USC Trojans Overcome Weather Delay, Edge Purdue Boilermakers 33-17

The USC Trojans traveled to West Lafayette for its Big Ten opener and walked away with a 33-17 win to over the Purdue Boilermakers.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava had another turnover free game and receiver Ja'Kobi Lane recorded his first 100-yard receiving game of the season, as the Trojans claimed its first road win in the Big Ten outside the state of California.

Live updates from the contest are posted below.

LIVE Score Updates: USC Trojans Open Big Ten Play on the Road Purdue Boilermakers Jayden Maiava Big Ten Makai Lemon — Sep 6, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Georgia Southern Eagles at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Fourth Quarter

0:00 - USC wins 33-17.

2:00 - Two-minute timeout. USC will face a 3rd-and-goal on the 2.

5:45 - INTERCEPTION. Ryan Browne's pass for Nitro Tuggle is INTERCEPTED by Bishop Fitzgerald in the red zone.

PICKED OFF BY BISHOP FITZGERALD.

HIS SECOND OF THE DAY. @uscfb pic.twitter.com/oSDbhBRSjZ
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 14, 2025

8:37 - FIELD GOAL. RYON SAYERI'S 37-yard FIELD GOAL is NO GOOD.

10:11 - Jayden Maiava to Makai Lemon for 7 yards on 4th-and-3 to move the chains.

14:17 - TOUCHDOWN Purdue. Ryan Browne to Nitro Tuggle for a 9-yard touchdown to cap off an 8-play, 73-yard drive. Purdue trails 30-17.

Third Quarter

0:00 - Purdue will have a first and goal inside the 10 to start the 4th.

3:25 - Ryan Brown to Nitro Tuggle for 33 yards on 3rd down. Move into USC territory.

2:15 - TOUCHDOWN USC. Jamaal Jarret with a 70-yard pick-six. USC leads 30-10.

things you LOVE to see ⤵️

that’s a 360-lb man in the end zone‼️

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/1UqsN5c2ca
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) September 14, 2025

5:01 - FIELD GOAL. Ryon Sayeri's 48-yard field goal is GOOD. USC leads 23-10.

6:30 - Jayden Maiava completes short to Walker Lyons for 9 yards to move the chains on 4th down.

6:40 - TIMEOUT USC. The Trojans burn its first timeout of the half. Will face a 4th and 2.

8:47 - TOUCHDOWN Purdue. Crazy Play. Two backwards passes from Purdue and Ryan Browne scoops it up for a 26-yard touchdown. Purdue trails 20-10.

10:17 - Ryan Browne completes to Nitro Tuggles on 3rd down to move the ball into USC territory.

12:15 - FIELD GOAL. Ryon Sayeri's 37-yard field goal is GOOD. USC leads 20-3.

13:25 - Jayden Maiava goes deep to Ja'Kobi Lane for a 42-yard completion down to the Purdue 21-yard line.

Second Quarter

0:00 - Jayden Maiava gets sacked to close out the first half. USC leads 17-3.

1:20 - SACK. Floyd Boucard's comes up with his first career sack to force a Purdue punt.

1:25 - TIMEOUT USC. The Trojans burn its first timeout of the half. Purdue will face a 3rd and 10.

1:51 - Two-minute timeout. Purdue is on the move at the two-minute timeout.

3:18 - TOUCHDOWN USC. Waymond Jordan punches it for a 6-yard touchdown to cap off a 13-play, 75-yard drive. USC leads 17-3.

.@All_Americann28 drives into the end zone and we lead 17-3 ✌️

📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/eZyt9iTohc
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) September 13, 2025

4:01 - Jayden Maiava kept it himself to move the chains on fourth down. USC will have a 1st and goal on the 6-yard line.

8:20 - Jayden Maiava hits Lake McRee for a 12-yard completion to move the chains on fourth down.

8:27 - TIMEOUT Purdue. The Boilermakers burn their first timeout. USC will face a 4th and 4.

10:51 - FIELD GOAL. Spencer Porath's 39-yard field goal is GOOD. Purdue trails 10-3.

12:59 - Punt. USC gets flagged for leaping on the punt, giving Purdue an automatic first down.

14:54 - TOUCHDOWN USC. Jayden Maiava takes it himself for a 3-yard touchdown to cap off a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown. USC leads 10-0.

Jayden Maiava for SIX.@USCFB takes a 10-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/cLCHzxyJfc
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 13, 2025

First Quarter

0:31 - Jayden Maiava throws a strike to Lake McRee up the middle for a 26-yard completion to move the ball inside the 5-yard line.

2:51 - Freshman Tanook Hines goes up for an acrobatic catch for a 25-yard completion.

