"They were battered, they were bruised, they were soaking wet and covered in stereotypes. They're not tough enough. They're not resilient enough. They're not Big Ten-enough. Late in the second quarter Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum, a USC football team fighting for a playoff berth was crumbling beneath the weight of its worst national perception. It was wilting under the weather and the weight of a team from Iowa."
"It's raining wins, hallelujah. Trailing 21-7, the Trojans got muddy and chilly and just plain mean, winning the line of scrimmage, winning the battle of skill, and eventually winning the game 26-21. Yeah, afterward, that was Riley dancing in a downpour. And, yes, USC is still in the national championship hunt, needing wins in its final two games at Oregon and against UCLA to qualify for the College Football Playoff."
"Few will believe they can beat sixth-ranked and one-loss Oregon in Eugene. But then again, few believed they would survive Iowa after the Hawkeyes took that big second-quarter lead. During the last 10 years, Iowa had an 83-5 record when leading by eight points or more. Translated, this is a program that knows how to protect a lead, and the Trojans were seemingly cooked."
USC rallied from a 21-7 deficit to defeat Iowa 26-21 in steady rain, overcoming doubts about toughness and Big Ten readiness. The Trojans won the line of scrimmage, ground out clock-killing runs and made pivotal plays in the back half. Makai Lemon had 153 receiving yards, King Miller rushed for 83 yards, Jahkeem Stewart returned an interception that shifted momentum, and Jayden Maiava managed the offense with a touchdown pass and no turnovers. The victory keeps USC alive for the College Football Playoff but requires wins at Oregon and against UCLA to qualify.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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