USC defense fades in overtime as TCU pulls away for Alamo Bowl win

SAN ANTONIO — For a nine-win team such as USC, once again on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like purgatory. One foot in the past season, the other in the future, your team trapped somewhere in-between.

There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC in a brutal 30-27 overtime defeat to Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl. There were equal reminders all night both of what could have been this season, had USC ever played at its best for long, and also flashes of why it never managed to be.

In one moment, there was freshman Tanook Hines, sprinting to catch a deep ball in stride, announcing himself as a rising star. In another, a TCU running back was busting his way through tackles on third-and-long, rumbling improbably into the end zone, deflating any such delusions of grandeur.

TCU 30, No. 16 USC 27 (OT), end of game

TCU started on its 25.

Ken Seals passed to Joseph Manjack IV for 20 yards, but it was overturned after review because Manjack didn’t have complete control of the ball.

Seals was sacked by Kameryn Crawford for a loss of 10 yards.

On third-and-20, USC called timeout.

Seals passed to Jeremy Payne, who broke multiple tackles along the sideline for a dramatic 35-yard touchdown to seal the Horned Frogs win.

No. 16 USC 27, TCU 24, overtime first possession

USC started on its 25.

Jayden Maiava passed to King Miller for 15 yards. Maiava tossed an incomplete pass. Maiava tossed an incomplete pass, but TCU was called for pass interference.

On first-and-goal at the TCU 2, King Miller ran for no gain. On the next play, Miller was pushed back three yards. On third-and-goal at the TCU 5, Maiava tossed an incomplete pass. On fourth-and-goal, Ryon Sayeri hit a 22-yard field goal.

No. 16 USC 24, TCU 24, end of fourth quarter

TCU started on its 31.

Jeremy Payne ran for four yards.

USC’s defense closed on Ken Seals and it briefly appeared the Trojans completed a strip sack for a touchdown. A review determined that Seals tossed an incomplete pass rather than fumbling. Seals then passed to Jeremy Payne for six yards and a first down before the two-minute timeout was triggered.

On first down at the TCU 41, Kameryn Crawford sacked Seals. On second-and-14, Seals passed to Joseph Manjack IV for 15 yards a first down that stopped the clock with 1:35 remaining.

Seals passed to Eric McAlister for three yards to move the ball to the USC 45 and TCU called timeout to stop the clock at 1:18. Seals passed to Major Everhart for 20 yards. USC was called for holding, but the penalty was declined.

Seals ran for four yards. Seals passed to DJ Rogers for six yards, moving the ball to the USC 15. Seals passed toward McAlister, but DeCarlos Nicholson broke up the potential touchdown pass.

Seals passed to Manjack for five yards to the USC 10.

On third-and-five, Lincoln Riley called timeout with 28 seconds left. Seals passed to Jeremy Payne for no gain.

TCU called timeout with three seconds left to set up a field goal attempt that would force overtime. Riley then burned his final timeout to put pressure on the kicker.

Kyle Lemmermann hit a 27-yard field goal to force overtime.

No. 16 USC 24, TCU 21, 2:49 left in fourth quarter

USC started on its 25. The Trojans were called for false start. On first-and-15 at the USC 20, King Miller ran for no gain. Jayden Maiava passed to Riley Wormley for nine yards. Maiava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Tanook Hines, who thought TCU should have been called for pass interference.

USC was called for 12 men on the field. On fourth-and-11 at the USC 24, Sam Johnson punted to the TCU 31.

No. 16 USC 24, TCU 21, 4:24 left in fourth quarter

TCU started on its 25 and got a substitution infraction penalty.

On first-and-15, Ken Seals passed to Joseph Manjack IV for eight yards. Both teams were called for offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the play. Jeremy Payne ran for six yards. On third-and-one, TCU was called for false start. On third-and-six, Seals passed to Eric McAlister for 12 yards.

Seals was sacked by Keeshawn Silver for a loss of seven yards. On second-and-17, Seals passed to Chase Curtis for eight yards. On third-and-nine, Seals passed to McAlister for a 12-yard gain.

