USC shows fight in frustrating game

USC v Illinois | Justin Casterline/GettyImagesWhen life gives you Lemon, you give him the football. Maki Lemon was nothing short of heroic, stepping up every single time USC called his name. That reliability will remain a defining feature of the Trojans’ offense.

Still, plenty can be said about USC’s final drive and whether they left too much time on the clock. In hindsight, the answer is clear that they did. Coming out of the two-minute warning, Jayden Maiava connected with Lemon on the left side of the end zone. The play took just five seconds, while Illinois still held all three of its timeouts. Even FOX analyst Joel Klatt questioned the timing. And he was right, USC scored too quickly.

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