoma and Oklahoma was still in the Big-12. It’s a game the Trojans could have and should have won but now, because of their 24-17 upset loss to the Golden Gophers, they are sitting on-top of the bottom third of the Big Ten Conference standings with not a lot of ways in which they can move into the top third. If Washington makes it into the Top-25 after defeating Michigan that will leave USC three ranked teams left to play that they will absolutely have to beat—undefeated No. 7 Penn State this coming Saturday, Washington, and No. 14 Notre Dame—as well as the others that they are expected to beat—Maryland, Rutgers, Nebraska, and UCLA.
After throwing just two interceptions against eight TD’s in his first four games USC’s Junior QB, Miller Moss, has thrown three the last two Saturdays—two in this one—one in the end zone with 15 seconds left that brought an end to the Trojans’ attempt to send the game into overtime. USC got the ball to start the game but missed a field goal 11 plays later after getting down to the Minnesota 30 yard line. After holding the Trojans to a three-and-out on their next possession the Golden Gophers would score the only points of the 1st Qtr with a field goal of their own. USC would answer with one of their best prolonged drives of the year—75 yards in 15 plays over almost 8 minutes that resulted in a 3 yard Miller Moss TD pass to Sophomore WR Duce Robinson to go up 7-3. That lead wouldn’t last long and in a 75 yard drive of their own aided by Trojan pass interference and face mask penalties Minnesota would go back up 10-7 on a 1 yard TD run by their Senior QB Max Brosmer. Both teams would fumble their next opportunities away with Minnesota’s leading to a USC Michael Lantz 54 yard field goal with time expiring to tie the score up 10-10 at the break.
After forcing a punt on Minnesota’s first possession of the 3rd Qtr the Trojans would follow up with another terrific 12 play, 91 yard, 7 minute drive ending with their Senior RB Woody Marks in the end zone to go up 17-10 with less than six minutes left in the 3rd Qtr. Minnesota would follow up with a six minute, 12 play, 45 yard drive that would stall at the USC 39 yard line. Being out of field goal range they were forced to punt it back to the Trojans. In a drive that should have gone a long ways towards putting this game away Miller Moss ends up throwing an interception at the Minnesota 35 yard line with a little over 10 minutes left in the half. Five plays later the Golden Gophers are sitting 2nd and 11 at the USC 25 yard line but a USC pass interference penalty would give them a 1st and goal at the Trojan 10. Two five yard runs later Minnesota is back in the end zone and the score is tied 17-17 with just over seven minutes left. An intentional grounding penalty by Moss on the first play of their next possession makes it 2nd and 19 at the USC 16. He picked up 15 yards on 2nd down but his 3rd down pass fell incomplete forcing USC to punt the ball back to Minnesota with over six minutes left. Trying to use up as much time as possible and forcing the Trojans to use all three of their second half timeouts, 12 plays and 75 yards later their QB Max Bosmer would be back in the end zone to put the Golden Gophers up 24-17 with just under a minute left. Aided by two unsportsmanlike penalties on Minnesota, USC would get all the way down to the 28 yard line but with no timeouts left a Miller Moss 28 yard TD attempt into double coverage was picked off by Freshman Defensive Back Koi Perich in the end zone with under 10 seconds left to seal the deal for Minnesota.