SAN ANTONIO — For a nine-win team like USCoutside again, looking at College football playoffsthe season of cups can feel like purgatory. With one foot in last season and one in the future, your team finds itself somewhere in the middle.
Every Tuesday night there were glimpses of violent events at USC. 30–27 overtime loss at Alamo Bowl at the hands of Texas Christian. Equal reminders of what could have been this season if USC had ever played at their best for long, as well as a reminder of why they never got it together.
At one point a freshman appeared Tanuk Hinesrushing to catch the deep ball, establishing himself as a rising star. In another instance, a TCU running back broke through tackles on third-and-long, thundering his way into the end zone, dispelling any delusions of grandeur.
But in the final minutes, the Trojans addressed all of the 2025 season's most glaring problems, from a leaky defense to missed opportunities on offense. USC led by two points with less than five minutes remaining, but its lead evaporated during that time.
In overtime, he reached the five-yard line but failed to shoot, settling for a field goal that would have spelled his doom.
However, that didn't seem to be the case as TCU faced third-and-20 with its hopes hanging in the balance. Quarterback Ken Seals simply threw everything to his running back Jeremy Payne and hoped for the best.
He got it while the Trojans got a terrible result.
Payne broke one tackle, then another, then another, going 35 yards until he scored a touchdown, leaving USC with a 9-4 record and a bitter taste in his mouth heading into the offseason.
USC had multiple chances to put the game away, just as there were multiple chances in each of the Trojans' four losses this season.
And now USC faces a number of unanswered questions, not the least of which is what direction USC will take to defend itself after coordinator D'Anton Lynn committed to Penn State just before the game.
USC certainly played like it had lost its coordinator and half its starters on that side of the ball, giving up 144 yards in the fourth quarter.
However, the questions raised Tuesday did not address how USC might replace its No. 1 seed next season. Hines had already done his part to earn the role, but announced it to the world with six catches for 163 yards.
King Miller expressed similar confidence in the future of USC's rushing attack, rushing for 99 yards and a touchdown.
But perhaps there were only two of them. Jayden Maiavawho would return next season, completed 18 of 30 passes for 280 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
USC's roster is already facing a tough climb with more than a dozen starters or prospects sidelined for one reason or another. Three of the Trojans' starting offensive linemen did not dress. Both of their top receivers and top tight end were in street clothes and had already declared for the NFL Draft. Twenty-five players included on USC's two-tier roster were either freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
USC running back King Miller was stopped by the Texas Christian defense in the first half during Tuesday night's Alamo Bowl game.
(Eric Gay/Associated Press)
Then there was the issue of not having a defensive coordinator. Lynn left the team one day after officially taking the same job at Penn State. Lynn's decision not to coach the bowl was described in The Times as a “mutual agreement.” But his absence forced USC to trust defensive line coach Eric Henderson to play a role he didn't expect.
At first everything went pretty smoothly. USC held TCU to two straight 3-pointers – and just 11 yards on two passes – to open the game.
But on the ensuing possession, Maiava took a hard hit down the seam. His pass was taken away. The momentum USC had built disappeared almost instantly.
The defense's strong start gave way to chaos. TCU picked up the pace and set up consecutive touchdowns. In a defense that relied on inexperienced players at every level, errors accumulated. Tackling, which had improved throughout the season, suddenly became a struggle.
Twice USC stopped promising drives deep in TCU territory, leaving it to settle for a pair of field goals in the first half and a 14-13 deficit at halftime.
USC came out of the locker room ready to get down to business. Linebacker Jaidyn Walker threw a pass deep in TCU territory and defensive back Christian Pierce dropped an interception, putting USC in an ideal position to capitalize.
USC brought him back. After receiving the ball on the seven-meter line, Maiava again threw the ball into traffic. He was brought down in the end zone.
But this time, the USC defense was able to correct the mistake by making it a three-and-out, only to find themselves on the field again less than 90 seconds later. However, he had one more stop.
Maiava finally took advantage of this opportunity. He hit Hines with a 46-yard bomb on the run and then found senior Jayden Richardson in the corner of the end zone for a stunning one-handed score.
But TCU refused to leave. The Horned Frogs scored twice in the final five minutes to force overtime.
