USC's backup QB throws 6 TD passes, dumps Louisville 42-28 in Holiday Bowl

The Southern California Trojans bid farewell to the Pac-12 Conference 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 USC ended a frustrating season by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 Wednesday night. Afterward, coach Lincoln Riley had a tub of eggnog poured over his head.

Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who opted out of the game, 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.

Moss took full advantage of the opportunity he was given when Williams, the presumptive first overall pick in the NFL draft, opted out.

Isaac Guerendo ran 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville (10-4). Jack Plummer threw for 141 yards with no touchdowns. Plummer dislocated his right pinky early in the second quarter and had it popped back in. He said it didn’t affect his throwing.

Moss was 23 of 33 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 TD catch of the night gave USC a 35-21 lead.

The six TD 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 in 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 Pac-12 football game. They are joining the Big Ten next season, along with fellow Pac-12 defectors UCLA, Oregon and Washington.




(AP Photo Dennis Poroy)