It was a desperation spot for both teams and USC prevailed.

The Trojans, turning to a new quarterback, outlasted Nebraska at home on Saturday for a 28-20 victory. It moved USC back to .500 on the season and pushed Lincoln Riley’s group within a single win of bowl eligibility.

For Nebraska, which turned play-calling over to Dana Holgorsen for the first time, the loss will sting. It’s a fourth straight defeat. And its a third straight by a single score.

Here are 3 takeaways from the game.

The Jayden Maiava Experience debuts

USC made the move from Miller Moss to Jayden Maiava at quarterback and, for better or worse, the Trojans are going to be on a wild ride down the stretch. Maiava completed 25 of his 35 passes for 259 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had a rushing touchdown deep into the fourth that all but iced the game. He threw one interception. He probably could have had a couple more.

Maiava is a gunslinger. At UNLV a year ago, he was throwing the ball all over the field and dabbling in both show-stopping highlights and heart-stopping near-disasters. Per PFF, he had 18 big-time throws and 24 turnover-worthy plays.

Maiava did more of the same against the Huskers. USC’s playmakers turned them into big plays.

There was this throw to Duce Robinson, that was nothing more than a hope and a prayer.

And then there was this throw to Kyron Hudson in the endzone for 6.

Maiava clearly trusts his arm. Nebraska didn’t make him pay. But, it should also be said that quarterbacks sometimes just need to give their guys a shot. Hudson made a play. Robinson made a play. And USC is at a point in its season where it needs an injection of energy.

Woody Marks runs over the Blackshirts

Maiava will get the headlines for his 4-score day, but USC tailback Woody Marks deserves the game ball for running over and around the Nebraska defense all afternoon. He topped 1,000 yards on the season thanks to a 19-carry, 146-yard effort. He also added 6 catches for 36 receiving yards.

Three of his first 4 carries went for either no gain or lost yardage. He was not stopped in the backfield a single time the rest of the day.

Marks has become the bellcow for the Trojans after 4 years of sporadic usage at Mississippi State. Saturday’s performance was his sixth game of the season with at least 100 yards.

The torment continues for Nebraska

Nebraska has 2 games remaining in the 2024 regular season. It needs 1 win from those 2 games to reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016. The longer the drought has gone on, the more absurd it has become. The ways in which Nebraska has fallen in close games have become increasingly outrageous. In one-score games late, it has seemed at times like the football gods are playing a game of bingo blackout trying to construct ways for one team to lose games.

On Saturday in the L.A. Coliseum, this did not draw a penalty:

It was the final play of the game. NU quarterback Dylan Raiola was picked off in the endzone by USC’s Greedy Vance. The ball, intended for Jahmal Banks, never found its target.

No flag was thrown. No discussion was had.

The Huskers had it first-and-10 at the USC 14 with 5 seconds left before a false start penalty backed them up. Raiola was then picked off while Banks was put in a straight jacket in the endzone.

Here’s the play:

Nebraska has been burned by Big Ten officials all season. Nebraska has been burned by Big Ten officials throughout its entire life in the conference, for that matter. Sometimes, you just have to laugh through the pain.

Husker fans are used to it at this point.

Can Matt Rhule find 1 win between Wisconsin at home and Iowa on the road?