USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Shuts Down Questions About Minnesota Overturned Touchdown

The No. 11 USC Trojans lost 24-17 to Minnesota on Saturday, October 5th. It's hard to win away games in conference play.

The Golden Gophers scored on a fourth down quarterback sneak with Max Brosmer in the final minute. The referees initially left Brosmer standing just short of the end zone and gave the ball to the Trojans in a tie game. However, the play was reviewed and converted into a touchdown.

After the game, a reporter asked Trojans defensive back Jamil Muhammad if he thought Minnesota had reached the goal line on the Gophers' final touchdown.

“Don’t ask him that. Next question,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said before Muhammad could answer. “Who cares what he says about it? What, for example, a player's opinion? Let’s ask a more professional question.”

The Trojans once again found themselves in a dogfight on the road in the first half. The total yardage, first downs gained and turnovers were virtually deadlocked at halftime. The score was 10-10 thanks to a 54-yard field goal by kicker Michael Lantz just before halftime.

The Trojans came into the game with a plus-32 second-half scoring advantage and experience in close ballgames. They leaned heavily on muscle memory to pull off a couple of hard-fought attacks and take control of the game with a big scoring drive and two early defensive stops that put Minnesota in trouble.

A near-sack strip early in the fourth quarter blew up and turned into a Miller Moss interception. This was a huge turning point as the Trojans had a 17-10 lead and were driving into Golden Gopher territory with a chance to essentially decide the game. It may sound like a broken record at this point, but it's the truth: The same problems recorded for the Trojans cost them an entire game.

The Golden Gophers scored 14 straight points and finished the game with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that left the Trojans with less than a minute to play. At 24-17, a touchdown was USC's only option. While quarterback Miller Moss got the Trojans within striking distance, it wasn't quite enough as Moss was intercepted while shooting into the end zone.

Minnesota defeated the USC Trojans for the first time since 1955.

The offense's, and frankly the team's, biggest problem is the difficulty the Trojans are having protecting quarterback Miller Moss. He came into the game as the most hit and pressured quarterback in the Big Ten and the most hit quarterback in the country. In that regard, the Trojans didn't fare much better today.

Moss' quick passing and determination provided relief on some pass attempts, but when USC actually had to run a five-play dropback, it wasn't pretty.

Moss has gained significant muscle mass and weight this season, and he needed it. The Trojans need to find a way to keep Moss upright. Your season ultimately depends on it.

What's the biggest red flag in defense? Their inability to hold the line in the biggest moments of the game. The defense, similar to the Michigan game, was outstanding until the final battle. Minnesota ran for 193 yards, most of them on its last two possessions. The discourse surrounding the Big Ten's trenches has surrounded the Trojans, but for the most part they have held firm.

Time of possession was almost even, so wear and tear is no excuse. The Trojans held the Gophers to 2/8 on 3rd down, but the Gophers converted twice on 4th down, one of which was the go-ahead touchdown. Sometimes the schema isn't the problem. The Trojans have no problem defensively. In this case, USC needs to step up its playmakers in crucial moments. They've done it before, they need to do it more.

Teams led by Lincoln Riley have been in this situation several times. A lead, an offense that is humming, and a decision to be made: run the ball and control the clock or pass. On the drive that ultimately changed momentum with the interception, the Trojans fell behind on third and fourth from the Minnesota 35.

Sounds pretty normal to throw it there, right? Not so fast. The Trojans averaged 6.2 yards per carry and had a seven-point lead. At that point, the worst-case scenario was if they failed to make a fourth down attempt or a field goal attempt to potentially go up by 10 points with 10 minutes left.

You might say this is overly critical, but on the very next possession, with the score tied at 17:17, there was not a single rushing attempt. Minnesota got the ball back after a three-pointer and the rest is history. When will Riley trust his running game to finish these close contests?

USC has proven how resilient they are, perhaps too much for anyone's liking early in the year. From now on they have to prove it every week to achieve their goals. There is no more leeway. There is no longer a grace period. The Trojans must win.

Across the college football landscape, many ranked teams have been tested against unranked opponents. Georgia passed the Auburn test and Ohio State passed the Iowa test. Alabama fell to Vanderbilt in one of the biggest upsets in college football history. Michigan stalled on the road to Washington. Tennessee was upset by Arkansas.