USC Trojans Lose To Penn State, 3 Takeaways: Trojans Offense Falls Asleep In Second Half

The No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions came into the Coliseum on Saturday afternoon and earned a hard fought win over the USC Trojans. USC's offense got outscored by 20 points in the second half and overtime period and fall out of playoff contention with the loss.

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws a pass in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

USC was 30 minutes away from defeating the No. 4 team in the country in Penn State. Instead they were unable to finish as they gave away the game in the second half. With the loss, USC falls out of the Big Ten contention.

Trojans fall out of College Football Playoff race

With the loss, USC falls out of the CFP race entirely. Before the season began, the Trojans knew that their matchups vs. Penn State and Michigan would be tough games. What they did not expect was a road loss to Minnesota before their home game against Penn State. A win over undefeated No. 4 Penn State would've been a big boost to the Trojans' playoff resume. Instead, three losses ended the Trojans' chances of making the playoff. Just six games into the 2024 season, USC head coach Lincoln Riley and USC saw their season effectively end.

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) runs the ball for a first down before he is stopped by Penn State Nittany Lions safety Jaylen Reed (1) and cornerback Zion Tracy (7) in the first half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

USC rush defense came to play

The Trojans rush defense was reeling after a tough week against Minnesota as the Gophers ran wild for 193 yards as Minnesota running back Darius Taylor had 144 yards on the ground. Although USC lost the game, their front seven held the Nittany Lions to 118 yards on the ground. Penn State's longest run of the game went only for 19 yards.They held Penn State's star running back Nicholas Singleton to ten carries and 26 yards, which is a season-low for the junior running back. The Nittany Lions's leading rusher, Kaytron Allen, rushed for only 56 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. It was a promising performance for the Trojans rush defense despite the result. If they could put together more performances like this, the USC defense could be much more improved going forward.

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) is stopped by USC Trojans safety Kamari Ramsey (7) after a short gain in the second half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Offense comes alive in first half, sleeps in the second half

The Trojans went into the half up 20-6. The USC offense scored over 20 points in the first half for the first time in over three games. USC quarterback Miller Moss looked great in the first half as Riley called an excellent half which allowed the Trojans to keep the Penn State defense off balance for a majority of the first half. However, the Trojans were outscored 27-7 in the second half and overtime period. USC must find a way to keep their offense consistent if they want to be able to be in contention as one of the best team's in the country. USC hasn't been able to put together a complete game on offense since the week two 48-0 win over Utah State.

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