Penn State football vs. USC: Live score updates, highlights from ...
Penn State football honors undefeated 1994 team in special ceremony
The Nittany Lions celebrated the 30th anniversary of the undefeated 1994 team Saturday against Illinois.
This Penn State football showdown with USC this afternoon in Southern California will be judged, in one form, by the performances of their rising quarterbacks.
Will USC first-year starter Miller Moss be able to throw his suddenly teetering Trojans into position to win and recover their season? Hardly anyone in college football throws more than Moss (40 pass attempts per game).
For Penn State, will second-year starter Drew Allar take yet another developmental step? While he's still one of the best at protecting the football (nine touchdowns, one interception) he'll be under the most scrutiny and pressure to lead a victory over a prestigious opponent since last year's failures (vs. Ohio State, Michigan and Mississippi).
Moss will attempt to throw quickly to a quartet of superb receivers − in order to elude Penn State's fierce pass rush and to protect his struggling blockers.
Allar has a more well-rounded supporting cast. He could merely be a steadying accent to a punishing run game forged by junior tailbacks Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and a line of blockers growing in physicality and confidence.
Each quarterback, in different ways and means, will be asked steer a season-shifting victory. USC's playoff hopes cannot withstand a third disappointing defeat in four weeks. The Lions must finally prove worthy of their top-five ranking, unlike last year or two years before that.
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Penn State football vs. USC score updates
The Penn State offense has come alive − beyond tight end Tyler Warren.
Of course, Warren is still the center of the offense here today. He's got a stunning 12 catches for 174 yards through 2 1/2 quarters.
But Drew Allar is getting more comfortable pushing the ball down the field. And Kaytron Allen rams home the second touchdown in as many second-half possessions.
A 90-yard drive to tie it.
Penn State has wrestled back full momentum ... at least for now.
Tyler Warren snaps the ball to Beau Pribula who throws it backward to Drew Allar ... who throws a touchdown bomb to Warren.
Ever seen that play before?
Flag football, maybe. But who cares, right? Penn State finally scores a touchdown early in the third quarter.
Penn State finally with potential momentum here.
Miller Moss and the Trojans made efficient use of their final first-half drive.
They went 49 yards on seven plays for a late field goal − and nearly had even more, potentially. A big USC run by Woody Marks was called back by an illegal block penalty.
Michale Lantz converted again for points, though. He drilled the 47-yard field goal just seven seconds left to revive the two-touchdown lead.
Drew Allar's second interception of the season − and a 42-yard return by Desman Stephens − set up the Trojans in another wonderful scoring opportunity.
This time, the Penn State defense held tough.
USC and standout tailback Woody Marks couldn't go anywhere. They settled for a 45-yard field goal by Michael Lantz to extend the surprising lead.
The 5-0 Lions have not trailed by this much at any point in a game this season.
Quienton Joyner is the one on fire now in this glitzy showdown in the L.A. Coliseum.
The USC wideout took his first play 75 yards for a touchdown on a reverse handoff.
Just now, he scores again. This time, it's a 9-yard pass play from quarterback extraordinaire Miller Moss. Good play design with an easy pass, catch and job into the end zone.
The Trojans already have put up 179 total yards on Penn State's elite defense.
It took the Trojans all of one play to answer Penn State's long field goal drive.
Quinten Joyner took a reverse handoff going left and sprinted through an open lane and would not be caught. He took it 75 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, just like that.
Penn State plowed down the field on its first possession, leaning hard on tight end Tyler Warren (5 catches, 46 yards).
But his fourth-down touchdown was wiped off the board by offensive pass interference penalty by receiver Julian Fleming.
Ryan Barker converted the 34-yard field goal to save the drive.
The Trojans already are missing their top defensive player to injury, 6-foot-6 linebacker Eric Gentry.
They also apparently will be without the services of two other key players today against the Nittany Lions: tight end Lake McRee and cornerback Jacobe Covington.
McRee has caught 12 passes for 134 yards this season. Covington has registered 18 tackles and two pass breakups so far.
The Nittany Lions will welcome the return of star tailback Nick Singleton and starting offensive tackle Anthony Donkoh, today vs. USC, according to the Big Ten's weekly availability report.
Both missed nearly all of the last week's victory over UCLA with undisclosed injuries. Both had been trending to play earlier in the week, according to coach James Franklin. The Big Ten report confirmed it.
The Lions will not miss any new starters against the Trojans. The only addition to the report is backup receiver and punt returner Jake Spencer, who is listed as "out."
Penn State football vs. USC time today
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 12
- Time: 3:30 p.m. (ET)
- Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (77,500), Los Angeles, California
What channel is Penn State football vs. USC on today?
Penn State vs. USC will be broadcast nationally on CBS. Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will call the game from the booth at the L.A. Coliseum, with Jenny Dell reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include Paramount+ and FUBO, which offer free trials to new subscribers.
Penn State football vs. USC history
- Series record: USC leads, 6-4
- Penn State's last win: 1996 (24-7)
- USC's last win: 2017, Rose Bowl (52-49)
Penn State football vs. USC betting odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Oct. 12
- Spread: Penn State (-4.5)
- Over/under: 50.5
- Moneyline: Penn State -200 | UCLA +165
Penn State football at USC weather update
A mix of sun and clouds with temperatures reaching into the low-80s by halftime. Winds light and variable.