Seals passed to McAlister for five yards. Payne ran for 22 yards to the USC 19. Seals passed to Major Everhart for 11 yards, moving to the USC 8.

Payne then ran for a five-yard touchdown. TCU hit the extra point and USC was called offsides on the play.

No. 16 USC 24, TCU 14, 9:40 left in fourth quarter

USC started on its 15.

King Miller ran for two yards. James Johnson ran for a loss of six yards. Jayden Maiava then passed to Tanook Hines for 35 yards.

King Miller ran for 13 yards to the TCU 26. USC was called for a false start. On first-and-15 at the TCU 31, Maiava rolled out of the pocket under pressure and tossed a pass intended for Riley Wormley that fell incomplete.

Maiava passed to James Johnson for no gain. On third-and-15, USC called timeout to avoid an illegal shift penalty. Miller ran for seven yards.

Ryon Sayeri hit a 41-yard field goal, setting a new USC single season record for most field goals made in a season.

No. 16 USC 21, TCU 14, 14:40 left in fourth quarter

TCU started on its 35 after the USC kickoff went out of bounds.

Ken Seals completed a pass, but TCU was called for holding. On first-and-20 at the TCU 25, Jeremy Payne ran for one yard and time expired in the third quarter.

On third-and-19 at the TCU 26, Seals tossed an incomplete pass and TCU punted to USC 45. The Trojans were called for a personal foul penalty, pushing USC back 15 yards.

No. 16 USC 21, TCU 14, 53 seconds left in third quarter

USC started on its 27 after a punt.

Jayden Maiava passed James Johnson for four yards. Maiava passed Tanook Hines for 46 yards. Riley Wormley ran four yards. Maiava passed James Johnson for three yards to the TCU 16.

On third-and-three at the TCU 16, USC was called for false start. Maiava then passed to the left corner of the end zone and connected with Jaden Richardson for an acrobatic one-handed touchdown catch.

USC went for two and Maiava passed to Taniela Tupou for the conversion.

TCU 14, No. 16 USC 13, 4:42 left in third quarter

TCU started on its 7 after the USC punt and Horned Frogs penalty.

Ken Seals passed to Eric McAlister for 14 yards. Seals passed to Jon Denman for one yard. Jeremy Payne ran for 10 yards.

On first down at the TCU 33, Seals tossed an incomplete pass. Payne then ran for no gain. On third-and-10, Seals passed to Payne for one yard.

TCU punted to the USC 27-yard line.

TCU 14, No. 16 USC 13, 8:12 left in third quarter

USC started on its 35.

King Miller ran for one yard and then for no gain. Maiava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Tanook Hines.

USC punted. The Horned Frogs were called for block in the back, pinning TCU near its end zone.

TCU 14, No. 16 USC 13, 9:33 left in third quarter

TCU started on its 20 after the USC interception.

Ken Seals passed for a loss of three yard and then for a gain of nine yards. He passed for another loss of one yard and TCU was forced to quickly punt to the USC 35.

TCU 14, No. 16 USC 13, 11:16 left in third quarter

TCU started on its 25 after the touchback.

Ken Seals ran for a loss of one yard and fumbled, but TCU recovered the ball. On the next play, Seals tossed a pass intercepted by Eric McAlister.

USC took over on the TCU 29.

Jayden Maiava tossed an incomplete pass. Maiava ran for two yards, but USC was called for holding. Maiava ran for four yards, but TCU was called for a face mask penalty.

On first down at the TCU 12, King Miller ran for six yards, four yards and one yard. On second-and-goal at the TCU 7, Maiava tossed a pass toward the end zone and it was intercepted by TCU’s Channing Canada.

TCU 14, No. 16 USC 13, end of second quarter

USC started on its 25 after the touchback.

Jayden Maiava tossed deep downfield toward Tanook Hines. The ball fell incomplete, but TCU was called for pass interference.

