Nebraska Football Falls at USC; Still Chasing Bowl Eligibility

The bowl monkey continues to hang on as the Huskers go to USC and leave with a loss.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Quinten Joyner runs the ball against Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The search for bowl eligibility for the Nebraska Cornhuskers continues.

NU fell at USC 28-20 Saturday. The Huskers are now 5-5 on the year and 2-5 in Big Ten play. The Trojans improve to 5-5 and are now 3-5 in the league.

Nebraska has never beaten USC, falling to 0-5-1 all-time. The Huskers also fall to 0-9 since 2016 in games that would have clinched bowl eligibility.

The Huskers struck first on what would turn out to be one of a couple big plays from Ceyair Wright. The former USC defensive back took a first-quarter interception to the house. He would block a field goal in the second half as well.

USC's offense got rolling after that interception, though. After starting 2-for-7, new starting quarterback Jayden Maiava completed his next nine passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Nebraska answered with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Emmett Johnson caught a Dylan Raiola pass and outran his defender to the edge and took the ball upfield for the score.

Neither team did much in the way of productivity over the final 9:21 of the second quarter. USC punted the ball three times while Nebraska threw an interception, punted once, and ran out the clock into the half.

Out of the half, Nebraska got a 29-yard field goal from John Hohl. He would add a 30-yarder a couple drives later, but in the meantime the Trojans got a touchdown.

USC added another touchdown with 2:45. That drive saw the Trojans burn 7:39 off the clock.

On Nebraska's final offensive drive, Raiola drove the Big Red to the USC 14. Before the final play of the game could commence, most of the offensive line commited a false start.

With five seconds left, Raiola threw an interception in the end zone.

USC gained 441 yards on the day, clearing the 310 that Nebraksa posted. The Trojans got 259 yards and three touchdowns through the air from Maiava while Woodie Marks led the ground attack with 146 yards.

Raiola completed 27-of-38 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Emmett Johnson and Dante Dowdell both eclipsed 50 yards rushing on the day.

Over the first five games of the year, Raiola had a 9-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio. Across the last four-and-a-half, that ratio is 2:8.

Nebraska returns home next Saturday to host Wisconsin. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CST on the Big Ten Network.

Box score

Nebraska Athletics Notes

• With the loss, Nebraska fell to 0-5-1 all-time against USC.
• Nebraska cornerback Ceyair Wright opened the scoring with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter. It marked Wright’s second interception of the season (also vs Rutgers) and the third of his college career. Wright played the past two seasons at USC.
• Wright’s interception for a touchdown was Nebraska’s third pick-6 of the season, joining a Tommi Hill TD against Colorado and John Bullock’s pick-6 at Purdue. The three interceptions for touchdowns are the most for Nebraska since the Huskers had four interceptions for touchdowns in 2013.

• Wright also blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter. The block was the first of Wright’s career and was Nebraska’s second blocked field goal of the season (also vs. Colorado).
  
• Running back Emmett Johnson caught a 29-yard touchdown in the second quarter, marking his first career receiving touchdown. Overall, it was Johnson’s second touchdown of the season and the fourth of his career.
  
• Jacory Barney Jr. caught two passes to increase his season total to 40, tying a Nebraska record for receptions by a true freshman. Barney matched the 40 receptions by Wan’Dale Robinson in 2019.

• Defensive lineman Ty Robinson had a 10-yard sack in the third quarter and forced a fumble on the play leading to a Nebraska field goal. The sack increased Robinson’s team-leading total to six sacks and 10 TFL.
• Place-kicker John Hohl connected on field goals of 29 and 30 yards, both in the third quarter. Hohl has made his last five field goals.
• Senior rover Isaac Gifford had six tackles in the game to increase his career total to 226, moving him into a tie for third place in career tackles among Husker defensive backs.

• Senior OT Bryce Benhart and senior DL Ty Robinson both played in their 57th career game today, setting a Nebraska record for games played. The previous record was held by Cameron Meredith who played in 56 games from 2008 to 2012.
  
• Benhart made his 51st career start in today’s game, moving him within two starts of the Nebraska career record for starts.
  
• Today’s game captains were WR Jahmal Banks, CB Marques Buford Jr., DL Ty Robinson and DE Jimari Butler.

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