USC edges LSU in front of largest crowd in Allegiant Stadium history

The most-attended event in the history of Allegiant Stadium also wound up as one of the building's most exciting events Sunday night.

USC beat LSU 27-20 in a Week 1 thriller that came down to the final seconds inside the local four-year-old, $2 billion venue. In front of a record crowd of 63,969 fans, USC senior running back Woody Marks exploded through a hole for a 13-yard touchdown run with eight seconds remaining to break a tie.

"It was a play call that (USC coach Lincoln) Riley called, and the o-line was ready for it," Marks said of his game-winner. "They trusted their training from the fall and the spring, and we scored."

Trojans senior linebacker Mason Cobb nabbed the game’s only turnover, an interception off Tigers junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, on the next play from scrimmage to seal the upset victory.

No. 23 ranked USC won its first official game as a member of the Big Ten Conference, while No. 13 LSU dropped its season opener for the fifth consecutive season since winning the 2019 College Football Playoff.

“This was our day on the biggest stage and there’s something cool about that,” Riley said.

The game was billed as the Vegas Kickoff Classic, a showcase that could become a staple with Allegiant positioned as a semi-regular host of premier Week 1 matchups. A 2027 game between the Atlantic Coast Conference’s University of Miami and the Big 12 Conference’s University of Utah is already announced for 2027.

This year’s version between USC and LSU meant big business for Las Vegas. Clashing fans decked out in cardinal and gold or purple and gold have overwhelmed the Strip all weekend.

The game sold out last month before organizers released a limited amount of standing-room only tickets this weekend that also went quickly. By the time gates had closed, about 1,400 more fans ushered into Allegiant than showed up for Super Bowl 58 in February.

The crowd was split evenly between USC and LSU faithful, and both had plenty of reasons to cheer throughout what was dubbed as a battle of “the beach vs. the bayou.”

Neither the Trojans nor the Tigers ever led by more than seven points, and the game only featured that large of a margin for about four minutes of game time.

“Just an awesome team win — great environment in there, great stadium, great opponent,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said in his post-game news conference. “The two teams really went at it, traded blows the entire game. I was proud of our guys.”

Marks bookended the scoring, as he also rushed in a two-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to put USC up 7-0.

The score followed what will go down as one of the best catches of the year — a one-handed snag that required some hang time by USC junior receiver Kyron Hudson.

Hudson did it again with the game on the line to set up Marks’ game-winning run, making a low one-handed catch along the sidelines with 14 seconds remaining and holding on despite taking a vicious hit to the head by LSU junior safety Jardin Gilbert.

“When you see the ball in the air, it’s yours,” Hudson described his mindset. “So, I just went up and made a play.”

Hudson caught the late-game pass at the 28-yard line, but got an extra 15 yards when replay confirmed a targeting penalty called on Gilbert.

LSU totaled 10 penalties for 99 yards, which coach Brian Kelly called “the most disappointing part” of the defeat.

“I look at myself and say, ‘I have to do better because they’re not getting the message,’” Kelly said of his team. “Those penalties affected the game.”

Kelly continued to criticize himself and pounded a table at his post-game news conference in frustration out of his team’s inability to finish.

Facing a 20-17 deficit at college football’s new “two-minute timeout” at the end of the game, LSU had the ball inside USC’s 20-yard line, but Nussmeier threw two incomplete passes. The Tigers had to settle for the second field goal of the night from kicker Damian Ramos to tie the game.

It was a rough late-game stretch for Nussmeier, who otherwise stood toe-to-toe with USC junior Miller Moss in both players’ debuts as full-time starting quarterbacks.

Nussmeier completed 29 of 38 pass attempts for 304 yards and two touchdowns, while Moss completed 27 of 36 pass attempts for 378 yards and a touchdown.

USC sophomore receiver Ja’Kobi Lane caught Moss’ lone scoring pass, on a 28-yard spiral into the corner of the end zone to put his team up 20-17 with inside six minutes remaining. Senior Kyren Lacy and sophomore Aaron Anderson had LSU’s pair of receiving touchdowns — a 19-yarder in the fourth quarter and a 13-yarder in the third quarter, respectively.

A handful of receivers in the game came in better known than Hudson, who had been a depth piece for the Trojans the last three seasons, but he broke out in a big way with five catches for 83 yards. His pair of one-handed grabs were the biggest highlights of the night.

Marks may have entered somewhat similarly inconspicuous after spending the last four years at Mississippi State but he transferred to USC seeking a bigger stage. He capitalized on it at Allegiant with 16 carries for 68 yards in addition to his two touchdowns.

"It's just a surreal game for me, just knowing that my previous years injuries came up, and that I got to play SEC team," Marks said. "I lost three years versus them (at Mississippi State) and I came here with my new family."

 

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or