USC's biggest flaw is exposed

It seemed the Trojans were going to rout the Spartans — until the flags started flying.

- BY RYAN KARTJE

Until about 1:30 a.m. Eastern time, early Sunday morning, it looked as if USC might roll to another resounding victory.

The Trojans were up 31-10, a few minutes into the third quarter. They'd piled up twice as many yards as Michigan State.

“We were dominating the football game,” coach Lincoln Riley said.

USC's defense had forced one three and out to open the half, and it was on its way to another quick stop when, on a fourth down, linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson came flying around the edge and clipped Michigan State's punter as he booted a kick.

Faced with a fourth and two after the penalty, the Spartans decided to go for it. Quarterback Aidan Chiles was flushed from the pocket, and his pass fell incomplete ... but another flag was thrown. USC inexplicably had 12 players on the field.

The back-to-back penalties, while troubling, weren't totally backbreaking at the time. USC was still well in control, with a threescore lead intact. But what happened from there would hint at a larger issue, one that USC will have to iron out in a hurry with the hardest stretch of its schedule looming.

Twice, in the next eight plays, it seemed USC had forced Michigan State into a decisive third and long, only for a penalty flag to wipe away the stop.

The penalties would kick the door open for Michigan State. And in less than 10 minutes, it cut the USC lead to just a single score.