Maiava throws 5 TD passes, No. 14 Southern California beats Louisiana 49-30

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jayden Maiava threw two of his five touchdown passes to freshman tight end Mark Bowman, freshman receiver Trent Mosley caught a touchdown pass and scored on a punt return, and No. 14 Southern California beat Louisiana 49-30 on Saturday night.

The Trojans (3-0) concluded their cupcake nonconference by amassing 494 yards, with Maiava completing 19 of 29 passes for 261 yards with an interception.

“We got a lot to clean up,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “Again, good for us to be able to play a bunch of players, which we’ve been able to do in all three games here in nonconference.”

Lunch Winfield threw for 212 yards and rushed for 91 yards with three total touchdowns, Steven Blanco added a scoring run, but the Ragin’ Cajuns (1-1) couldn’t take advantage of early opportunities to hang around.

“What I told our team is if we play another team this talented, it means we have a pretty special finish to this year,” Louisiana coach Michael Desormeaux said.

USC broke the game open with two highlight reel plays late in the second quarter. Louisiana safety Maurion Eleam couldn’t hold onto Maiava’s pass after it hit him in the hands, and it redirected straight to freshman wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt for a 19-yard touchdown and a 21-10 lead.

Mosley then stepped out of one tackle and shook off another before racing 86 yards on the punt return for a TD with 1:24 remaining in the half.

“The big punt return was a huge play in the game,” Riley said. “I thought we did a pretty decent job early in the game, after they had a little bit of momentum, of grabbing it back and really maintaining it through about midway of the third quarter.”

The kids are all right

After three low-stakes games to integrate its No. 1 rated recruiting class, the Trojans have found plenty of impact newcomers on offense. Mosley already has four touchdown receptions, Dixon-Wyatt a pair of scores, and Bowman made his first two trips to the end zone as he racked up six grabs for 83 yards, all in the first half.

“I mean, (if) there’s another team having more young guys contribute in the country right now, I’d love to see it,” Riley said.

Whoa, man

Bowman had been used sparingly in the first two games of his college career, but the five-star recruit from local powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, left an impression by hurdling two defenders at the same time on a 35-yard catch-and-run.

“He’s got some skills. He’s dangerous when he gets the ball in the open field.” Riley said.

The takeaway

Louisiana: Cornerback Avery Demery gave the Cajuns a dream start by coming up with the first interception Maiava had thrown this season on the Trojans’ opening possession, but the offense only turned it into Tony Sterner’s 47-yard field goal. Such wastefulness in the first half prevented Louisiana from dragging USC into a dogfight.

“I felt like (would) have been more deflating to get nothing,” Desormeaux said. “To get on the board first, I think, was something. … But it’s definitely a missed opportunity.”

USC: Explosive runs were hard to come by in the Trojans’ first two games, but they had eight gains of at least 10 yards against the Cajuns. King Miller had five such scampers, finishing with 128 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Not being able to run the ball when they have needed to has cost USC multiple conference wins in the past two seasons, so they will need the ground game to continue to develop.

Up next

Louisiana: Hosts UAB next Saturday.

USC: At Rutgers next Sarturday.

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