USC edges UCLA 19-13 in defensive battle
USC defeated UCLA 19-13 in Week 13, covering the 4.5-point spread in a low-scoring matchup that finished under the 52.5-point total. The Trojans scored early with a field goal in the first quarter before USC and UCLA traded scores throughout the first half. UCLA took the lead with 10 points in the third quarter, but USC's defense held firm as the Bruins managed only a field goal in the opening frame to match USC's opening score.
USC's fourth-quarter offense proved decisive, adding 10 points to secure the victory. Makai Lemon led the passing game with 39 yards for USC, while UCLA's TJ Harden rushed for 98 yards on the ground. Logan Loya was UCLA's receiving leader with 9 catches. The game remained tightly contested throughout, with 10 lead changes generating significant late-game tension, though neither team could sustain a commanding offensive performance in this defensive showcase.
AI-generated recap · Aug 29, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 USC | 3 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 19 |
 UCLA | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | USC | UCLA |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 20-36 | 20-29 |
| Pass Yards | 260 | 265 |
| Rush Yards | 91 | 111 |
| Total Yards | 351 | 376 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| 3rd Down | 4-14 | 3-11 |
| Penalties | 2-25 | 8-65 |
| Possession | 29:03 | 30:57 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
T.J. Harden run for 8 yds to the UCLA 33
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 13 yds to the UCLA 46 for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 17 yds to the USC 37 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for 3 yds to the USC 34
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 1 yd to the USC 33
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Mateen Bhaghani 51 yd FG GOOD
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Woody Marks for 16 yds to the USC 41 for a 1ST down
Woody Marks run for no gain to the USC 41
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Eddie Czaplicki punt for 52 yds, fair catch by Logan Loya at the UCLA 7
T.J. Harden run for 40 yds to the UCLA 47 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for 2 yds to the UCLA 49
UCLA Penalty, False Start (-5 Yards) to the UCLA 44
Keegan Jones run for 2 yds to the UCLA 46
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
(07:30) RICHTER, Brody punt 43 yards to the USC11, fair catch by BRANCH, Zachariah, clock 07:25. PENALTY Before the snap, UCLA Illegal Formation enforced 5 yards from the UCLA46 to the UCLA41. NO PLAY (replay the down).
Brody Richter punt for 54 yds, downed at the USC 5
Woody Marks run for 7 yds to the USC 12
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Woody Marks run for 5 yds to the USC 17 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 64 yds to the UCLA 19 for a 1ST down
Woody Marks run for 16 yds to the UCLA 3 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava run for 1 yd to the UCLA 2
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Michael Lantz 19 yd FG GOOD
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Logan Loya for 9 yds to the UCLA 34
T.J. Harden run for no gain to the UCLA 34
T.J. Harden run for 3 yds to the UCLA 37 for a 1ST down
Keegan Jones run for 3 yds to the UCLA 40
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 10 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers run for 6 yds to the USC 44
T.J. Harden run for no gain to the USC 44
Ethan Garbers run for 2 yds to the USC 42
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Woody Marks run for 1 yd to the USC 44
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Kyron Hudson for 6 yds to the 50 yard line
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Kyron Hudson for 13 yds to the UCLA 37 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Woody Marks for a loss of 1 yard to the UCLA 38
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Lake McRee for 10 yds to the UCLA 28
Quinten Joyner run for 3 yds to the UCLA 25 for a 1ST down
Quinten Joyner run for 21 yds to the UCLA 4 for a 1ST down
Quinten Joyner run for a loss of 2 yards to the UCLA 6
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Michael Lantz 23 yd FG GOOD
Michael Lantz kickoff for 65 yds , Keegan Jones return for 30 yds to the UCLA 30
(09:18) HARDEN, T.J. rush up the middle for a gain of 6 yards to the UCLA36 (MUHAMMAD, Jamil;RAMSEY, Kamari), clock 09:14. PENALTY Before the snap, UCLA Illegal Formation on DIGIORGIO, Garrett enforced 5 yards from the UCLA30 to the UCLA25. NO PLAY (replay the down).
