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USC quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) is sacked by Nebraska linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan)
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USC quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) is sacked by Nebraska linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Bonnie Ryan)
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LINCOLN — Two sparse lines of glowing red looked down on a Memorial Stadium cloaked in black.
Neon lettering at the top of the stands reminded everyone in sight of Nebraska’s five national titles. The Cornhuskers are fighting to become nationally recognized again, and a long road remains.
No. 23 USC football beat the Huskers 21-17 to extend Nebraska’s losing streak against ranked teams to 29 games.
Nebraska (6-3 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) held Jayden Maiava to a season-low 135 passing yards in addition to an interception, but the quarterback adapted to run for a season-high 62 rushing yards.
“You play quarterback long enough, there’s going to be games like this where things are just a little bit out of whack,” head coach Lincoln Riley told reporters after the game. “Your ability to just hang in there and keep swinging and find a way to make winning plays, that’s what the really good ones do.”
Cornhusker starting quarterback Dylan Raiola left the game in the third quarter due to an apparent right leg injury. True freshman and Orange Lutheran product TJ Lateef came in and finished the game with 71 yards on 5-of-7 passing in addition to 18 rushing yards.
USC (6-2, 4-1) gained its first lead of the game when a block by tight end Lake McRee allowed King Miller to bounce to the outside and score a 6-yard touchdown. Earlier in the drive, running back Bryan Jackson and Maiava had teamed up for a flea-flicker play that resulted in a 43-yard pass to Jayden Richardson.
The Trojans firmly grasped a 21-17 advantage with 10:06 left to play.
Nebraska’s best scoring opportunity fell out of reach when running back Emmett Johnson slipped and fell on a fourth-and-1 with just over a minute left in the game. Johnson rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown in the game, but the Cornhuskers faced a challenge when a 41-yard punt by Sam Johnson pinned them at the 4-yard line.
“Just continued to push the main effort that we’ve had all game,” defensive lineman Devan Thompkins said. “We fought hard. We fought really well. It was a very tough game, and I’m super proud of everybody. We have to have that same mentality to finish, finish, finish.”
The Huskers faithful donned black clothing for the blackout night game, and the typically red end zones and on-field logo were muted as well. Not a speck of red was on the team’s uniforms, which were topped with a white helmet bearing a sans-serif “N.”
It was a formidable environment for a USC team that has not played well on the road this season. This presented a great opportunity to the Trojans.
Although Maiava didn’t pass well, he did use his legs more than in any other game this season. Maiava finished with 62 rushing yards and earned his first touchdown on the ground since Week 4 against Michigan State.
The redshirt junior took off for back-to-back 16-yard runs to reach the end zone, then handed the ball off to Miller for a successful 2-point conversion.
“I felt great,” Maiava said. “It was good defense we went up against. Covered well downfield. The last option is for me to run, so I just do what I can.”
The sequence of events tied the game at 14-all with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter. Nebraska pulled ahead by three points once again when Kyle Cunanan hit a 39-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.
USC struggled to score red zone touchdowns in the first half, even though they had a 69% scoring rate when in the red zone going into the game.
“Offensively, we were just a little bit out of sync,” Riley said. “We missed some big opportunities that we typically make pretty routine. And then we had some really untimely penalties that set us back. And against a good defense on a night like this, you definitely don’t want to make your job harder.”
The Trojans had to settle for a field goal twice. Ryon Sayeri booted a 24-yard kick and a 49-yard kick — both in the second quarter
Maiava had evaded a sack and scrambled to run for five yards to get USC within two yards of the end zone, but offensive lineman Tobias Raymond’s second false start of the game moved the Trojans back.
Another penalty pulled USC out of striking distance of a touchdown when officials called intentional grounding on Maiava. The quarterback used his legs to make up for it and scrambled to the right sideline for a gain of 11 yards. It wasn’t enough, however, and the coaching staff once again signaled for Sayeri.
The Chaminade High School product has now made 14-of-15 field goals this season.
“The delivery man doesn’t celebrate his deliveries because he’s doing his job,” Sayeri said. “I feel like I’ve got to go out there and make kicks. My only job here is to make kicks and hit kickoffs.”
The Trojans went three-and-out on their opening drive. Conversely, Nebraska worked quickly and scored when the ball was put into the Huskers’ hands.
Johnson gained yardage in spurts, setting up Raiola for a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dane Key in what was his third fade route attempt of the night.
