Lemon scores through air, on ground in No. 20 USC's win over Northwestern
- - Lemon scores through air, on ground in No. 20 USC's win over Northwestern
The November 7, 2025 at 9:56 PM
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Southern California wide receiver Tanook Hines catches a pass thrown by punter Sam Johnson during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Northwestern, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) ()
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Makai Lemon had a touchdown catch and a scoring run while making 11 receptions for a career-high 161 yards, and No. 20 Southern California stayed in the College Football Playoff race with a 38-17 victory over Northwestern on Friday night.
Jayden Maiava passed for 299 yards and hit Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane for TDs as the Trojans (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) remained unbeaten at the Coliseum this season with a persistent offensive performance featuring 482 total yards. That’s the most allowed all season by the stingy Northwestern defense, which also hadn’t allowed a 200-yard passer.
King Miller rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown, and Maiava also rushed for a score. Lemon scored on a 4-yard jet sweep with 11:31 to play to put away a win that kept the Trojans in the national title conversation into mid-November for the first time since coach Lincoln Riley’s first season in 2022.
Preston Stone passed for 150 yards and Caleb Komolafe rushed for 118 yards and a score for the Wildcats (5-4, 3-3), who lost for just the second time in six games. Griffin Wilde caught an early TD pass for Northwestern, which has never beaten USC in six meetings — most recently in the 1996 Rose Bowl.
TULANE 38, NO. 22 MEMPHIS 22
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jake Retzlaff threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns and Tulane held off Memphis to stay in contention for the Group of Five’s spot in the College Football Playoff and dash the Tigers’ hopes.
Tulane (7-2, 4-1 American Athletic Conference) survived a furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt as the Tigers fought back from a 21-point third-quarter deficit.
Memphis (8-2, 4-2) was unable to convert on fourth-and-8 from the Tulane 35 with two minutes remaining, ending its chances along with its 11-game home winning streak.
Brendon Lewis passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. Cortez Braham Jr. caught 11 passes for 113 yards.
The Green Wave scored on their first play from scrimmage — a 65-yard pass from Retzlaff to Shazz Preston — and found the end zone on four of their next five possessions in the opening half. At the half, Retzlaff had completed 14 of 15 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Preston had three catches for 85 yards and two scores.
The Green Wave had 364 yards at the half, but were held to 93 in the second half.
Source: “AOL Sports”
