USC Tops Michigan State 45-31 in Week 4 Matchup
USC defeated Michigan State 45-31 in Week 4 play, with the Trojans controlling most of the contest despite the Spartans covering the 18.5-point spread. The game finished over the 55.5-point total.
USC built an early advantage, scoring 10 points in the first quarter before extending the lead to 24-10 by halftime. Michigan State mounted a second-half comeback, scoring 14 third-quarter points to narrow the gap, but USC's fourth-quarter execution proved decisive.
Jayden Maiava led USC's offense with 234 passing yards, while Eli Sanders rushed for 84 yards. Tanook Hines was the team's top receiver with seven catches. Michigan State's offensive efforts were highlighted by several significant plays, including a 75-yard touchdown pass to Omari Kelly late in the fourth quarter that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty.
The game featured two lead changes and remained competitive throughout, with win probability shifting as much as 42.58 percentage points at its peak swing. USC's defense generated the game's most impactful plays, particularly in the fourth quarter when they recorded a 6.78 EPA defensive stop against Michigan State's offense.
AI-generated recap · Aug 14, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Michigan State | 7 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
 USC | 10 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | Michigan State | USC |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 13-23 | 20-26 |
| Pass Yards | 225 | 234 |
| Rush Yards | 108 | 283 |
| Total Yards | 333 | 517 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| 3rd Down | 5-11 | 8-11 |
| Penalties | 5-48 | 9-67 |
| Possession | 28:39 | 28:42 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
Waymond Jordan run for 2 yds to the USC 21
Waymond Jordan run for 7 yds to the USC 28
Eli Sanders run for 2 yds to the USC 30 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Jaden Richardson for 12 yds to the USC 42 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for no gain to the USC 42
Eli Sanders run for 18 yds to the MSU 40 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Waymond Jordan for 20 yds to the MSU 20 for a 1ST down Michigan State Penalty, Block Below Waist (Nikai Martinez) to the MSU 9 for a 1ST down
PENALTY USC Delay Of Game 6 yards from MSU09 to MSU15. NO PLAY.
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Eli Sanders for 11 yds to the MSU 4
Waymond Jordan run for 1 yd to the MSU 3
(09:25) PENALTY USC False Start (O'Connor,Kilian) 5 yards from MSU03 to MSU08. NO PLAY.
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Jaden Richardson
Ryon Sayeri 25 yd FG GOOD
Brandon Tullis run for 2 yds to the MSU 27
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Chrishon McCray for 6 yds to the MSU 33
Makhi Frazier run for 2 yds to the MSU 35 for a 1ST down
(06:56) PENALTY MSU False Start (Ramil,Stanton) 5 yards from MSU35 to MSU30. NO PLAY.
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Nick Marsh for 9 yds to the MSU 39
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Nick Marsh for 19 yds to the USC 42 for a 1ST down
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Chrishon McCray for 42 yds for a TD (Martin Connington KICK)
Eli Sanders run for 12 yds to the USC 40 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for 16 yds to the MSU 44 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 20 yds to the MSU 24 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for 3 yds to the MSU 21
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Eli Sanders for 6 yds to the MSU 15
Jayden Maiava run for 15 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Brandon Tullis run for a loss of 1 yard to the MSU 22
Brandon Tullis run for 8 yds to the MSU 30
Elijah Tau-Tolliver run for 3 yds to the MSU 33 for a 1ST down
(00:38) Chiles,Aidan pass incomplete short left to Kelly,Omari thrown to MSU50 PENALTY USC Holding (Williams,Marcelles) 10 yards from MSU33 to MSU43, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Omari Kelly for 2 yds to the MSU 45
Brandon Tullis run for a loss of 1 yard to the MSU 44
Aidan Chiles sacked for a loss of 6 yards to the MSU 38
Ryan Eckley punt for 55 yds, fair catch by Makai Lemon at the USC 7
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 27 yds to the USC 34 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 5 yds to the USC 39
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to DJ Jordan
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Lake McRee for 6 yds to the MSU 40 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 40 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Makhi Frazier for 2 yds to the MSU 27
Makhi Frazier run for a loss of 3 yards to the MSU 24
Aidan Chiles run for 8 yds to the MSU 32
Ryan Eckley punt for 57 yds, fair catch by Makai Lemon at the USC 11
Waymond Jordan run for 35 yds to the USC 46 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Jay Fair
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 6 yds to the MSU 48
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Walker Lyons
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 3 yds to the MSU 45
Aidan Chiles run for 8 yds to the USC 47
Makhi Frazier run for 15 yds to the USC 32 for a 1ST down
Omari Kelly pass complete to Michael Masunas for 13 yds to the USC 19 for a 1ST down
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Omari Kelly for 11 yds to the USC 8 for a 1ST down
Omari Kelly pass incomplete to Aidan Chiles
Makhi Frazier run for a loss of 3 yards to the USC 11
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete to Chrishon McCray
Martin Connington 29 yd FG GOOD
Eli Sanders run for no gain to the USC 12
Jayden Maiava pass incomplete to Lake McRee
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Jaden Richardson for 11 yds to the USC 23 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Waymond Jordan for 5 yds to the USC 28
Jayden Maiava run for 2 yds to the USC 30
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 17 yds to the USC 47 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 9 yds to the MSU 44
Waymond Jordan run for 20 yds to the MSU 24 for a 1ST down
Eli Sanders run for 15 yds to the MSU 9 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 2 yds to the MSU 7
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Tanook Hines for 7 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Aidan Chiles run for 4 yds to the MSU 29
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete to Nick Marsh
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Omari Kelly for 33 yds to the USC 38 for a 1ST down
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete
Martin Connington 56 yd FG MISSED
End of 2nd Quarter
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Omari Kelly for 2 yds to the MSU 23
Aidan Chiles run for no gain to the MSU 23
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete
Ryan Eckley punt for 57 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the USC 43 , Makai Lemon returns for 23 yds to the USC 43
Waymond Jordan run for 40 yds to the MSU 17 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 4 yds to the MSU 13
Eli Sanders run for 3 yds to the MSU 10
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Walker Lyons for 10 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Aidan Chiles run for 12 yds to the MSU 25 for a 1ST down
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete
Makhi Frazier run for 3 yds to the MSU 28
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete to Chrishon McCray
(09:54) Eckley,Ryan punt 52 yards to the USC20 Lemon,Makai return 13 yards to the USC33 (Snow,Darius) PENALTY USC Running Into The Kicker (Robinson,Ta'Mere) 5 yards from MSU28 to MSU33. NO PLAY.
