After giving up the game’s first points on a field goal, Southern California rolled off 28 unanswered points in a little more than 10 minutes to run away from visiting Missouri State, 73-13, Saturday in Los Angeles.
The Trojans (1-0) spoiled the Football Bowl Subdivision debut of the Bears, newcomers to Conference USA, with an onslaught that began midway through the first quarter. Waymond Jordan was the first of five USC ball-carriers to rush for a touchdown on the day, his 5-yard run capping a seven-play, 75-yard drive.
USC then added a Bryan Jackson touchdown run of three yards just before the end of the first quarter, and quarterback Jayden Maivia found tight end Lake McCree on a short route that McCree turned into a 64-yard touchdown just minutes later.
A Bishop Fitzgerald 39-yard pick-six of Missouri State quarterback Jacob Clark just three snaps later pushed the score to 28-3 in a dizzying spell that left the Bears waylaid.
Missouri State (0-1) managed its first FBS touchdown when Clark hit a wide-open Tristian Gardner for a 33-yard score, but the Bears had no hope for mounting a comeback. The USC offense had its way both through the air and on the ground.
By the time Maiavia was pulled midway through the third quarter to give reserve Husan Longstreet reps, Maiavia was 15-of-18 for 295 yards with two touchdowns. His second scoring throw resembled his first, with Eli Sanders taking a short pass for a long gain of 73 yards to the house.
Maiavia tacked on a rushing touchdown just before halftime to punctuate his shortened work day. His backup, Longstreet, carried for touchdowns of 5 and 17 yards in the second half to bookend a 75-yard King Miller scoring run.
Longstreet added a passing touchdown to push USC to the 70-point milestone for the first time since a 2005 blowout of Arkansas, hooking up with Carson Tabaracci on a nine-yard connection.
Longstreet finished 9-for-9 in the air for 69 yards. He rushed for 54 yards, second only to Miller’s 80 among all Trojans on a 233-yard day. USC outgained Missouri State overall, 597-224, with the Bears rushing for only 65 yards.
Clark finished 16-of-24 for 147 yards with the touchdown and two interceptions before Cole Feuerbacher closed out the game at quarterback.
