LOS ANGELES – Back-to-back touchdown drives pulled Michigan State within one score on the road heading into the fourth quarter.

If the Spartans could get another stop they’d have a chance to put real pressure on USC but nobody got home in a pivotal moment.

The Trojans were facing third-and-3 from their own 32 and quarterback Jayden Maiava had nowhere to go with the ball. He dropped back all the way inside the 20 before escaping from Aisea Moa on the right side and was spun around with a half-dozen Spartans around him.

Maiava didn’t panic and found green space to the left while scrambling for 13 yards and a first down. A huge gut punch for the visitors.

“Those are game changing,” Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith said of the play. “When you can get him on the ground or you can’t, he e

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