(09:42) Shotgun Chiles,Aidan pass incomplete short right to McCray,Chrishon thrown to MSU44 PENALTY USC Illegal Substitution 5 yards from MSU33 to MSU38, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete to Nick Marsh
(09:32) Shotgun Chiles,Aidan pass incomplete deep left to Marsh,Nick thrown to USC40 PENALTY USC Pass Interference (Nicholson,DeCarlos) 15 yards from MSU38 to USC47, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Makhi Frazier run for 7 yds to the USC 40
Makhi Frazier run for 6 yds to the USC 34 for a 1ST down
Makhi Frazier run for 11 yds to the USC 23 for a 1ST down
Makhi Frazier run for 12 yds to the USC 11 for a 1ST down
Makhi Frazier run for 2 yds to the USC 9
(06:06) Chiles,Aidan pass incomplete short right to Velling,Jack thrown to USC06 QB hurried by Shelby,Braylan PENALTY USC Illegal Use Of Hands (Silver,Keeshawn) 5 yards from USC09 to USC04, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Aidan Chiles run for 4 yds for a TD (Martin Connington KICK)
Jayden Maiava pass complete to DJ Jordan for 7 yds DJ Jordan fumbled, recovered by MSU Grady Kelly
Makhi Frazier run for 1 yd to the USC 31
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Omari Kelly for 14 yds to the USC 17 for a 1ST down
(04:39) Frazier,Makhi rush middle for 1 yard gain to the USC16 (Stephens II,Desman; Abasiri,Jide) PENALTY USC Offside (Lucas,Anthony) 5 yards from USC17 to USC12. NO PLAY.
Elijah Tau-Tolliver run for 1 yd to the USC 11
Makhi Frazier run for 3 yds to the USC 8
Aidan Chiles run for 2 yds to the USC 6 for a 1ST down
Makhi Frazier run for 4 yds to the USC 2
Makhi Frazier run for 1 yd to the USC 1
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Jack Velling for 1 yd for a TD (Martin Connington KICK)
Waymond Jordan run for no gain to the USC 25
Makai Lemon run for 7 yds to the USC 32
Jayden Maiava run for 13 yds to the USC 45 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 4 yds to the USC 49
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Lake McRee for 10 yds to the MSU 41 for a 1ST down
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 4 yds to the MSU 37
Eli Sanders run for 3 yds to the MSU 34
Eli Sanders run for no gain to the MSU 34
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Makai Lemon for 10 yds to the MSU 24 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 11 yds to the MSU 13 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 3 yds to the MSU 10
Waymond Jordan run for 1 yd to the MSU 9
(08:30) No Huddle-Shotgun Maiava,Jayden pass incomplete short right to Richardson,Jaden thrown to MSU06 PENALTY MSU Face Mask (Willie,Ade) 5 yards from MSU09 to MSU04, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Makai Lemon run for 4 yds for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Brandon Tullis run for 3 yds to the MSU 28
Brandon Tullis run for 1 yd to the MSU 29
Aidan Chiles sacked by Braylan Shelby for a loss of 1 yard to the MSU 28
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete to Omari Kelly
Eli Sanders run for 9 yds to the MSU 19
Eli Sanders run for 3 yds to the MSU 16 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 3 yds to the MSU 13
Jayden Maiava pass complete to Walker Lyons for 2 yds to the MSU 11
Waymond Jordan run for 5 yds to the MSU 6 for a 1ST down
Waymond Jordan run for 5 yds to the MSU 1
Jayden Maiava run for 1 yd for a TD (Ryon Sayeri KICK)
Aidan Chiles pass incomplete to Nick Marsh
Aidan Chiles pass complete to Omari Kelly for 75 yds for a TD USC Penalty, Roughing The Passer (Anthony Lucas) to the USC 0