Neil Rudel’s PSU-USC Highlights & Lowlights
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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 31-23 loss to Southern Cal on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium:
Play of the game: On third-and-10 from the Penn State 10, Jayden Maiava found Kayden Dixon-Wyatt open for a touchdown that gave the Trojans a 31-23 lead with 11:11 remaining.
Offensive player of the game: Maiava was outstanding. He completed 21-of-33 for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He was not intercepted.
Defensive player of the game: Trojan safety Christian Pierce made five tackles and forced a late fumble that sealed the Lions' fate.
Most telling statistic: Once again, Penn State couldn't run the ball, finishing with 68 yards on 31 carries (2.2 average).
Most deceiving statistic: The Lions were 5-for-5 on fourth down.
Best run: King Miller took a reverse 16 yards.
Best pass: Rocco Becht threw a couple nice balls up the right sideline to Chase Sowell in the first half, but we'll pick Maiava's 40-yarder on the run to a sliding Tanook Hines in the second quarter.
Worst pass: Becht was high in overshooting Ben Brahmer, who is 6-foot-7, in the red zone early in the fourth quarter.
Best catch: Trent Mosley made a juggling 21-yard catch at the PSU 10 in the fourth quarter.
Catch it, will ya: James Peoples and Andrew Rappleyea both had drops.
Hold it, won't ya: After catching a 25-yard pass at the USC 35 with four minutes left, Brett Eskildsen fumbled, and Chason Johnson recovered.
Best block: Mosley sealed the edge on Miller's 13-yard TD run that pushed the Trojans up 24-20 in the third quarter.
Best tackle: Trojan safety Kennedy Urlacher -- yes, Brian's son -- smelled out the halfback pass and dumped Carson Hansen for a 10-yard loss in the first quarter.
Best hit: Zion Tracy jolted an incompletion from Mosley in the first quarter.
Best kick: Ryan Barker nailed a 48-yard field goal to close the first half, drawing the Nits even at 17.
Worst kick: USC's Ryon Sayeri kicked off out of bounds in the fourth quarter, putting the Lions at their 35.
Best call: USC won the toss and took the ball.
Worst call(s): Despite a shaky secondary, the Lions kept rushing just three linemen. That didn't work, either, as they managed just one sack.
Best effort: Miller rushed 19 times for 102 yards.
Best moment: The announced attendance of 114,419 -- a new Beaver Stadium record. The previous mark was 111,030 vs. Ohio State in 2024.
Unsung hero: Mosley caught nine passes for 111 yards.