James Johnson ran for one yard. King Miller ran for 10 yards. Jayden Maiava passed to Taniela Tupou for 21 yards to the TCU 28. Miller ran for one yard. Maiava passed toward Corey Simms in the end zone, but he couldn’t hold onto the ball after TCU contested the catch. On third-and-nine, Maiava passed to Hines for 10 yards before the two-minute warning was triggered.

Miller ran for four yards and then another two yards while milking the clock. On third-and-four at the TCU 11, the Horned Frogs called timeout. Maiava’s pass intended for Jaden Richardson in the back left corner of the end zone was deflected by TCU.

Ryon Sayeri hit the 28-yard field goal to pull within one point of TCU with 19 seconds remaining.

TCU ran out the clock and will receive the kickoff to start the third quarter.

TCU 14, No. 16 USC 10, 5:00 left in second quarter

TCU started on its 25.

Jon Denman ran for four yards. Ken Seals tossed an incomplete pass before passing to Trent Battle for 15 yards. Seals tossed an incomplete pass. Battle ran for four yards. On third-and-six, Seals passed to Terry Shelton for 22 yards.

Battle ran for no gain. Seals passed to Major Everhart for 10 yards. Seals tossed an incomplete pass. Payne ran for eight yards. TCU was called for illegal formation. Seals passed to Terry Shelton for five yards. Everhart ran for 11 yards. Seals then ran for a one-yard touchdown and the Horned Frogs hit the extra point.

No. 16 USC 10, TCU 7, 9:57 left in second quarter

USC started on its 25.

Jayden Maiava tossed an incomplete pass before finding Tanook Hines for a 13-yard gain. Riley Wormley ran for one yard and King Miller ran for a 24-yard gain. Maiava passed to Hines for a 36-yard gain. Miller ran for a one-yard loss before rumbling forward for a two-yard touchdown.

Ryon Sayeri hit the extra point.

TCU 7, No. 16 USC 3, 13:36 left in second quarter

TCU started on its 31 after the USC interception.

Ken Seals passed to Eric McAlister for eight yards. Jon Denman ran for two yards. Seals passed to Denman for three yards before Denman ran for another 16 yards.

Seals passed to McAlister for 14 yards and DJ Rogers for 13 yards, moving the ball to the USC 13 before time expired in the first quarter.

Seals ran for eight yards to the USC 5 before TCU was called for a false start. Seals ran for five yards and Denman ran for a five-yard touchdown.

TCU hit the extra point to take the lead.

No. 16 USC 3, TCU 0, 2:29 left in first quarter

USC started on its 24.

King Miller ran for two yards. Jayden Maiava passed to Taniela Tupou for five yards. Maiava passed for Carson Tabaracci for 21 yards.

USC was called for false start. Riley Wormley ran for six yards.

On second-and-nine at the TCU 47, Maiava’s pass was intercepted by TCU’s Jamel Johnson. The play was reviewed up and upheld.

No. 16 USC 3, TCU 0, 5:36 left in first quarter

TCU started on its 25 after the touchback.

Ken Seals tossed an incomplete pass before connecting on a pass for a one-yard gain. Seals ran for two yards and TCU punted to the USC 24.

No. 16 USC 3, TCU 0, 7:09 left in first quarter

USC started on its 27.

Jayden Maiava passed to Tanook Hines for 23 yards. King Miller ran for nine yards and another 11 yards. Maiava passed to James Johnson for six yards. Miller ran for a loss of one yard and a gain of two to set up fourth-and-three at the TCU 23.

Ryon Sayeri hit a 40-yard field goal to give USC the lead.

The Trojans are moving the ball despite the absence of Makai Lemon, Ja’Kobi Lane and a few starting offensive linemen.

No. 16 USC 0, TCU 0, 12:21 left in first quarter

USC started on its 23 after the TCU kickoff.

King Miller ran for two yards, Jayden Maiava passed to Carson Tabaracci for two yards and Maiava passed to Jaden Richardson for 10 yards.

Miller ran for one yard, Maiava ran for one yard and Maiava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Tanook Hines.

