Makai Lemon and USC defeat Michigan State to

Makai Lemon got here screaming across the middle of the sector, gliding past one Michigan State defender, then another, transferring as if the world around him have been in slow movement.

USC’s top receiver had presumably been a top-line focus of the Spartans’ sport plan — and even more so after fellow wideout Ja’Kobi Lane was ruled out Saturday with an injury. But right here was Lemon slicing his method through Michigan State’s secondary as if no one had bothered to inform him as a lot, sprinting free as a deep cross soared in his direction and hit him in good stride.

Most of Saturday night time’s 45-31 win over Michigan State felt that seamless for USC, which moved the ball with ease on offense, racking up 517 yards in the method. But in a swirl of penalties and poor self-discipline from its protection, USC inexplicably discovered itself clinging to a one-score lead in the fourth quarter.

It was the type of stumble that would possibly’ve prompted flashbacks from the Trojans’ earlier convention, when #Pac12AfterDark derailed more than a few seasons while the remainder of America slept. Though, as late as Saturday’s sport ran — with its conclusion coming just before 3 a.m. Eastern time — there can be no such comeback from Michigan State.

“We were dominating the football game,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “But our ability to separate back out, I thought, was just as impressive.”

USC mounted a 13-play drive with its back against the wall in the fourth quarter, at one level even changing a essential fourth down close to midfield, before Lemon pushed the pedal to the ground. He went sprinting on a jet movement, took the handoff and flew into the end zone for a rating the Spartans couldn’t counter.

“Any time the ball is in his hands, something big is about to happen,” USC quarterback Jayden Maiava said.

With Lane out, Lemon accounted for more than half of the Trojans’ passing output, as he completed with eight receptions for 127 yards and a landing, the overwhelming majority of which got here in the first half.

Maiava didn’t need to do a lot more through the air after halftime. He completed with a season-low 234 yards, but accomplished 20 of 26 passes and added three passing touchdowns, to go with another on the ground.

USC’s dashing assault finally made the distinction, despite dealing with a protection that hadn’t allowed any of its opponents to rush for 100 yards.

Jordan bested that complete himself, operating for 157 yards on 18 carries, while Eli Sanders added 84 dashing yards of his own.

But once again, the Trojans paid a severe price for their propensity for penalties.

USC operating back Eli Sanders runs with the ball during a win over Michigan State on Saturday night time.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

On one third-quarter drive, USC ran into Michigan State’s kicker on a punt, was flagged for an unlawful substitution and then was called for cross interference, all within a four-play stretch. For a while, it appeared the sequence would possibly flip the tide in the direction of the Spartans.

“Obviously we haven’t done enough,” Riley said of coaches’ efforts to cut back USC’s penalties.

That message was reiterated after the sport by linebacker Eric Gentry, who stood up in entrance of the workforce to belabor the severity of their penalty issues. The Trojans have been called for 10 complete penalties on Saturday for a loss of 88 yards, making it three consecutive video games of at least eight penalties.

Fortunately for USC, its defensive entrance was also in a position to affect the sport in other methods, particularly by holding Spartan quarterback Aidan Chiles uncomfortable in the pocket.

But where the cross rush continued to look improved, USC’s secondary didn’t precisely soothe considerations Saturday. Chiles only threw for 212 yards, but 169 of those yards — virtually 80% — got here on just 4 cross performs.

Through 4 video games, USC now ranks worst in the Big Ten in performs allowed of 10 yards or additional (17).

“We’ve had about one of them a game,” Riley said, “and we’ve got to put a lid on it.”

The street only will get tougher from right here for USC (4-0). The Trojans’ next three video games (Illinois, Michigan and Notre Dame) come against ranked opponents, and two of those video games (Illinois and Notre Dame) are on the street. And while the Irish are 1-2, and the Illini have been just steamrolled by Indiana on Saturday, both ought to present a lot harder checks than the Trojans have confronted thus far.

Whether USC could have one of its top receivers back for that stretch stays to be seen. Lane, who was listed as questionable on Saturday, got here out with the workforce for early stretches. But when the workforce reemerged in full pads for warm-ups, the Trojans stud wideout was carrying sweatpants.

Riley said after the sport that the severity of Lane’s injury is still “inconclusive,” but his absence might lengthen a number of video games.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava scores a landing in the first quarter against Michigan State.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

“I don’t think it’ll be super long,” Riley said. “But at the same time, I certainly can’t sit here today and say for sure he’s going to play next week or in the coming weeks.”

Without one of their top targets, USC tried to lean on its backs early. Twelve of the Trojans’ first 16 performs went to either Waymond Jordan or Eli Sanders. But it was Maiava who punched in USC’s first rating after he faked a handoff and sprinted 15 yards to paydirt.

Michigan State (3-1), meanwhile, took to the air to problem the Trojans’ struggling secondary. On the Spartans’ first possession, Chiles discovered Chrishon McCray huge open for a 42-yard landing, and Michigan State took an early lead.

Chiles accomplished each of his first seven passes. But with their run sport fully grounded, the Spartans offense got here to a halt. Their next three drives gathered a mixed 66 yards.

USC began buzzing in the meantime, gaining at least that many yards on 4 of its 5 first-half drives. The dashing assault discovered a rhythm, with seven rushes of 15-plus yards in the first half alone, while Maiava moved the ball with ease through the air.

Still, despite being outgained by virtually 200 yards before halftime, Michigan State was within a single rating — and set to obtain the second-half kick — as USC drove 88 yards down the sector before half. With 37 seconds left, Maiava lofted a cross to the nook of the end zone for freshman Tanook Hines, who reeled in the well-timed, seven-yard rating.

USC defensive end Braylan Shelby sacks Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles at the Coliseum on Saturday.

(Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times)

USC regarded prepared to pace past Michigan State in the second half as it took just 4 performs and less than two minutes to drive the sector. Maiava hit tight end Walker Lyons for a landing, his second in two weeks, to make it 31-10.

But Michigan State mounted an 11-play drive, and USC’s protection chipped in with 4 back-breaking penalties to keep it transferring. Eventually, Chiles punched in a landing himself, cutting the lead to two scores.

The momentum swung out of the blue after that. On the first play of USC’s ensuing possession, wideout DJ Jordan misplaced a fumble deep in the Trojans’ territory. The turnover opened the door for Michigan State, which needed eight performs to attain paydirt and cut the lead to a single rating.

But USC slammed that door shut on its next drive. And while Saturday night time’s win wouldn’t go down as the most seamless of the Trojans’ season, it was still just as satisfying to Riley.

“If you’re learning lessons as you win, it’s hard not to be excited about what you see out of this football team,” Riley said. “And everything I see makes me believe that we’re going to continue to grow, learn from some of the mistakes, because there are so many positive things happening out there.”