touchdown

Devon Dampier accounted for four touchdowns, Utah intercepted four Bear Bachmeier passes and the third-ranked Utes remained undefeated with a 28-20 victory over No. 7 Brigham Young on Saturday in Salt Lake City.

Dampier hurt the Cougars with with his arm and legs, finishing with 264 yards of offense to help the Utes (9-0, 6-0 Big 12) snap a three-game losing streak in the Holy War rivalry series. He threw two touchdown passes to Braden Pegan and ran for two scores.

Trailing by six at halftime, Utah forced three turnovers and shut out the Cougars (7-2, 4-2) in the second half to keep alive its College Football Playoff hopes. BYU has lost two of three to dampen its CFP chances.

Bachmeier threw for 272 yards and a touchdown and ran for 59 yards, but he had two of his four passes intercepted during the fourth quarter — both in the end zone. He had four interceptions in BYU’s first eight games.

No. 7 Texas 34, at No. 18 Missouri 20: Arch Manning threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead touchdown pass to Raleek Brown with about five minutes to go, and No. 10 the Longhorns rallied to keep alive its College Football Playoff hopes.

Brown added 85 yards and a clinching touchdown on the ground, while the Longhorns (7-2, 4-2 SEC) made a series of big defensive plays in the fourth quarter to help preserve their fourth win over a top-20 opponent this season.

The biggest defensive play came as the Tigers (6-3, 3-3) were trying to match Brown’s go-ahead score. They had taken over near midfield with about two minutes to go, and on third down, Austin Simmons tried to find favorite target Cayden Lee, but a defender knocked the ball into the air just as it arrived and Texas cornerback Graceson Littleton hauled it down for an interception to set up Brown’s clinching score.

at No. 24 Arizon 29, Texas Christian 28: Michael Salgado-Medina kicked a 37-yard field goal with 39 seconds left after the Wildcats recovered an onside pooch kick and Arizona pulled out an improbable victory Friday night.

The Wildcats (7-2, -23 Big 12) pulled to within 28-26 on Noah Fifita’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Craig with 1:45 left, but their two-point conversion attempt failed. TCU’s Ed Small couldn’t come up with an over-the-shoulder catch on the pooch kick and Arizona’s Zuri Watson recovered at the Horned Frogs’ 26 to set up the game-winning field goal.

Fifta threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns with an interception that Hudson Hooper returned 93 yards for a touchdown.

Etc.

Five days after he called Dana Holgorsen “one of the best offensive minds of our generation,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule fired his offensive coordinator Saturday in the wake of the Cornhuskers’ loss at Illinois a day earlier. Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas will take over play-calling duties for the Huskers (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten), who have scored just 54 points combined in four straight losses.

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

RUSHING

• CJ Dickerson, La Habra: Rushed for 203 yards in win over Etiwanda.

• Grady Long, La Serna: Rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, passed for 136 yards in win over Valencia.

• King Exusdus, Sun Valley Poly: Rushed for 174 yards and one touchdown in win over Marshall.

• Marlon Watson, Inglewood: Rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns in win over Huntington Beach.

• Ayden Bias, Bishop Amat: Rushed for 289 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Oxnard Pacifica.

• Joseph Lara, Bonita: Rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Great Oak.

• Dominik Hardy, Calabasas: Rushed for 276 yards in win over Glendora.

• Raphael Graham, Cathedral: Rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns in win over Cypress.

• Raphael Graham, Cathedral: Rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns in win over Cypress.

PASSING

• Lincoln Jahn, Inglewood: Passed for 255 yards and four touchdowns in win over Huntington Beach.

• Magnus Merriman, Viewpoint: Passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns in win over Hemet.

• Kale Murphy, Downey: Passed for 258 yards and three touchdowns in win over Newbury Park.

• Brady Edmunds, Huntington Beach: Passed for 379 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Inglewood.

• Ryan Rakowski, Palos Verdes: Completed 11 of 14 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown, rushed for 85 yards and one touchdown in win over Gardena Serra.

• Bradley Cassier, St. Monica: Completed 24 of 30 passes for 409 yards and three touchdowns in win over Los Altos.

• Taylor Lee, Oxnard Pacifica: Passed for 346 yards and five touchdowns in win over Bishop Amat.

• Bryce Johnson, South East: Passed for 302 yards and one touchdown in win over Fremont.

• Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton: Passed for 308 yards and six touchdowns in win over South Gate.

• Dutch Burbidge, Charter Oak: Passed for 228 yards and three touchdowns in win over Vista del Lago.

• Trent Lux, Great Oak: Passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns in win over Bonita.

RECEIVING

• Jack Norman, Dana Hills: Had five receptions for 181 yards in win over Westlake.

• Alijah Royster, Oxnard Pacifica: Caught four passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns vs. Bishop Amat.

• Zion Anderson, Long Beach Poly: Made five catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns in win over Norco.

DEFENSE

• Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Had two interceptions, including a pick six, and rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns in win over Taft.

• Blake Shingleton, Quartz Hill: Recorded two sacks in win over Hart.

• Hudson Manning, Chaminade: Had four sacks in win over Corona del Mar.

• Weston Reis, Palos Verdes: Returned interception 25 yards for a touchdown in win over Gardena Serra.

• Elijah Williams, Chaminade: Made game-winning pick-six interception in win over Corona del Mar.

• Abel Carreles, South East: Had four sacks in win over Fremont.

• Gianni Haynes, Cathedral: Returned interception 80 yards for touchdown in win over Cypress.

• Sammy Timu, Long Beach Poly: Had two sacks in win over Norco.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Kaden Nesen, Oaks Christian: Made 38-yard field goal at end of regulation to send game into OT in loss to Temecula Valley.

• Mateo Akerman, Corona del Mar: Made 44-yard field goal in loss to Chaminade.

• Mateo Akerman, San Juan Hills: Made field goals of 35 and 38 yards in win over Tustin, making him 10 of 11 on attempts this season.

• Landon Perkins, Long Beach Poly: Returned punt for touchdown in win over Norco.

Ryan Rakowski approached Friday night’s Southern Section Division 2 opener like it was the last of his high school career.

Palos Verdes’ senior quarterback assured it would not be by completing 11 of 14 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-20 triumph over visiting Gardena Serra. He also ran for a three-yard score and was subbed out midway through the fourth quarter with his team comfortably ahead.

“It comes down to one week at a time and the goal tonight was to be one of the eight,” said Rakowski, who committed to Nevada in June. “Whether it’s ugly or pretty, just get it done.”

Palos Verdes running back Christian Reis is shoved out of bounds in the first half against Gardena Serra on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

The win was the 200th for coach Guy Gardner, the Sea Kings’ head coach since 2009, and afterward his players sang happy birthday to senior wide receiver and defensive back Kevin Owens — a testament to how close knit the team has grown.

“The competitiveness on this team is unmatched,” added Rakowski, who led the Sea Kings to the Southern Section Division 5 title as a sophomore and to the Division 3 final last season. “It helped having played them already. We looked back at the film and were prepared even though they changed some things.”

The teams met in the first week of the season Aug. 21 and Palos Verdes won. 17-14. The Sea Kings will have another rematch next Friday when they host Inglewood in the quarterfinals. The Sentinels dealt Palos Verdes (10-1) its only loss 26-23 in Bay League action Oct. 9.

Palos Verdes was in command from the start Friday, On the first play from scrimmage, Rakowski threw a sideline pass to Jackson Reese, who faked out a defender and raced 53 yards for a touchdown.

Palos Verdes’ Joseph Sarmiento and Jeremey Roe sack Gardena Serra quarterback Hassi Houston for a loss on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Rakowski’s three-yard run capped a 10-play, 89-yard drive to make it 14-3 and his eight-yard strike to Jalen Flowers capped a 12-play, 78-yard march that upped the lead to 18 points. Jovany Barragan’s second field goal — a 35-yarder on an untimed down — cut Serra’s deficit to 21-6 at halftime.

Rakowski connected with Aaden Brady on a 17-yard score on Palos Verdes’ first possession of the third quarter, Niko Dragin kicked a 30-yard field goal and Weston Reis returned an interception 25 yards to the house after the ball popped into the air on a punishing hit.

Darlington Nzenwa caught a 38-yard pass from Malik Tunai in the third quarter and Quintin Washington closed the scoring on a 30-yard fumble return with 2:35 left for Serra (5-6).

Serra’s star running back AJ McBean was hoping to return after sitting out the last two games because of a hamstring injury first suffered Oct. 2 against Bishop Amat.

