LAS VEGAS — The Southern California Trojans capped off their season in a manner reminiscent of how it began.


In the season opener on September 1 at Allegiant Stadium, the Trojans rallied from a third-quarter deficit to secure a thrilling 27-20 victory against LSU with a late touchdown.


Fast forward to Friday night, back at Allegiant Stadium, Jayden Maiava executed a dramatic 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Ford with just eight seconds on the clock, leading USC to a 35-31 triumph over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl.


Having transferred from UNLV and a graduate of Liberty High School in nearby Henderson, Maiava played a crucial role in helping the Trojans (7-6) erase a staggering 17-point deficit in the third quarter.


He concluded the game completing 22 of 39 passes for 295 yards, while achieving four touchdowns, though he did throw three interceptions. Fellow teammate Bryan Jackson contributed significantly, rushing 16 times for 66 yards and scoring a touchdown.


After a challenging start, Maiava managed a remarkable final drive, highlighted by a precisely executed pass to Lane on a pivotal third-and-13 that resulted in a 33-yard gain. After another connection with Lane took them to the 2-yard line, a delay-of-game penalty pushed the Trojans back to the 7 with only 12 seconds left.


“At the end of the day, we all understood what our mission was in Vegas, and that was to secure a win,” said receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, who had an impressive performance with seven receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns. “We’re pleased with the outcome, and now it’s time to head home and celebrate the bit of Christmas we missed.”


The Aggies (8-5) witnessed their quarterback Marcel Reed dash 19 yards for a touchdown with 1:49 left, reclaiming the lead briefly, but Maiava stepped up as the game’s hero, orchestrating a 75-yard drive that culminated in the winning score.


Texas A&M initially took control in the third quarter, scoring 17 consecutive points to lead 24-7, but crumbled under the pressure of costly penalties that allowed the Trojans to mount a comeback, eventually taking a 28-24 lead with 4:30 on the clock.


The Aggies finished the game with eight penalties for a total of 73 yards, which included four costly penalties summing up to 40 yards in the second half.


“It’s significant,” coach Elko mentioned. “We were ahead 24-7 and ended up with three 15-yard penalties on the next drive. I truly believe that the narrative of this game reflects the essence of our season. Our understanding of zone coverage has been lacking, which is perplexing. … We haven’t been able to defend against the forward pass adequately enough to be a competitive team, and that falls on me.”


Reed completed 26 of his 42 attempts for 292 yards, securing three touchdowns but also throwing two interceptions while rushing for 46 yards on nine carries.


He distributed the ball well among eight different targets; Jabre Barber was effective with seven catches for 48 yards and a touchdown, while Noah Thomas contributed with five receptions, totaling 29 yards and two touchdowns.