Ninth-ranked Indiana shut down No. 18 Southern California in the red zone three times in the second half as the Hoosiers pulled away for a 27-13 Big Ten victory on Saturday in Bloomington, Ind.
Grant Wilson completed 17 of 27 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns in his first start for Indiana (9-1, 6-1). Brock Schott and Charlie Becker caught touchdown passes and Khobie Martin rushed for 82 yards.
Jayden Maiava hit 26 of 42 throws for 311 yards and one score, but two of his three interceptions came on the final two drives for USC (7-3, 4-3). Trent Mosley caught nine passes for 130 yards.
The Hoosiers (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) stopped USC running back King Miller at the line of scrimmage on third-and-2 from the Indiana 8-yard line, which forced a field goal on the Trojans’ first drive of the second half that forged a 13-13 tie.
Martin broke off a 37-yard carry on the ensuing Hoosiers possession, then went one yard to paydirt on the next play for a score that proved to be the difference.
However, USC had opportunities to draw even. The Trojans again moved deep into Indiana territory, but could not advance past the Hoosiers’ 10-yard line. Caden Chittenden’s 27-yard field-goal attempt went wide right for his second miss of the game.
USC again moved the ball effectively on a drive that included back-to-back long passes from Maiava to Mosley, the second a 34-yarder. The Trojans got to Indiana’s 6 in search of the game-tying touchdown — only for linebacker Isaiah Jones to make two crucial plays on the same snap.
Jones intercepted Maiava at the goal line and ran out to the 7 before USC’s Waymond Jordan forced him to fumble. Jones recovered the fumble to regain possession for the Hoosiers.
Indiana capitalized on the miscue and slammed the door when Wilson — making the start in place of a healthy Josh Hoover — threw a 42-yard dime to a diving Charlie Becker that gave the Hoosiers a 27-13 lead with 3:30 to go.
Indiana clinched the game when Jamari Sharpe picked off Maiava with 2:24 to play.
–Field Level Media