TANOOK HINES ARE YOU SERIOUS??? @USCFB pic.twitter.com/0vPCNQ86cv
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 13, 2025

3:56 - INTERCEPTION. Bishop Fitzgerald picks off Ryan Browne in the end zone.

7:39 - FIELD GOAL. Ryan Sayeri's 24-yard field goal is GOOD. USC leads 3-0.

10:44 - Jayden Maiava goes deep to Ja'Kobi Lane for a 59-yard completion. USC gets flagged for sideline interference after the play.

11:39 - Purdue punts after Christian Pierce's sack on 2nd down pushes them back 10 yards to midfield.

13:48 - Devin Mockobee runs right for a gain of 10 yards on 4th and 1. Moves the chains for Purdue.

15:00 - USC wins the toss, defers to the 2nd half. Purdue will get the ball first.

They are evacuating Ross-Ade Stadium. pic.twitter.com/S5fTWGW0E7
— Ryan Abraham (@insidetroy) September 13, 2025

"Due to inclement weather in the area, today's game at Purdue is delayed." wrote USC Football on Twitter.

The updated storm warning:
A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern Tippecanoe County through 5:15 PM EDT.

Policy rules for lightening:

Game stops if lightening is detected within 10-mile radius

Minimum 30 minute delay

Play resumes when lightening is outside 10-mile radius

Teams entitled to 20-minute warm up

Here is a video of USC players keeping warm during the delay.

#USC players are trying to stay loose during the delay: pic.twitter.com/4cZCMFkZdO
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) September 13, 2025

It will be the fourth matchup between the two schools and the first since 1998. USC leads the series 3-1.

How Is USC Staying Warm During Delay?

USC is pulling out all the stops to stay warm during this lengthy weather delay. Trojans players are using stationary bikes under the stadium and going through more stretches in the locker room as they wait before they get cleared to go back out on to the field.

Many players have a routine they go through on game day and this weather delay is throwing a curveball at that.

Also there is a battle of the bands going on.

Rain Delay Battle of the Bands!#FightOn @PurdueBands! pic.twitter.com/qJdTnHAu0p
— USC Trojan Marching Band (@USCTMB) September 13, 2025

Preview

The Trojans have opened the season with two blowout wins against Missouri State and Georgia Southern. This will be the first time they are on the road in 2025.

Jayden Maiava has been phenomenal to start the season. The USC signal-caller is coming off a career-high 412-yard passing performance in week 2. He’s been accurate, completing 73-percent of his passes, and most importantly, he’s been turnover free.

He leads a high-powered Trojans offense that ranks first in the country in PPG (66.0) and total offense (676.0).

Waymond Jordan, the No. 1 ranked JUCO running back this past cycle, had his introduction to college football a week ago. He carried the ball 16 times for 167 yards and a touchdown.

His running mate, Eli Sanders, has accounted for three touchdowns, including a 73-yard receiving touchdown in week 1. Redshirt freshman walk-on King Miller has two long rushing touchdowns of 75 and 41 yards.

The Trojans two star receivers in Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon present problems for any secondary. Both have received first round grades coming into the season and have been as good as advertised.

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Lane reeled in a one-handed touchdown last week that has been on replay ever since, while Lemon caught touchdowns of 62 and 74 yards. But the added element of the USC offense has been the emergence of the tight end position with Lake McRee and Walker Lyons.

A year after no tight ends caught a touchdown, three different Trojan tight ends have caught a touchdown in 2025.

Riley became very pass happy in 2024, but this season they have had a more balance approach.

USC Defense

Defensively, the pass rush is alive and well for D’Anton Lynn’s unit. Kameryn Fountain, Braylan Shelby and Anthony Lucas have each registered two sacks. It’s something the defense was sorely lacking a year ago and they put an emphasis on improving this season.

Desman Stephens II is in his first season as the starting MIKE linebacker and so far, the sophomore has received glowing reviews.

Penalties were an issue last week and something Lincoln Riley said that side of the ball has to improve on.

Purdue

Purdue has also started the season 2-0, with wins over Ball State and Southern Illinois.

The Trojans will see two familiar faces on the other sideline. Purdue offensive coordinator Josh Henson held the same role on Riley’s staff a year ago.

Riley was asked this week if going up against that is familiar with what they do offensively affects their preparation.

“He's going up against us too. So those things kind of go both ways,” Riley said. “There's obviously going to be some things that both sides are more familiar with because of that, it's still players game at the end of the day.

“It's still going to be about how the teams prepare and how they compete and execute on game day. So yeah, the deal like that. I don't know if there's an advantage either way. They'll, they'll do what they do. We'll do what we do.”

Former USC receiver Michael Jackson III, who played his first three seasons with the Trojans is now at Purdue.

Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m. PT and will air on CBS.