USC's second-half surge sends Trojans past Iowa with showdown vs. Oregon up next

The 17th-ranked Trojans secured their second top-25 victory of the season, using a surging second-half comeback to earn a 26–21 win in a rainy Coliseum. USC improves to 8–2 on the season and stays firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation, while Iowa’s loss effectively ends any hopes of making the playoff.

First Half

USC got off to a rough start, falling behind 14–0 early in the second quarter. Jayden Maiava and the Trojan offense finally found some rhythm, cutting the deficit to 14–7 with a Bryan Jackson goal-line touchdown. But between the steady rain and Iowa’s ability to move the football, the Trojans struggled to maintain momentum.

The Hawkeyes repeatedly gashed a USC defense already dealing with multiple injuries, and a trick-play touchdown reception by quarterback Mark Gronkowski stretched the lead to 21–7. USC managed to stop the bleeding with a Ryon Sayeri field goal and went into halftime trailing, 21–10.

Second Half

Over their previous two games, the Trojans had allowed just three points to be scored in the second half of each game. That trend didn't continue against Iowa. Instead it was total domination by USC’s defense as they shut out the Hawkeyes entirely, refusing to surrender a single point. The offense did its part after halftime, stringing together three second-half scoring drives, including two touchdowns, to outscore Iowa 16–0.

Makai Lemon and Bryan Jackson provided the touchdowns, with Jackson recording the first multi-score performance of his career. On the other side of the ball, true freshman Jahkeem Stewart delivered a highlight moment with an athletic interception off a ricochet, a play that helped ignite USC’s comeback push.

Key Takeaways

For the first time in quite a while, USC managed to win a game without playing its best football. The Trojans came out sluggish, and while slow starts have become familiar for the defense, the offense’s early struggles were enough to spark concern among the Trojan faithful. Eventually, though, the offense found its footing. Makai Lemon’s 135 receiving yards and Bryan Jackson’s tough running punctuated by two hard-fought goal-line touchdowns helped stabilize the unit.

Jackson’s physical presence opened lanes for King Miller, who added 83 yards while working effectively between the tackles. Quarterback Jayden Maiava battled inclement weather throughout the afternoon but still threw for 254 yards, finishing with one touchdown and no turnovers.