USC Trojans' Kyle Ford Catches Game-Winning Touchdown in Final Collegiate Game

USC Trojans receiver Kyle Ford has faced a ton of adversity during his six years at the collegiate level, but on Friday, it was Ford who caught the game-winning touchdown to give USC a 35-31 thrilling victory over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; iSouthern California Trojans wide receiver Kyle Ford (81) celebrates after scoring on a 7-yard touchdown reception against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans marched down the field at Allegiant Stadium with under two minutes remaining in regulation in an eerily similar way they had almost four months ago against the LSU Tigers in the season opener. This time it was against Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. 

USC faced a first-and-goal from the 7-yard line with 12 seconds remaining. Quarterback Jayden Maiava took the snap and looked to his left, he saw receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, lined up in the slot with two defenders around him and then went outside to Kyle Ford, who beat his defender inside on a slant for the touchdown with eight seconds left to give USC a 35-31 victory. Ford was fired up in the end zone and then fell to his knees and into a prayer position as he soaked in the moment and what it took for him to get to this place. The sixth-year senior was playing in his final game at USC.

“Man it was just a lot of emotion,” Ford said. “My journey hasn’t been exactly easy. I thought it was gonna be easy where I was coming out of high school and just in that moment everything flooded, the two surgeries, the crying being in a bad position, transferring, not getting what I want out of it at a perfect time. This is a testament to just how hard I think I’ve worked to persevere through it so it all hit me at once so it was a cool way to end it off, you know being a Trojan.”

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; iSouthern California Trojans wide receiver Kyle Ford (81) celebrates after scoring on a 7-yard touchdown reception against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Coach Lincoln Riley spoke about what it meant to see Ford catch the game-winning touchdown after the game. 

"That was awesome," Riley said. "For his career to play out the way it did, to come back to us this year, he's had a great attitude this year. I was kind of fitting that the senior gets to make that play and what an awesome play it was."

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Ford was a five-star prospect coming out of nearby Orange Lutheran (CA) in the 2019 recruiting cycle. He was ranked as the No. 3 receiver and No. 31 overall prospect according to 247Sports. The Corona, CA suffered a season-ending knee injury during his senior year cost him half of freshman season at USC. Ford was expected to make an impact heading in 2020 but suffered a second season-ending knee injury in the summer. 

In 2021, he carved out a small role and reeled 19 receptions for 252 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. In 2022, he tallied 20 receptions for 365 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games, catching passes for Heisman trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams. 

Ford made the decision to transfer to crosstown rival UCLA for the 2023 season but promptly returned to the Trojans in the spring for his final season of eligibility. He returned to USC and wasn’t promised anything but the opportunity to compete. 

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; iSouthern California Trojans wide receiver Kyle Ford (81) celebrates after scoring on a 7-yard touchdown reception against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“It’s never how you start, it’s how you finish,” he said in October. “I just want to finish out strong and help my team where I can.”

Ford might not have achieved the success he envisioned when he signed with USC, but the Trojans receiver has an incredible journey of perseverance and fortitude that will have a lasting impact on the program for those that watched him deliver in his final moment in the Cardinal and Gold. 

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