Palos Verdes receiver Jackson Reese eludes a Gardena Serra defender near the sideline Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“I feel pretty good, man!” the 6-0, 215-pound Stanford commit said as he took the field for pregame warmups but he remained in uniform on the sideline all game.

Cavaliers freshman quarterback Hassir Houston had to be carried off the field with an apparent leg injury late in the first half but returned in the fourth quarter.

Talk about strange beginnings at Friday’s City Section Division I football playoff opener between Sun Valley Poly and host Marshall.

After the opening kickoff went into the end zone for a touchback, Poly coach Boo Williams immediately called a timeout when he saw his double-wing offense lining up with 12 players. After a discussion, the next play was an illegal procedure penalty on the Parrots.

Looking confused, the Parrots deserved an Academy Award for their acting skills, because on their third play, quarterback King Exusdus took the snap from shotgun formation and sprinted 82 yards for a touchdown.

Marshall, seeded No. 5 after its first 10-0 regular season in school history, never figured out how to slow down the Parrots’ run-oriented attack and couldn’t overcome a sore shoulder that limited quarterback Nathaniel Cadet’s ability to pass in a 20-0 loss to 12th-seeded Poly (10-1).

“Who says Poly can’t win a Division I playoff game?” Williams said.

With each short pass in pregame warmups, Cadet grabbed his right shoulder as if he were in pain — and he was. On Saturday, he couldn’t move his arm because of a contusion and sprain to his AC shoulder joint suffered in the regular-season finale last week against Eagle Rock.

All week, Cadet alternated between applying ice and heat to his shoulder. He looked at Instagram and found a shoulder sleeve designed to provide support. He took four Advil tablets. The Barristers badly needed him. He came in with 1,570 yards passing and 24 touchdowns, but on his second pass of the game, he came to the sideline in severe pain revealing the challenge he was facing. He ended up passing for just 55 yards and was intercepted twice.

For Poly — the East Valley League champions under Williams in his first year as coach — the turnaround from a football program with little history of success to competing in City Division I has been meteoric. After problems at the start of the game and a few illegal procedure penalties, the Parrots ran the double wing to perfection, with 290-pound lineman Diego Rodriguez clearing a path like he was knocking down pins with a bowling ball.

Exusdus, usually a receiver, finished with 174 yards rushing in 13 carries. Justice Brown rushed for 86 yards and caught Poly’s only pass, a 26-yard touchdown on fourth down from quarterback Alijah Ochoa.

“One pass, one touchdown, baby,” former Sylmar All-City quarterback Clarence Williams said. He’s the quarterback coach at Poly.

On defense, linebacker Stephon Boyd was all over the field making tackles. Exusdus and Boyd used to attend Birmingham before arriving at Poly this season.

Exusdus is grateful just to be out on the field. He missed all last season attending a continuation school as he tried to improve a grade-point average that he said was once below 1.0. Playing football in his senior year made him start showing up on time to practices and making progress in the classroom.

King Exusdus of Sun Valley Poly takes off on an 82-yard touchdown run.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

“I had to get everything right,” he said. “It motivated me. Seeing friends go Division I fueled me.”

It was a difficult ending for a Marshall team that won the Northern League title and had not won a Division I playoff game since 2000. Poly moves on to the quarterfinals and will face either Chatsworth or Banning.

Rams safety Quentin Lake says he texted Justin Herbert to apologize for comments he made about the Chargers quarterback on a podcast earlier this week.

So far, Lake said Friday afternoon, he hasn’t heard back.

“I don’t know if he read it,” Lake told The Times. “He probably says, ‘I don’t care about it anymore. I’m not trying to see this. It doesn’t matter. You said what you said.’ But at the same time I … felt like it was right for me to at least say,’ Hey, man, I didn’t mean it in any disrespectful way.’”

Lake and teammate Trent McDuffie each intercepted a pass thrown by Herbert during the Rams’ 24-9 victory over the Chargers on Sunday. During an appearance on the “St. Brown Podcast” this week, Lake mentioned that Herbert “was throwing deli meat” and “seeing ghosts” during the game.

The comments left Lake and the two hosts — Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother, former NFL receiver Equanimeous St. Brown — in stitches.

After his quotes went viral, however, Lake was left with a bad taste in his mouth.

