USC survived a storm-delayed showdown in West Lafayette, claiming a 33-17 win against Purdue on Saturday in front of a still-lively crowd at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Trojans wasted little time finding a rhythm despite a three-and-a-half-hour weather delay that included more than 900 lightning strikes and 1.25 inches of rain.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava led the way for the top scoring offense in the FBS entering Week 3, completing 17 of 28 passes for 282 yards while adding a rushing touchdown on the ground. The USC receivers were sharp, repeatedly breaking open for big gains and forcing Purdue’s defense into difficult situations. Ja’Kobi Lane finished with 115 yards on just three catches.
Purdue threatened late, moving into the red zone and putting former Trojan Michael Jackson III in position for a potential touchdown, but a dropped pass and Ryan Browne’s third interception of the game ultimately sealed the Boilermakers’ fate. The Trojans also capitalized on all four fourth-down conversion attempts.
The Trojans had lost 14 consecutive games in the Central and Eastern time zones, including nine in the Eastern Time Zone, with their last win there coming at Syracuse in 2012.
USC also secures its first Big Ten victory outside Los Angeles, a critical step in building momentum for the season as the Trojans now look ahead to a tough stretch of upcoming road tests.
Read on below for takeaways from USC’s win over Purdue on Saturday.Â
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