There was a school soccer recreation Sunday evening, however the vibe in Las Vegas, Nevada, was that of a marquee boxing bout being hosted proper there on the strip.
No. 23 USC and No. 13 LSU confronted off in what felt like a warm-up to the School Soccer Playoff, the 2 heavyweights buying and selling physique blows for 60 minutes.
At one level followers have been scratching their eyes pondering LSU nice Odell Beckham Jr. had re-appeared in a purple and gold jersey when Kyron Hudson made a one-handed snag within the first half.
Finally, the Trojans had their Rocky Balboa second, scoring a game-winning landing with eight seconds remaining to knock off a top-15 opponent for the second straight recreation going again to final yr’s Vacation Bowl.
Listed here are three massive takeaways from the top-25 matchup:
1. USC’s protection is so much higher and that is excellent news for its offense
Per the Associated Press, the Trojans completed 116th out of 130 FBS groups in complete protection final yr, regardless of a prolific offense that featured quarterback Caleb Williams. Sunday was a distinct story, nonetheless. USC’s protection held LSU to simply 20 factors on 421 complete yards Sunday, relieving some stress from its offense on key drives. If that play stays constant in a tricky Massive Ten schedule, USC may trigger some waves in its convention debut.
2. LSU wasn’t that dangerous, however the street forward is hard
Over 400 complete yards on offense is not dangerous in any respect however LSU’s faults got here in two locations: on third downs and on protection. The Tigers were 5-for-13 on third down Sunday, dropping out on valuable possessions and factors at vital junctures. And giving up a dashing landing on a two-minute drill was a back-breaker. A focusing on name assisted the Trojans in getting inside putting distance but when LSU’s protection had completed its job, the sport would have doubtless seen extra time.
Brian Kelly is now 0-3 in season-openers since becoming a member of LSU, and the season is not a bust by a protracted shot… but. The Tigers’ schedule will get harder from right here on out, with 4 extra ranked opponents coming late within the season. They’re going to nonetheless have a shot, nevertheless it’ll require close to perfection going ahead.
3. USC is ready as much as make a run on the playoff
After Sunday’s good show, USC could have satisfied ballot voters that it ought to swap locations with LSU within the prime 15. Consistency shall be key going into convention play. The excellent news, it will keep away from No. 3 Oregon and No. 2 Ohio State within the common season. The dangerous information, No. 9 Michigan (Sept. 21), No. 8 Penn State (Oct. 12) and No. 7 Notre Dame (Nov. 30) are doubtless required wins to qualify for the 12-team playoff.
