The No. 12 USC Trojans opened Big Ten play nearly 3,000 miles away from Los Angeles, taking on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in their first road game of the season. USC entered Saturday’s matchup as a 21.5-point favorite over Rutgers, according to DraftKings, but the game quickly became much more competitive than the betting line suggested.
The football game became almost symbolic of a track meet, with USC setting the tone and Rutgers continuing to keep pace. Every time USC made a big play offensively or found the end zone, Rutgers had an answer. The Scarlet Knights refused to let the Trojans pull away.
In a game this fast-paced, the details become even more significant. Self-inflicted wounds, penalties, and even some questionable moments can completely change the feel of a game, and that was especially evident during one bizarre series in the third quarter.
What started as a play that appeared to give USC a crucial third-down conversion turned into an inadvertent whistle, a replayed down, a failed third down, a fourth-down gamble, and eventually, a 32-yard completion that helped USC keep the drive alive…