“You know, I was with my boys,” said Lake, who played high school football with Amon-Ra St. Brown at Mater Dei. “I was in a comfortable environment. I was trying to say stuff funny. But looking back on it, they have a big platform. And when you say stuff like that, people are going to take it in ways that you may not mean it. … In no way shape or form was it supposed to be disrespectful.”

The Chargers are 0-7 this season, and Herbert is seen as a key contributing factor. A two-time Pro Bowl selection who is just two seasons removed from throwing for 23 touchdowns and three interceptions over 17 games, Herbert has only five touchdowns and a league-high 10 interceptions this year. He ranks 31st in QB rating among passers with at least 100 attempts.

But Lake said he thinks Herbert is “still a great quarterback,” citing the seventh-year player’s arm strength, running skills and processing ability.

“Obviously there’s some things going on over there that they probably want to fix and probably want to polish up,” Lake said. “You look at their roster from top to bottom, [they’re] still very, very talented, him included.”

Justin Herbert famously loves Subway subs. During his rookie season in 2020, the Chargers quarterback told GQ magazine he was “living off” the sandwiches, consuming both a Steak Philly sub and a Chicken & Bacon Ranch sub each night for dinner. He has since appeared in at least eight TV commercials for the restaurant franchise.

But the Chargers quarterback was making his own sandwiches Sunday — or at least that’s how it seemed to an opposing defender who picked off one of his passes that afternoon.

“He was throwing deli meat out there,” Rams safety Quentin Lake said this week on the “St. Brown Podcast,” apparently joining the current inclination of using sandwich-related metaphors to describe bad passes.

“Was he?” asked Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who co-hosts the podcast with his brother, former NFL receiver Equanimeous St. Brown.

“Bro, he’s seeing ghosts,” Lake told his former Mater Dei teammate as all three men started laughing.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but like we knew we were going to get a couple [interceptions], at least one,” Lake added.

The Rams snagged two during their 24-9 victory over the Chargers. Midway through the first quarter, Lake stepped in front of a pass intended for Charlie Kolar and returned it 45 yards to the Chargers’ 19-yard line, setting up a Rams field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Late in the third quarter, Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie also got a pick in front of Kolar and returned it 26 yards to the Chargers’ 22-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with receiver Puka Nacua for an 18-yard touchdown and a 24-9 lead.

Herbert completed 24 of 32 passes for 257 yards with no touchdowns. His struggles under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniels are seen as a large factor in the Chargers’ unexpected 0-7 record.

The seventh-year quarterback has thrown for five touchdowns and a league-high 10 interceptions this year, with at least one pick in each of this season’s seven games. In 2024, Herbert finished the 17-game season with 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions.

This week wasn’t the first time this season Herbert’s passes have been described like a lunchtime menu item.

On Sept. 27, after Herbert threw a floater to then-Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, former NFL quarterback and current Fox broadcaster Tom Brady offered this on-air analysis: “Poor awareness. Poor decision. Throws him a meatball sub.”

This season, random social media users have given other quarterbacks the Subway treatment, including New England’s Drake Maye, Denver’s Bo Nix, Cleveland’s Deshawn Watson and even Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, a two-time league MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion.

Herbert told reporters on Wednesday that he hadn’t “heard anything about” Lake’s comments.

“We’re really just focused on what’s going on in this building and playing football and doing what we can and doing our best to go put our best effort out on Sunday,” Herbert said. “That’s all that really matters. Anything outside of that is out of our control.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t agree with Lake’s assessment of Herbert’s performance on Sunday.

“I don’t see that,” Harbaugh said. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, [but] it’s not what I see.”

He added that he thought Herbert “did his job exceptionally well” against the Rams, except for “two throws he would have liked to have back.”

A year ago, during the Southern Section football playoffs, Trent Mosley became so exceptional that Santa Margarita High ran the table and looked unbeatable by season‘s end en route to winning Southern Section and state championships.

Which player is capable of pulling a Trent Mosley to be a difference-maker during the postseason of 2026?

The candidates:

Palos Verdes High standout Jalen Flowers, a receiver and defensive back, celebrates after making a play during a game earlier this season.