T.J. Harden run for 26 yds to the USC 49 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for 1 yd to the USC 48
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Moliki Matavao for 5 yds to the USC 43
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Brody Richter punt for 27 yds, fair catch by Zachariah Branch at the USC 16
Woody Marks run for 6 yds to the USC 22
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Woody Marks for 3 yds to the USC 25
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 5 yds to the USC 30 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Duce Robinson for 14 yds to the USC 44 for a 1ST down
Quinten Joyner run for 2 yds to the USC 46
Jayden Maiava run for 8 yds to the UCLA 46 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Zachariah Branch for 8 yds to the UCLA 38
Woody Marks run for 4 yds to the UCLA 34 for a 1ST down
Woody Marks run for 4 yds to the UCLA 30
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Lake McRee for 26 yds to the UCLA 4 for a 1ST down
Woody Marks run for a loss of 1 yard to the UCLA 5
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Michael Lantz 22 yd FG GOOD
Ethan Garbers pass complete to J.Michael Sturdivant for 15 yds to the UCLA 40 for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Ethan Garbers pass complete to T.J. Harden for 10 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Kwazi Gilmer for 29 yds to the USC 21 for a 1ST down
End of 2nd Quarter
Mateen Bhaghani kickoff for 33 yds , Makai Lemon return for 16 yds to the USC 48
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Kyron Hudson for 7 yds to the UCLA 45
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
T.J. Harden run for 2 yds to the UCLA 48
Ethan Garbers pass complete to J.Michael Sturdivant for 29 yds to the USC 23 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for no gain to the USC 23
T.J. Harden run for 3 yds to the USC 20
Ethan Garbers run for 8 yds to the USC 12 for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 2 yds to the USC 10
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Moliki Matavao for 10 yds for a TD (Mateen Bhaghani KICK)
Mateen Bhaghani kickoff for 65 yds , Makai Lemon return for 31 yds to the USC 31
Woody Marks run for 6 yds to the USC 37
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Woody Marks for 7 yds to the USC 44 for a 1ST down
Woody Marks run for 7 yds to the UCLA 49
Jayden Maiava sacked for a loss of 5 yards to the USC 46 Jayden Maiava fumbled, recovered by USC Walker Lyons , return for 0 yards
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Eddie Czaplicki punt for 45 yds, fair catch by Logan Loya at the UCLA 9
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Kwazi Gilmer for 7 yds to the UCLA 16
T.J. Harden run for 7 yds to the UCLA 23 for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers sacked by Braylan Shelby for a loss of 4 yards to the UCLA 19
Ethan Garbers run for 8 yds to the UCLA 27
Ethan Garbers pass complete to T.J. Harden for 23 yds to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers pass complete to J.Michael Sturdivant for 45 yds to the USC 5 for a 1ST down
UCLA Penalty, False Start (Yutaka Mahe) to the USC 10
Ethan Garbers sacked by Nate Clifton for a loss of 6 yards to the USC 16
Keegan Jones run for 1 yd to the USC 15
Ethan Garbers pass complete to T.J. Harden for 4 yds to the USC 11
Mateen Bhaghani 29 yd FG GOOD
Mateen Bhaghani kickoff for 61 yds , Makai Lemon return for 41 yds to the USC 24 UCLA Penalty, Personal Foul (-15 Yards) to the UCLA 40
Woody Marks run for a loss of 1 yard to the UCLA 41
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Quinten Joyner for 12 yds Quinten Joyner fumbled, recovered by USC Mason Murphy M. Murphy return for 0 yds for a 1ST down USC Penalty, Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Mason Murphy) to the UCLA 44 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Quinten Joyner for 8 yds to the UCLA 36
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Kyron Hudson for 3 yds to the UCLA 33 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Woody Marks run for 1 yd to the UCLA 32
Jayden Maiava sacked by Oluwafemi Oladejo for a loss of 13 yards to the UCLA 45
Eddie Czaplicki punt for 44 yds, downed at the UCLA 1
Ethan Garbers pass complete to J.Michael Sturdivant for 25 yds to the UCLA 26 for a 1ST down
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Kwazi Gilmer for 2 yds to the UCLA 28
Ethan Garbers pass complete to J.Michael Sturdivant for 3 yds to the UCLA 31
Ethan Garbers sacked by Easton Mascarenas-Arnold for a loss of 7 yards to the UCLA 24
Brody Richter punt for 25 yds
Woody Marks run for 6 yds to the UCLA 43
Makai Lemon pass complete to Kyron Hudson for 39 yds to the UCLA 4 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Ja'Kobi Lane for 4 yds for a TD (Michael Lantz KICK)
T.J. Harden run for 3 yds to the UCLA 28
Ethan Garbers pass complete to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 6 yds to the UCLA 34
Keegan Jones run for no gain to the UCLA 34
Ethan Garbers run for no gain to the UCLA 34
Woody Marks run for 4 yds to the UCLA 30
USC Penalty, Illegal Block (Elijah Paige) to the UCLA 35
Woody Marks run for 6 yds to the UCLA 29
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Kyron Hudson for 11 yds to the UCLA 18 for a 1ST down
Woody Marks run for 2 yds to the UCLA 16
Woody Marks run for 3 yds to the UCLA 13
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Michael Lantz 30 yd FG GOOD
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
Ethan Garbers pass incomplete
(01:43) [NH] Kneel down by TEAM at UCLA26 (team loss of 1), clock 01:39.
(01:01) [NH] Kneel down by TEAM at UCLA28 (team loss of 2), clock 00:54.
(00:22) [NH] Kneel down by TEAM at UCLA30 (team loss of 2), clock 00:14.