By Tim Peterson
(Los Angeles) – Jayden Maiava threw five touchdown passes and USC racked up 483 total yards overall in a 49-30 win over Louisiana Saturday night before 60,019 fans at United Airlines field at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
The Trojans led 42-17 in the fourth quarter before the Ragin’ Cajuns scored a couple of late touchdowns.
The first possession was a little rocky as Maiava was intercepted at the Trojans 39-yard line by Louisiana’s Avery Demery. Louisiana was unable to get a first down but still took advantage of the turnover when Tony Sterner booted a 48-yard field goal for an early 3-0 lead.
But USC got right back in track by answering with a 13-play, 79-yard drive. Maiava hit Mark Bowman on a five-yard touchdown pass to put the Trojans up 7-3 with 4:59 left in the first quarter.
On the following possession USC marched 77 yards on 10 plays. The Maiava-Bowman connection worked again as the tight end hauled in a nine-yard pass in the end zone for a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.
Louisiana put together a seven-play, 75-yard drive to get within four. Steven Blanco scored on a one-yard run to finish it to cut the Trojans lead to 14-10 with 9:21 left in the second quarter.
On the next USC possession Maiava fired a 19-yard touchdown strike to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt to cap an 87-yard march. USC increased its lead to 21-10 with 3:10 left in the second quarter.
After forcing a Louisiana punt, Trent Mosley electrified the crowd when he fielded the boot, broke a tackle, made a quick move to the outside and raced 86-yards to glory to make it 28-10 with 1:24 left in the second quarter.
The Trojans took the 18-point lead into the half.
Mosley continued his heroics in the third quarter. Alex Graham partially blocked a punt to set up USC at the Ragin’ Cajuns 41-yard line. The Trojans took advantage of the short field when Mosley made an acrobatic grab of a Maiava pass in the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard score.
Later in the quarter the Ragin’ Cajuns marched 81 yards on 12 plays. The drive was extended when the Trojans committed a roughing the kicker penalty on a missed 23-yard missed field goal attempt. Quarterback Lunch Winfield scored on a one-yard run to slice the USC lead to 35-17 with 4:07 left in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter Maiava found Zacharyus Williams for a 44-yard score. Willams outran the Louisiana secondary to get to the end zone. USC was cruising 42-17.
Three minutes later Winfield got loose for the Ragin’ Cajuns as he busted off a 32-yard touchdown run with 11:27 left to make it 42-23.
King Miller countered on a 12-yard for USC with 7:30 left in the fourth quarter.
Louisiana hit the end zone one last time as Russell Babineaux hauled in a 14-yard toss from Winfield for the final tally.
For the Trojans Maiava completed 19 of 29 for 269 yards and five touchdowns with an interception. Bowman had a break-out game with six receptions for 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns and for good measure he hurdled a defender. Mosley had two catches for 33 yards and a touchdown to go along with his punt return for a touchdown.
For Louisiana Winfield finished 16 of 22 for 212 yards and a touchdown. He also led the team in rushing with 91 yards and two scores.
USC improved to 3-0 on the season and will play its first road game next Saturday against Rutgers. Louisiana fell to 1-1.
LA 3 7 7 13 30
SC 7 21 7 14 49
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