(Nick Koza)

• Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes. He has become so fast, strong and instinctive that at any moment he can make a big play at receiver, returning a kickoff or punt or making a play on defense at safety. Any opponent in the Southern Section Division 2 playoffs cannot let him have the ball in the open field or it’s a touchdown. He’s as close to a Mosley-like player as there is this season.
• Chris Fields III, Carson. No team’s fortunes are more tied to a single player than Carson’s. Yes, the offensive line has to block, the receivers have to get open and the defense has to stop the run, but the Colts’ ambitious focus on winning City Section and state titles depends on Fields, a senior quarterback who can beat teams with his arm and legs.

  As the playoffs begin in high school football, this is really the first time in years that there’s no certain No. 1 quarterback in the Southland based on performance and team achievement. Past ones have been Luke Fahey, Bryce Young, Brady Smigiel, Elijah Brown. Let’s see who…

  — eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) November 2, 2026

• Jaxsen Stokes, Sierra Canyon. There’s always been a Trinity League roadblock to prevent the Trailblazers from reaching the championship game of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. Stokes, a running back, is the player who must be protected at all costs. His rushing skills open the passing game. Combined with a great defense, he’ll need to deliver for the Trailblazers to finally break through the Trinity gauntlet.

  

  Jaden Walk-Green of Corona Centennial outduels Kayden Dixon-Wyatt of Mater Dei last season for interception.

  (Craig Weston)

• Jaden Walk-Green, Corona Centennial. Absent for much of the season while recovering from offseason knee surgery, Walk-Green has returned to bring back all the little things he does well — tackle, intercept passes, kick field goals, catch passes, kick PATs, return kickoffs and punts. Take him for granted at your own peril during the Division 1 playoffs.
• Koa Malau’ulu, St. John Bosco. The junior quarterback is facing lots of pressure to avoid interceptions and lead his team to the Division 1 championship. He’s been a starter for three seasons. He’s in the same position that former quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was in trying to deliver a big-time win. Uiagalelei rallied the Braves from 34 points down in his senior year to beat Mater Dei in the final.
• Caden Jones, Crean Lutheran. The senior quarterback has the ability to run or pass, making him one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the Southland. It will be his judgment that can carry his team far in Division 2.
• Michael Farinas, Chaparral. Maybe he’s underestimated because he’s a 5-foot-9 receiver, but Farinas is a big play waiting to happen. On a team that is suddenly healthy, Farinas has five touchdowns rushing, nine touchdowns receiving and one touchdown on a kickoff.

  

  Huntington Beach’s Dylin Bruce (2) uses his speed to be a big-play weapon.

  (Jeremy Westerbeck)

• Dylin Bruce, Huntington Beach. Speed matters in playoff games, and Bruce has it, with the ability to turn short gains into touchdowns. He has six touchdowns receiving, two touchdowns on interceptions, two on punt returns and one on kickoff return. In other words, he’s like Flowers for unbeaten Huntington Beach.
• Star Thomas III, Orange. With more than 3,600 yards passing for 38 touchdowns and almost 500 yards rushing for eight touchdowns, the junior quarterback had the best regular season of any quarterback in the Southland. If he keeps it going in the playoffs for 10-0 Orange, they’ll build a statue for him. He faces a tough opener at No. 1-seeded Chaparral in the Division 2 playoffs.
• Lucas Rhoa, Orange Lutheran. During games, it’s tough to notice the impact a single offensive lineman can have, so take a moment to watch Rhoa. He simply pushes people around, and with Rhoa’s ability to lead the way, the Lancers stunned top-seeded St. John Bosco last season in the Division 1 playoffs and must not be overlooked even though there are injuries at the quarterback position.

  

  Garfield running back Ceasar Reyes set a school record with 420 yards rushing and four touchdowns in win over South Gate

  (Nick Koza)

• Ceasar Reyes, Garfield. Given class relief by being put in City Section Division 1, Garfield intends to hop on Reyes’ back and see how far he takes them. He has rushed for close to 2,500 yards and 39 touchdowns while being rested at times to save him for the playoffs. He loves ice baths to recover from bumps and bruises after hard-fought games, so get ready for lots of ice to keep him going.
• Gatsbee Gumban, Nogales. Averaging 10 yards per carry with nearly 2,000 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns, the senior running back should be the player to watch in the Southern Section Division 10 playoffs for the 10-0 Nobles.

  

  Brothers Trent and Grant Mosley last season for Santa Margarita.

