USC Football Rallies Past Iowa 26-21 in Rainy Thriller, Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive

LOS ANGELES – USC football kept its postseason destiny alive on a drenched Saturday night, erasing a 14-point hole to edge No. 21 Iowa 26-21 in front of a roaring Coliseum crowd. The No. 17 Trojans improved to 9-2 overall and 6-1 in Big Ten play, staying firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation as conference championship weekend looms. Key takeaways 1. Lincoln Riley’s signature comeback • Quarterback Malachi Nelson shrugged off early turnovers to engineer three straight scoring drives after halftime, finishing 24-for-36 for 281 yards and two touchdowns. • Nelson’s 17-yard strike to Brenden Rice midway through the fourth quarter gave USC its first lead and proved the game-winner. • Riley is now 11-3 at USC when trailing at the break, cementing a reputation for second-half adjustments that matter to both poll voters and the CFP committee. 2. Defense bends, then breaks Iowa’s will • Edge rusher Anthony Lucas, back from a September knee injury, recorded two fourth-quarter sacks and a game-sealing strip-sack that linebacker Mason Cobb recovered at the USC 12. • The Trojans limited the Hawkeyes to 89 rushing yards over the final three quarters after surrendering 74 in the first. Coordinator D’Anton Lynn called heavy run blitzes that forced sophomore QB Mark Gronowski to beat USC through the air—he didn’t. 3. Injury watch could shape the stretch run • Starting safety Kamari Ramsey exited in the second quarter with a shoulder sprain; left tackle Elijah Paige limped off with what appeared to be an ankle roll. Both are day-to-day and will undergo imaging Sunday, according to team officials. • True freshman Lucas Simmons filled in admirably for Paige, allowing zero pressures on 17 pass-pro snaps and making a strong case for expanded reps. 4. What it means for the playoff picture • USC remains one game behind unbeaten Ohio State in the Big Ten West and owns the tiebreaker over two-loss Nebraska. A win at Minnesota next week plus an Ohio State slip would send the Trojans to Indianapolis. • The CFP committee placed USC at No. 10 last Tuesday; the comeback, weather-aided quality win over a ranked opponent should nudge the Trojans into the top eight and on the cusp of a New Year’s Six berth if chaos ensues elsewhere. 5. SEO-friendly quick hits for fans searching today • USC football score vs Iowa: 26-21 • Next game: at Minnesota, November 22, 5 p.m. PT on FOX • Trojans key stats: 389 total yards, +2 turnover margin, 7-for-13 on third down Bottom line In a season defined by narrow escapes, USC football again found a way, and this one might resonate most with computers and committee members alike. If Nelson’s poise, Lucas’ late-game burst and Riley’s halftime wizardry travel to Minneapolis, Trojan fans could be booking flights to both Indianapolis and, maybe, Miami.