SAN DIEGO — With Caleb Williams watching on the sidelines, Miller Moss threw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in his first college start and Southern California ended a disappointing season by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 on Wednesday night.
what you should Know
- Moss was 23 of 33 for 372 yards, with one interception
- He broke the Holiday Bowl record of four touchdown passes held by four players, including Jim McMahon in BYU’s miraculous 46-45 comeback win against SMU in 1980.
- The Trojans played their final Pac-12 game. They begin play in the Big Ten in 2024
- Their season opener will be against LSU in Las Vegas on September 1st
Moss took full advantage of the opportunity he was given when Williams folded. Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and presumptive first overall pick in the NFL draft, watched from the sidelines wearing a white T-shirt with the No. 13 jersey hanging around his neck.
Moss was 23 of 33 for 372 yards, with one interception. He broke the Holiday Bowl record of four touchdown passes held by four players, including Jim McMahon in BYU’s miraculous 46-45 comeback win against SMU in 1980. The record came late in the third quarter when Moss threw a pass from 12 yards to a Ja’Kobi Lane jump in the back of the end zone. Lane’s second TD catch of the night gave USC a 35-21 lead.
Moss added a beautiful 44-yard strike to Duce Robinson for a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes left.
Williams jumped on Moss in celebration after the redshirt sophomore took a knee twice in the win at Petco Park.
The six TD passes were also the most by a quarterback in his first start for USC (8-5), which has lost three straight games and five of six innings after starting the year with national championship aspirations. They were also the Trojans bowl record holder and tied the Pac-12 bowl record.
Isaac Gerendo rushed 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville (10-4). Jack Plummer threw for 141 yards without a touchdown.
Moss also threw touchdown passes of 17 and 29 yards to Tahj Washington, who completed his first 1,000-yard receiving season. Kieron Hudson caught a 9-yard touchdown pass two plays after blocking a Brady Hodges punt that went out of bounds at the Cardinals’ 18.
Leading 28-14, the Trojans led early in the third quarter when Moss was intercepted at the goal line by Quincy Riley, who returned it 61 yards to the USC 39. Five plays later, Isaac Gerendo scored on a 1-yard run to pull the Cardinals within within a touchdown.
Guerendo kicked a 2-yard field goal on Louisville’s first possession of the game.
After Dennis Lynch was wide right on a 38-yard field goal attempt, the Trojans got the ball back when Max Williams sacked Plummer and Solomon Byrd recovered at the Louisville 19. Moss threw a short pass to Washington, who made two defenders before diving in the end zone to tie the game.
USC jumped out to a 21-7 lead on Moss’ second scoring pass to Washington and then Hudson’s score. Evan Conley scored on a 9-yard run for Louisville before USC drove 75 yards in five plays just before halftime, with Moss dodging a defender, rolling right and throwing a 31-yarder to Lane for a 28-14 lead.
The Takeaway
Louisville: Plummer injured a finger on his right hand early in the second quarter but missed only a few plays before returning.
USC: Moss had played in just 11 games over three seasons, going 43 of 59 for 542 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions.
Next up
Louisville: Opens 2024 season at home against Austin Peay on Aug. 31.
USC: The Trojans played their last Pac-12 game. They begin Big Ten play in 2024. Their season opener will be against LSU in Las Vegas on September 1st.