  (Craig Weston)

• Grant Mosley, Santa Margarita. Yes, there’s another Mosley at Santa Margarita. This junior receiver didn’t play until the Eagles’ fifth game because of an injury, but all signs point to him back in football shape and doing things only players with a Mosley gene can do.
• Elija Harmon, Inglewood. At 6-3 and nearly 300 pounds, the senior defensive lineman teams up with 6-3, 287-pound Myels Smith to form an unbreakable brick wall on defense, which makes for a huge first-round Division 2 opener between Inglewood and unbeaten Huntington Beach with standout quarterback Brady Edmunds.

For much of Sunday’s game between the Rams and the Chargers, it was impossible to distinguish:

Which team had arrived at SoFi Stadium winless?

The Chargers, who had not won a game since last season, looked the part.

But so did the supposedly we’re-ready-to-make-a-run Rams.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 24-9 win over the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

The Rams showed life at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, and that ultimately proved enough for a 24-9 victory in front of 73,621.

Matthew Stafford passed for a touchdown and Blake Corum and Kyren Williams rushed for touchdowns as the Rams improved their record to 4-4.

Safety Quentin Lake and cornerback Trent McDuffie intercepted passes to foil a Justin Herbert-led offense that went into the game as the NFL’s lowest-scoring outfit and did little to foster reason for optimism.

For a mostly underperforming Rams team that began the season as an overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI, it has turned into a season of firsts.

Consider: For the first time this season, the Rams have won two games in a row.

They did it, for the first time, with two kickers — Joshua Karty and Brandon McManus — active for a game, though the kicking-game problems are far from resolved.

And yet the Rams found a way to win the kind of game they had previously lost. Who can forget their 18-15 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium, a loss in which the Cardinals — like the Chargers — did not score a touchdown?

“Our team is becoming battle tested and finding ways to win those games that maybe we didn’t earlier on in the year,” said Stafford, who completed 17 of 25 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown, with an interception.

McVay had bristled this week when asked if he feared a letdown by his team against a winless opponent.

“I couldn’t care less about what their record is,” McVay said. “I would hope that we’re mature and professional enough to know that we have to be able to have the right focus, concentration, level of urgency.”

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1. Rams safety Quentin Lake intercepts a pass in the first half. 2. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh walks on the sideline in the fourth quarter. 3. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert slides for a short gain against the Rams in the first half Sunday at SoFi Stadium. 4. Rams offensive linemen run onto the field before the start of the game. 5. Rams coach Sean McVay celebrates with Jordan Whittington and Matthew Stafford after a touchdown in the second half.

Message apparently not received.

The Rams, the NFL’s top offense in yards per game, generated only 24 yards in 15 plays during their first five possessions and were zero for five on third down.

“Couldn’t have started any worse offensively,” McVay said.

For a time, they looked in danger of repeating 2020, when they lost to the 0-13 New York Jets at SoFi Stadium.

“To even establish any sort of momentum or rhythm was nonexistent for us,” McVay said.

But the Rams’ defense stepped up.

“Our job is, ‘OK, if the offense can’t create momentum, how can we create that for them,’” Lake said. “We were able to do that.”

The hapless Chargers also lent a hand.

They fell to 0-7 for the first time 2000, when they finished 1-15.

It was the Chargers’ 10th straight loss dating to last season, and no doubt keeps offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel on the hot seat.

Herbert continued to struggle, increasing his league-leading interception total to 10. He completed 24 of 32 passes for 257 yards.

The Rams led 10-9 at halftime after Williams rushed for a short touchdown in the final minute to cap a five-play, 66-yard drive.

The Chargers’ frustration could be summed up in one play: Receiver Ladd McConkey hauled in Herbert’s desperation 54-yard pass on the final snap of the second quarter … at the one-yard line.

The Rams came out strong to start the second half, Corum breaking off a 23-yard touchdown run for a 17-9 lead. Late in the third quarter, McDuffie picked off a pass, setting up Puka Nacua’s 18-yard catch and run for a touchdown.

As they did in last week’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Corum and Williams proved a valuable combination. Corum rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown in 11 carries and Williams had 56 rushing yards and a touchdown in 16 carries.

The Rams play at Washington next Sunday and at Arizona the following week. They will have a short bye week before playing the Green Bay Packers the night before Thanksgiving.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua slips a tackle by Chargers defensive lineman Teair Tart on his way to scoring a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

So there is ample opportunity for the Rams to put together a win streak worthy of a star-studded team that was built to play in the Super Bowl in February.

