Indiana Crushes USC's College Football Playoff Hopes on the Road

The No. 18 USC Trojans rolled into Bloomington looking to make a statement against the defending national champions, No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers. Unfortunately for the Trojans, costly penalties — mixed with poor offensive and special teams drives — led the Hoosiers to a 27-13 win over USC. 

With their third loss of the season, USC's chance at a College Football Playoff berth has all but dwindled. 

The Trojans were on their way to make a statement in their very first drive against Indiana. A pass-run-pass-run sequence had USC set up at the Hoosiers 35-yard line, but a costly holding call pushed back the Trojans 15 yards and ultimately ended their drive. 

Kicker Ryon Sayeri was tasked with a 51-yard field goal attempt in hopes of getting something out of the Trojans' failed drive, and the kick would connect with the post and bounce back onto the field. 

On the other hand, the Trojans' first half could also be defined by the mental mistakes, as USC was tagged for six penalties (61 yards). 

The Hoosiers' quarterback Grant Wilson took over and led Indiana downfield to the first score of the game for either side. Six plays and 65 yards later, Indiana's tight end Brock Schott caught a 13-yard pass to give the Hoosiers an early 7-0 lead. 

USC responded with a 12-play drive that resulted in a successful 29-yard field goal from Caden Chittenden, cutting the deficit down to 7-3. 

The last quarter of the first half was a question mark more than anything. 

Both defenses were warming up with every play, and between the Hoosiers and Trojans, only 21 yards were allowed through the first four drives. 

The Trojans managed to find themselves in a good spot with 5:33 left in the first, but Jayden Maiava forced a third-down pass attempt to Trent Mosley and was picked off at USC's 35-yard line. 

Indiana drove it deep into USC territory following the interception, but the Trojans' defense held the Hoosiers to just a field goal. 

Leading 10-3 with 1:45 left, USC turned the tide down the stretch with a bobbled pick from Deven Bryant, setting up a three-yard, 60-yard drive to tie the game on a Zacharyus Williams seven-yard reception from Maiava. 

Both teams opened the second half with respective field goals, but on their second drive of the half, Indiana completed their five-play, 75-yard drive on a one-yard Khobie Martin rushing touchdown. 

From then on, it was Indiana's game. 

Maiava led the Trojans down the field in a crucial fourth-quarter drive that had USC at the goal line, down 20-13. The senior quarterback attempted to find Kayden Dixon-Wyatt up the middle, but Isaiah Jones picked off Maiava for his second interception on the run. 

That interception resulted in the Hoosiers third touchdown of the game, as Wilson dotted Charlie Becker down the right side of the gridiron for a 42-yard reception. 

On their last drive and on 4th and 13, Maiava threw a desperation pass to Tanook Hines that was intercepted for the third time by Jamari Sharpe. 

That would be all she wrote, as Indiana convincingly punched their ticket to a CFP berth with their ninth win, while the Trojans 2026 season looms in uncertainty.