SAN DIEGO — The University of Southern California bid farewell to its time as a Pac-12 football program with a six-pack to go and an eggnog bath to toast an otherwise unremarkable season.
With Caleb Williams watching from the sideline, Miller Moss threw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in his first college start, and the Trojans ended a frustrating season by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 on Wednesday night. Afterward, second-year USC coach Lincoln Riley had a tub of eggnog poured over his head.
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who opted out of the game as he focuses on preparations for the NFL draft, watched from the sideline with his No. 13 jersey hanging around his neck. He ran onto the field and jumped on Moss in celebration after the redshirt sophomore twice took a knee in victory formation at Petco Park, the home of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres.
While Williams and several other Trojans sat out, others showed up to play, including redshirt senior receiver Tahj Washington, who caught two touchdown passes.
“From a leadership standpoint, we had a really strong senior group that wanted to come back and play this game, and I think that was really led by them,” Moss said. “They set the example, and it was easy for me to then fall in line behind them.”
USC receiver Kyron Hudson, who blocked a punt and then caught a touchdown pass shortly after, was asked if Moss secured the starting job for next year.
“What Miller did out there, it’s something that’s going to help us in the future, so personally, yes, he did,” Hudson said. “I’m super excited for Miller. He waited his time, and he’s ready for it. He’s the guy we need.”
Moss, who has already graduated, had played in just 11 games in three seasons, going 43-of-59 for 542 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He took full advantage of the opportunity he was given when Williams, the presumptive No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft, opted out.
Moss was 23-of-33 passing for 372 yards with one interception. He broke the Holiday Bowl record of four touchdown passes held by four players, including Jim McMahon in BYU’s miracle 46-45 comeback win against SMU in 1980. The record came late in the third quarter when Moss lobbed a 12-yard pass to a leaping Ja’Kobi Lane in the back of the end zone. Lane’s second touchdown catch of the night gave USC a 35-21 lead.
Moss added on with a beautiful 44-yard strike to Duce Robinson for a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes to go.
The six touchdown passes were also the most by a quarterback in his first start for USC (8-5), which lost three straight games and five of six coming into the Holiday Bowl after opening the year with national championship aspirations. They also were a Trojans bowl record and tied the Pac-12 bowl record.
The Trojans played their final football game as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. They are joining the Big Ten next season, along with fellow Pac-12 defectors Oregon, UCLA and Washington.
“We could have come into this game not caring about it,” Riley said. “Honestly, all the years and wins and stuff, this was as fun a win as I can remember as a head coach. Just with all the changes, all the back and forth, six weeks, 20-plus guys that didn’t play in this game for different reasons. … That’s a good football team that we just beat up on.”
Isaac Guerendo ran 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville (10-4), the Atlantic Coast Conference runner-up. Jack Plummer threw for 141 yards with no touchdowns. Plummer dislocated his right pinky early in the second quarter, had it popped back in and said it didn’t affect his throwing.
Plummer made his 39th career start. He previously played at Cal and Purdue.
Moss also threw touchdown passes of 17 and 29 yards to Tahj Washington, who completed his first 1,000-yard receiving season. Hudson caught a 9-yard touchdown pass two plays after blocking Brady Hodges’ punt, which went out of bounds at the Cardinals’ 18-yard line.
“They had a couple matchups of fast players on our safeties, and it just wasn’t one of our better days,” first-year Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. “A lot of those guys have played well all year long; today wasn’t their best day.”
The Trojans were leading 28-14 and driving early in the third quarter when Moss was intercepted at the goal line by Quincy Riley, who returned it 61 yards to the USC 39. Five plays later, Isaac Guerendo scored on a 1-yard run to pull the Cardinals within a touchdown.
Guerendo had already scored on a 2-yard run on Louisville’s first possession of the game.
After Denis Lynch was wide right on a 38-yard field-goal try, the Trojans got the ball right back when Max Williams strip-sacked Plummer, with Solomon Byrd recovering at the Louisville 19. Moss threw a short pass to Washington, who faked out two defenders before diving into the end zone to tie the game.
USC jumped to a 21-7 lead on the second touchdown pass from Moss to Washington and then Hudson’s score. Evan Conley scored on a 9-yard run for Louisville before USC went 75 yards in five plays just before halftime, with Moss dodging a defender, rolling right and chucking up a 31-yarder to Lane for a 28-14 lead.