Wilson's First Start, Three Interceptions and a Goal-Line Wall: Defending Champion Indiana Beats USC, 27-13

Indiana went back to a quarterback it had kept under wraps all week, leaned on a defense that bent but almost never broke, and walked out of Memorial Stadium with a 27-13 win over USC on Saturday that kept the defending national champions squarely in the playoff picture and left the Trojans' hopes in pieces ^[1][2].

Grant Wilson, making his first start of the season, completed 17 of 27 passes for 305 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, according to the Associated Press ^[2]. He got the start ahead of Josh Hoover, as reports had projected earlier in the week ^[6]. The Hoosiers (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) won in regulation after back-to-back overtime games, the Indiana Daily Student noted ^[3].

How It Was Won

Wilson wasted no time. Indiana went 65 yards in six plays on its opening drive, and Wilson found tight end Brock Schott for a 13-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead, per the Hoosiers' game blog on On3 ^[6].

The rest of the first half belonged to the defenses. Safety Preston Zachman picked off USC quarterback Jayden Maiava in the second quarter, and Nico Radicic, who had missed from 44 yards on the previous Indiana drive, came back to hit a 21-yarder for a 10-3 lead with 1:48 left before halftime ^[3]. USC answered quickly. After Deven Bryant intercepted Wilson with 37 seconds left in the half, Maiava hit a 51-yard pass to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and then a 7-yard touchdown to Zacharyus Williams, tying the game 10-10 at the break ^[6].

After halftime, Indiana's running game took over. Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe Jr. combined for 153 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, the AP reported ^[2], and Radicic added a 24-yard field goal ^[3]. USC's only points after the break came on a field goal.

The decisive moment came deep in Indiana territory. With the Trojans facing second-and-6 at the Hoosiers' 6-yard line and threatening to tie the game in the fourth quarter, Isaiah Jones intercepted Maiava, Inside the Hall reported ^[4]. Then, with 3:30 left, Wilson lofted a 42-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Becker to stretch the lead to 14 ^[2]. Becker finished with three catches for 75 yards ^[2]. Jamari Sharpe added Indiana's third interception of the night to put it away ^[4].

A Wall at the Goal Line

The numbers tell the story of USC's night. The Trojans reached the red zone five times and came away with one touchdown, according to Inside the Hall ^[4], and the Los Angeles Times wrote that Maiava's three interceptions and the wasted scoring chances sank them ^[1]. Indiana did it without starting linebacker Rolijah Hardy; true freshman Jacob Savage took his place and led the team in tackles ^[4].

USC coach Lincoln Riley summed it up plainly. "This game came down to a couple of plays," he said, per Yahoo Sports ^[5]. The loss in front of a sellout crowd of 54,336 dropped the Trojans to 7-3, and Yahoo noted that USC is now 7-12 in true road games under Riley ^[5]. The Times wrote that the defeat all but ends USC's playoff hopes ^[1], which would mean a fifth straight season under Riley without a playoff trip ^[5]. USC hosts Maryland next Saturday in its final home game of the year ^[5].

Related Four Straight and Running Hot: The 7-1 Bills Bring James Cook and a Stingy Defense to MetLife as the Jets Hope to Get Garrett Wilson Back

The Take: Next Man Up, and a Program That Knows Who It Is

What stands out about this Indiana team is not flash. It is trust. The Hoosiers handed the offense to a quarterback who had not started a game all season, lost a starting linebacker, missed an early field goal and threw an interception that let USC tie the game right before halftime. They never flinched. The kicker who missed came back and made two. The freshman who was thrown into the lineup led the team in tackles. The defense that gave up a long touchdown drive at the end of the half gave up one touchdown in five trips inside its own 20.

That is the mark of a program built on preparation and accountability, where the next man up is expected to be ready. It is also a reminder of why Indiana's slide in the playoff rankings during an idle week stung so much in Bloomington. The Hoosiers came in ninth in the College Football Playoff rankings, while the AP poll had them sixth ^[1][2]. A 14-point win over a ranked opponent is the kind of answer that speaks louder than anything said at a podium.

For USC, the questions are harder. The Trojans moved the ball, but turnovers and red-zone stalls on the road have become a familiar pattern ^[5]. Riley's teams have talent; finishing remains the problem.

What Comes Next

Indiana's path is simple: keep winning and let the committee sort out the rest. With Wilson's 305-yard debut on tape and a defense that just intercepted three passes against a ranked opponent, the Hoosiers look like a team that can handle the stretch run. For USC, the goal now is to finish strong at home against Maryland and in the season's final weeks, and to give its fans something to build on.