Northwestern was hanging in there on the road against USC in the Coliseum. The offense was leaning on the Trojans and gradually spilling across the field like a gravy stain spreading over a paper tablecloth. They were matching them point for point. And then the USC quarterback fumbled a ball right to a gigantic Wildcat defensive tackle who was plowing straight ahead towards the end zone for a devastating go-ahead touchdown, and apparently that's when USC had the ‘Cats right where they wanted them.
Inches before Najee Story triumphantly gallumphed into the endzone on a picture perfect big man touchdown, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava streaked across the field, lowered his helmet, and smacked it into Story’s hands, jarring the football loose, and turning a momentum-swinging touchdown into a deflating touchback.