The USC Trojans got their statement win of the season and stayed unbeaten at home in 2025. Lincoln Riley and the Trojans gave fans and experts the win they have been waiting for from this team. The Trojans showed they are one of the best teams in the country in Saturday’s game. USC lost starting tackle Elijah Paige and both starting safeties, Bishop Fitzgerald and Kamari Ramsey, and it did not matter; this team still got it done.
Familiar slow start
The Trojans could not have started this game any worse, while Iowa looked like an upper-echelon team in the first half. Iowa showed creativity on offense in terrible weather conditions, attacking the air against the Trojans. And it worked. On the first drive, Iowa had a 44-yard passing gain, which led to a quick, early touchdown pass. Iowa resorted back to its old ways after the first two drives of straight passing; the Hawkeyes ran the ball down the Trojans’ throat. It took Iowa going up 14-0 and punching the Trojans in the mouth for USC to finally respond … but that’s the point: USC did answer.
Fighting on and fighting back
USC put together a great drive in the second half and knotted the score 14-7 after a Bryan Jackson touchdown. Iowa then responded with a touchdown, silencing the Coliseum. The score at the end of the half was 21-10, and optimism for this Trojan team to win this football game after this first half’s performance was almost zero.
USC’s offense came out in the second half with life, and it felt like backyard football between Jayden Maiava and his buddies Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. Play after play, the Trojans had guys Iowa had no answer for. Lane and Lemon took turns making highlight plays while Maiava just kept throwing it in double coverage to his guys. The Trojans’ offense was lights out in the second half. The Trojans’ offense imposed its will on a tough Hawkeye defense.
USC defense finds its footing
The offense’s success bled directly into the defense, and the Trojans’ defense did not let up one bit. The Trojans’ defense shut out the Hawkeyes’ offense in the second half. Iowa could do no wrong in the first half, but D’Anton Lynn and the Trojans had other plans for Iowa to help steal this game. The second half was a complete performance on both sides of the ball. You have to tip your cap off to this coaching staff and the execution from the players to answer the call in the second half.
Second-half Trojans — the new identity for 2025 USC
Everything you wanted to see from USC, you saw it in the second half. While there were still mistakes and poor penalties for USC, this team still looked like one of the best teams in the country, a team that looks ready to give Oregon a game.
Lincoln Riley is pumped, and he should be
It was perfectly fitting after this game that Lincoln Riley was beaming with excitement and hugging every single coach on the sideline after sealing this victory. He knew exactly what this win would mean. He also knows now that all the talk about him getting fired is going to disappear.
Where USC football stands
After answering a lot of questions in this game, I’m curious to see where this Trojan team lands in next week’s ranking by the committee. If it were up to me, the Trojans would be right in that 12-15 sweet spot. Putting up more points on Iowa than both Oregon and Indiana in a win counts for something, right?
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Second-half Trojans – the emerging identity of 2025 USC football team
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
