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With a new starting quarterback and defensive system, USC arrived in Las Vegas cloaked in question marks. But after trouncing the No. 13 LSU Tigers 27-20 Sunday afternoon, the Trojans departed Allegiant Stadium assured of their newfound identity.

In his first two-minute drill as the arsenal of the Trojan offense (1-0), redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss fearlessly completed four of five passes for 39 yards to take USC into field goal range. A near-sideline 20-yard completion to redshirt junior wide receiver Kyron Hudson prompted a targeting call on LSU’s (0-1) redshirt junior safety Jardin Gilbert, bringing USC within 13 yards of a victory. On the following play, redshirt senior running back Woody Marks tumbled his way to the end zone to put the Trojans ahead for good with only eight seconds remaining.

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Both USC Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn and LSU Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker came determined to debut successful schemes from their respective sidelines.

Although neither team could put points on the board in the first quarter, both starting quarterbacks found their strides early. Moss finished the game, completing 75% of his passes to go alongside 378 yards and a touchdown, while redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier posted a 76.3% completion percentage, joined by 304 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.

By the second quarter, the Trojans seemed to have settled into the game. Moss opened the frame with a 17-yard back shoulder pass to redshirt junior tight end Lake McRee. Then, as the Trojans crossed midfield, Moss aired out a pass to Hudson, who — in the most Odell-esque fashion — hauled down the 24-yard grab with one arm extended over two defenders. The improbable snag carried USC to the red zone, and Marks capped off the drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown.

Nussmeier responded fast as he marched the Tigers downfield and chucked a 19-yard touchdown pass to fifth-year wide receiver Kyren Lacy, who caught the ball over the head of redshirt senior safety Akili Arnold. The Trojan defense had no answer for Lacy all game, as he finished with seven receptions, 94 yards and a touchdown. 

The Tigers would not allow USC to get far ahead as graduate running back John Emery Jr. took LSU into Trojan territory on a 39-yard carry. Five plays later, Nussmeier connected with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Aaron Anderson in the end zone to give LSU its first lead of the game, 17-13. 

The Trojans struggled to produce on their next two drives, and it seemed momentarily that the momentum had shifted in the Tigers’ favor. But this season, momentum swings don’t come as easy. USC has a defense. 

To regain possession, the Trojans forced a three-and-out, and then Moss went to work. 

Moss initiated the Trojans’ reclaiming drive with a 20-yard pass over the middle to Hudson. Then, after a 16-yard rush by Marks, Miller floated an elegant 28-yard over-the-shoulder touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, leaving LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly looking bemused and the score at 20-17.

The back-and-forth continued when a 41-yard completion to Anderson took the Tigers to the Trojans’ 28-yard line. LSU couldn’t find the end zone but came close enough to convert a 31-yard field goal, tying the game at 20 with 1:47 remaining before Moss and Marks ultimately put the nail in the coffin.