McVay has indicated that the Rams would not be very active as next week’s NFL trade deadline approaches, saying that the team would count on the return of injured players.

But the injured list might continue to grow.

Cornerbacks McDuffie and Jaylen Watson both left against the Chargers because of back and shoulder injuries, respectively.

That did not keep the Rams from breathing a sigh of relief. They had avoided a loss to their winless neighbors.

“It’s not something that we can exhale from,” said Nacua, who caught 11 passes for 80 yards. “There’s still a lot of improvement.”

But for a day at least, they could cling to a hint of momentum.

Rams running back Blake Corum breaks a tackle from Chargers safety Elijah Molden on his way to scoring a touchdown Sunday.

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

RUSHING

• Jacory Coleman, Baldwin Park: Rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns in win over South Hills.

• Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Rushed for 305 yards and four touchdowns in win over Roosevelt.

• Kennie Leggett, Corona Centennial: Rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns in win over Murrieta Mesa.

• Tahj Stevens, Murrieta Valley: Rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns in win over Norco.

• Rick Matsuda, South Pasadena: Rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns in win over San Marino.

• Carson Vandermade, Mission Viejo: Rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns in win over San Juan Hills.

• Chris Noubi, South Torrance: Rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns in win over Peninsula.

• Reyez Ortiz, Hillcrest: Rushed for 242 yards and six touchdowns in win over Valley View.

• AJ Monroe, St. Pius-St. Matthias: Rushed for 236 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Cathedral.

• Arman Papazyan, Glendale: Rushed for 349 yards and four touchdowns in win over Hoover.

PASSING

• Koa Malau’ulu, St. John Bosco: Passed for 357 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Mater Dei.

• Paytyn Guess, Mater Dei: Completed 11 of 15 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns in win over St. John Bosco.

• Hudson Shaddow, El Dorado: Passed for 253 yards and four touchdowns in win over Irvine.

• Parker Armstrong, San Juan Hills: Passed for 345 yards and four touchdowns in loss to Mission Viejo.

• Ian Ditch, Mary Star: Passed for four touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in loss to Carson.

• Deshawn Laporte, Quartz Hill: Passed for 305 yards and five touchdowns in win over Lancaster.

• Taylor Lee, Oxnard Pacifica: Passed for 398 and five touchdowns in win over Simi Valley.

RECEIVING

• Kayden Borden, Murrieta Valley: Caught six passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns, plus returned kickoff 83 yards for touchdown vs. Norco.

• Blake Wong, Norco: Caught eight passes for 128 yards and one touchdown in loss to Murrieta Valley.

• Justin Karg, El Dorado: Caught eight passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns vs. Irvine.

• Tristan Brown, Mater Dei: Caught four passes for 104 yards and one touchdown vs. St. John Bosco.

• Anthony Jacobs Jr., Oxnard Pacifica: Caught six passes for 208 yards and four touchdowns vs. Simi Valley.

DEFENSE

• Jaden Walk-Green, Corona Centennial: Returned his sixth career interception for a touchdown vs. Murrieta Mesa.

• Micah Cavalluzzi, El Modena: Had five tackles for losses vs. Irvine.

• Mario Nunez, Garfield: Had four solo tackles, plus interception, vs. Roosevelt.

• Kekoa Peko, St. John Bosco: Had two sacks vs. Mater Dei.

• Hudson Manning, Chaminade: Had two sacks in win over Loyola.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Keon’Dre Smith, Bellflower: Returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes in win over Gahr.

• Jeremiah Salvant, Tustin: Had a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and interception in win over Capistrano Valley.

• Monica Flores-Segovia, Carson: Made 43-yard field goal vs. Mary Star.

• Jacob Riley, L.A. Hamilton: Returned two punts for touchdown in win over Fairfax.

The Rams finally found it.

For one game at least, running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum each carried the ball nearly the same number of times, rushed for nearly the same amount of yards and each scored a touchdown last week in the Rams’ victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

“We have similarities running the ball but also differences too,” Williams said. “And I think that’s what makes that 1-2 punch everybody keeps talking about.”

Before the victory over the Raiders, most of the conversation about the rushing attack centered around a question: When would coach and play-caller Sean McVay find a way to effectively use both?

