USC blows a 14-point lead to lose its third game in a row, falling 29-28 at Maryland
Miller Moss threw an interception in the third quarter, the defense allowed two touchdown drives in the fourth — including one after a blocked field goal — and USC blew another late lead, losing 29-28 at Maryland on Saturday to extend its season-sinking skid to three.
The Trojans (3-4, 1-4 Big Ten) have lost their four games by a combined 14 points — all after being ahead in the second half. This time, they were up 28-14 before collapsing in excruciating fashion.
"That's the tale of the last several weeks for us is doing some good things, get a lead and we obviously just have not been able to finish these games," USC coach Lincoln Riley said. "It eats at you."
Michael Lantz's field goal attempt with two minutes left that would have sealed the game was blocked by Maryland's Donnell Brown, and a costly pass interference penalty on John Humphrey on the ensuing drive paved the way for Billy Edwards Jr.'s go-ahead 3-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds left. Moss' incomplete pass on fourth down with 11 seconds remaining ended it, and fans stormed the field to celebrate after the first meeting between the schools.
Riley called it a "tough one to swallow" after a "heartbreaking way to end it."
"We're confident in all these games," USC safety Bryson Shaw said. "They come down to the wire, and you're like, 'How did that just happen?' But full confidence. This hurts — don't get me wrong. This hurts like crazy, but I know going forward that we're going to keep fighting and that's the only option we have."
The Terrapins (4-3, 1-3) overcame some miscues that could have added up to another deflating defeat. Instead, Roman Hemby's TD run and the ensuing 2-point conversion set the stage for a double-digit comeback, which happened with many of the 43,013 in attendance long gone.
Coach Mike Locksley joked he would have left, too, but said those who remained learned something about his team.
"Let's buy in that we can win around here and we can win big, and I think today was a step in the right direction," Locksley said.
Edwards was 39 of 50 for a career-high 373 yards and TD passes to Octavian Smith Jr. and Tai Felton. Kaden Prather had a career-best nine catches and 111 yards receiving, and Lavain Scruggs made the momentum-shifting play of the game by picking off Moss and returning it 51 yards to set up a touchdown.
"Billy continues to show tremendous leadership" Locksley said. "Billy is a guy that's a winner and this team will fight. He's taken on the personality that we need him to have as a leader."
USC kept making self-inflicted errors, capped off by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Mason Cobb on the extra point that put Maryland ahead. The Trojans allowed Maryland to rack up 429 yards of offense, and they can't seem to get out of this tailspin.
"It's not about any kind of end result or whatever that may be," said Moss, who was 34 of 50 for 336 yards with TD passes to Ja'Kobi Lane, Kyron Hudson and Duce Robinson. "We said at the beginning of the year we were committed to each other no matter what, no matter what the result, and I think that holds true."
The takeaway
USC: Still without a Big Ten road victory, Riley's group has some soul-searching to do in the post-Caleb Williams era. The Trojans have not been blown out, but losing like this doesn't speak well to how players handle late-game situations.
"I own it," Riley said. "It's my responsibility. I've got to get this team to play better at the end of games, and I've obviously not done a good enough job of that."
Maryland: Becoming bowl-eligible, something that seemed unlikely after losing 37-10 at home to Northwestern last week, is now realistic after pulling off this upset. The schedule down the stretch is brutal, but the Terps have a possible path.
Up next
USC hosts Rutgers on Friday night.
Maryland visits Minnesota next Saturday.