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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/Honestly_ on 2024-09-02 13:35:06+00:00.

by Bobak Ha’Eri

LAS VEGAS - The No. 23 USC Trojans defense showed significant improvement in their seasoning-opening upset over the No. 13 LSU Tigers, 27-20, in the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium. After playing close for most of the night, several pivotal moments were decided by a defensive unit previously known for ineptitude across the past two seasons. With the added drama of new starting quarterbacks and defensive staffs, the tightly fought contest surpassed expectations to be one of the most exciting contests in week one.

The game’s most important sequence came in the 4th quarter: Down 17-13, USC went for it on 4th & 9 at LSU 36 and turned it over on downs in a fruitless drive that cost them two timeouts. The momentum appeared to be with LSU to continue pressure with a running game that had started to come alive in the second half behind Emery Jones. But USC’s defense stayed focused and forced a 3-and-out, followed immediately by a 3-play, 64-yard drive culminating in a 28-yard Miller Moss touchdown pass to Ja’Kobi Lane to retake the lead, 20-17. The scoring drive took only 1:13.

The complementary football showed a confidence that guided the Trojans to the end of the game: While LSU managed to tie it up with 1:47 remaining, USC marched 75 yards to score the deciding touchdown with 8-seconds left.

This USC team appears different. The last two seasons saw the generational talent of Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams put a band-aid over lackluster offensive line play and a defense that became a national laughing stock under former-defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. The off-season hiring of former-UCLA DC D’Anton Lynn along with a lauded group of position coaches (former Rams DL coach Eric Henderson, former North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz, former Houston DC Doug Belk) offered some promise, but many experts thought it might take at least another season to repair a team that didn’t even tackle well.

Apparently, the work of Lynn and his staff made an immediate impact. The USC defense stepped up at several key moments, including plays that bookended the game: USC managed to stop LSU on a goal line stand in the game’s opening drive, and the Tigers’ final, desperate offensive sequence ended on an interception by Trojans linebacker Mason Cobb.

The USC defense was not perfect: The secondary seemed focused on preventing the deep ball and were often caught off coverage for medium gains. After a strong performance against the LSU run in the first half, adjustments by the Tigers allowed running back John Emery to gash the Trojans on several plays and averaging 6.1 yards-per-carry. After the game, USC linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold said defense still needs work but it was a good start - especially if it turns out to be their worst performance.

The USC offense belongs to Moss, who locked-in his position as heir to the starting quarterback role in a phenomenal 6-touchdown performance in last season’s Holiday Bowl, had a solid outing going 27 of 36 for 378 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions - however a few throws were close to being picked. The Trojans offensive line showed moderate improvement, regularly giving Moss opportunities to find a variety of the Trojans’ talented receivers for deep passes. Wide receiver Kyron Hudson made an incredible one-handed catch early in the game on an 83-yard night that led the receivers, alongside tight end Luke McRee and WR Zachariah Branch who had 56 yards each.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier gave a promising performance, even it if might be unfairly compared to last season’s Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels: With USC trying to prevent deep strikes, he used his checkdowns to find wide-open receivers on multiple plays, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kyren Lacy in the corner of the end zone and a 3rd quarter 13-yard touchdown throw to Aaron Anderson that gave LSU the 17-13 lead. Other than the final interception, thrown in dire circumstances at the end of the game, Nussmeier put together 29 of 38 passing for 304 yards and the two touchdowns. Tigers head coach Brian Kelly thought Nussmeier did fine, but also stated Moss had outplayed him.

The LSU defense, also trying to find a new direction under new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, had moments of strength. It gave USC lots of trouble on the ground, with the Trojans rushing average hovering around 2.1 yards-per-play until late in the 4th quarter and forcing Moss to try more in the air. While USC ultimately prevailed, coach Kelly felt overall the defense “took a step forward.”

Much of the postgame attention quickly went to coach Kelly’s intense postgame presser. He did not hold back in his opening statement: “I think this is the first time since I’ve been here that I’m been pretty angry at our football team” noting the lack of complementary football, the personal fouls that he felt were selfish, undisciplined that led to USC scores. “It falls on me. [. . .] we clearly haven’t done a good enough job, because it impacted the game.”

Kelly was frustrated with his team’s lack of “killer instinct” in the game, LSU’s 5th consecutive season-opening loss. He felt the program “get complacent and makes more mistakes” when they’re ahead. Compounding his frustration were the successes the Tigers displayed, noting “we ran it well enough to win it.”

A viral moment came after a question on whether he was frustrated seeing players like DE Sai’Vion Jones and RB John Emery have excellent performances only to have the team still lose: “We’re sitting here again talking about the same things. About not finishing when you have an opponent in a position to put’em away. But what we’re doing on the sideline is feeling like the game’s over.”

USC’s victory gives an initial signal that the (many) offseason columns proclaiming Lincoln Riley to be a disappointment–or even failure–may have been premature. Placing the Trojans in the 12-team playoff race may be a little premature until we see whether they can improve and develop across their inaugural Big Ten season. Similarly, LSU is not out of the playoff race if they can put together a strong season in the SEC. A benefit of the expanded playoff is one or even two losses do not automatically eliminate a program from the title race.

For now though, the band played “Fight On!”