Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. USC lets a late road lead slip away, this time against Big Ten rival Illinois. For many inside the walls of Troy, the loss adds another rung to a familiar ladder of frustration, confusion, and hopefully growth.
Illinois was never as bad as its showing against Indiana the week prior suggested. It was unlikely the Illini would repeat such a flat performance, and against USC they instead slowed the game down, focusing on limiting mistakes. Both teams, however, struggled with ball security, combining for four turnovers apiece.
Ironically, Illinois nearly gave USC the game when a fumble just short of the end zone opened the door for a Trojan go-ahead touchdown with 1:55 left.