Sam Johnson punted 46 yards to the TCU 15.

No. 16 USC 0, TCU 0, start of first quarter

TCU won the coin toss and opted to defer until the second half.

USC received the kickoff and Riley Wormley returned it 22 yards to the Trojans’ 23-yard line.

Following Monday afternoon’s practice at Howard Jones Field, USC coach Lincoln Riley addressed the media for the first time since the Trojans’ victory over crosstown rival UCLA on Nov. 29.

USC (9-3), ranked No. 16 in the AP poll, is preparing to play Texas Christian (9-4) on Dec. 30 in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. USC finished 7-2 in its second season in the Big Ten and won four of its last five games, the only setback during that stretch being a 42-27 loss to Oregon, which is the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Riley announced that safety Kamari Ramsey, receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, tight end Lake McRee and linebacker Eric Gentry will not play in the Alamo Bowl. Lane declared for the NFL draft on Monday.

It’s the final days before the Alamo Bowl, the last gasps of USC’s football season, and Rock Hanson is still getting over a fever.

For USC offensive line coach Zach Hanson and his wife, Annie, who previously was Trojans recruiting director, the timing isn’t ideal to be tending to a sick 1-year-old. The Trojans are shorthanded in trying to finish out a 10-win season on Tuesday against Texas Christian. The transfer portal opens three days after that. And the coaching carousel is already in full swing, with one assistant already gone and Zach garnering outside interest, namely from his alma mater, Kansas State.

But they’ve been parenting long enough now to know not to stress over a fever. And they’ve been working in college football long enough to know the timing is never ideal. Their past decade together has been a testament to that. Last December, Rock was born on early-signing day, hours after Annie had wrapped up USC’s 2025 recruiting class. Two weeks after that, Zach was thrust into a new role as USC’s offensive line coach. They spent the bowl season in a Las Vegas hotel, walking the Strip with a three-week old, in a new-parent-induced delirium, their whole lives having suddenly turned upside down.

USC’s starting quarterback is returning for another season in 2026.

Jayden Maiava made it official Tuesday as the school announced that he had re-signed with the program for the upcoming season, his third with the Trojans.

Maiava led USC to a 9-3 record in his first full season as starter after taking over the job during the final month of the 2023 season. He threw for 3,431 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also added six scores on the ground.

The century-old rivalry series between USC and Notre Dame is taking a few years off, and as far as Lincoln Riley is concerned, that’s the fault of the Irish.

In his first public comments since the series was officially put on hiatus, the USC coach put the blame squarely on Notre Dame for not accepting USC’s most recent offer to continue the rivalry, which would have moved the 2026 game, usually scheduled in November, to the very beginning of the season.

“It’s pretty simple,” Riley said Monday, ahead of USC’s bowl matchup with Texas Christian. “We both worked for months to try to find a solution. Notre Dame was very vocal about the fact that they would play us anytime, anywhere.

Last January, D’Anton Lynn was given the chance to trade in his defensive coordinator job with the Trojans to lead the defense at his alma mater, Penn State. But Lynn turned Penn State down, and USC, in turn, gave its rising star coach a significant raise.

Now, with the same offer on the table less than a year later, Lynn has decided to change course.

Lynn is leaving USC after two seasons to become the defensive coordinator at Penn State under new coach Matt Campbell, a person familiar with the decision but not authorized to speak on the matter told The Times.

Last December, on the doorstep of its bowl game, USC appeared to finally have its defense headed in the right direction. Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn had engineered an impressive turnaround in just one year on the job. Young defenders emerged down the stretch and standouts, such as safety Kamari Ramsey and linebacker Eric Gentry, opted to return.

A year later, as USC prepares to face off with Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl Tuesday, things feel different on that side of the ball. A defense that struggled through growing pains in 2025 will have to overcome the absence of both starting safeties, two starting defensive linemen and its top linebacker in order to finish this season on the right foot. Then, after the bowl game, USC will have to find a new coordinator to lead the group next season.