Now the question is whether McVay and the backs can repeat or produce a similar performance Sunday against the Chargers and beyond.

McVay noted that Williams and Corum are interchangeable.

“As a play-caller, the best thing is you just call the plays,” McVay said. “It’s not like I have a specific menu of plays for Blake or for Kyren or vice versa.”

Williams, 26, is 5 feet, 9 inches, and 207 pounds. Corum, 25, is 5-8 and 202 pounds.

Williams wears jersey No. 23, Corum No. 24.

The Rams drafted Williams in the fifth round out of Notre Dame in 2022, and selected Corum in the third round out of Michigan in 2024.

“There’s a difference in their run style,” McVay said. “You’re defending different things. They’re nice complements.”

That was in full effect against the Raiders.

Williams rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries. Corum rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries.

Their effort helped the Rams take a 35-21 victory that ended a two-game losing streak and kept alive hope for a team that started the season as the Super Bowl favorite.

The two backs share a “growth mindset,” Williams said.

“It’s a great vibe, where we’re able to play off each other, not just on the football field but also in life,” he said.

Rams running back Kyren Williams takes the field before facing the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 12.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

They also enjoy “a healthy, competitive relationship,” Corum said.

“It’s like I want to see the best for you and he wants to see the best for me,” Corum said. “If he does something great, it’s ‘All right, can I do something greater to help the team.’

“And if I do something great, he’s like, ‘Can I do something greater.’ It’s all love, and all for the team.”

Williams, a 2023 Pro Bowl player, signed a three-year extension before last season that included $23 million in guarantees. He went into this season having rushed for at least 1,144 yards in each of the last three seasons, including more than 1,200 in each of the last two.

The game against the Raiders is what the Rams envisioned — but did not achieve — last season when they aimed to reduce Williams’ workload as a way of keeping him fresh for the latter part of the season and the playoffs.

In 2025, Williams rushed for 1,252 yards and 10 touchdowns in 259 carries. Corum gained 746 yards and scored six touchdowns in 145 carries.

So far this season, Williams has rushed for 492 yards and five touchdowns in 96 carries. He also has 32 receptions for 239 yards and a touchdown.

Corum has rushed for 316 yards and two touchdowns in 64 carries. He has 10 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

“I haven’t been a part of that before where you haven’t thought to yourself, ‘OK, we want to lean on these types of plays when this guy’s in and these types of plays when the other guy’s in,’” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I think you’re really comfortable with both those guys doing everything we ask of a halfback in this offense.”

Offensive linemen said they often are unaware which running back is in the game — until they look up to see who is celebrating in the end zone.

“It’s crazy to say — but legit,” guard Kevin Dotson said. “It feels just like a plug and play. I don’t know who’s really in, and it doesn’t really matter.

“I know they can make it happen.”

Scoring 44 points in a league championship decider is usually enough to secure victory — but not against Mission Viejo.

The Diablos beat San Juan Hills 54-44 in an epic Orange County shootout to secure its third consecutive Alpha League crown, buoyed by a bevy of explosive plays.

It started in the first quarter as senior running back Carson Vandermade, who returned after missing the last two games, scored two touchdowns. He finished the game with 121 yards, including a big 52-yard run down the sideline, and three touchdowns but did not return for the fourth quarter.

His counterpart, senior Jack Junker, gained 132 yards, including a 28-yarder, and two touchdowns as the Diablos’ rushing attack dominated. Every time Vandermade and Junker took handoffs, there was a gift waiting. The offensive line — which has four players either committed to or with offers to Division I colleges — opened up huge running lanes.

Junior center Max Davidson attributed the group’s success to a deep camaraderie and hard work.

“It comes down to all the time that we put in together,” he said. “It comes down to the chemistry that we have between the five of us up front. We work together really well and that shows in all our games.”

Mission Viejo High center Max Davidson is all smiles after the Diablos won the Alpha League title with a 54-44 victory over San Juan Hills on Friday night.

(Caleb Otte / For The Times)

Sophomore quarterback Brett Burnor also got in on the rushing action, with 30 yards and two touchdowns. He had a solid night through the air, connecting on nine of his 12 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Burnor had four passes that went for more than 30 yards and connected most often with senior wide receiver Luke Karby, a Duke commit who had 122 yards on five receptions and made multiple contested catches. Karby also threw a two-point conversion to Burnor, in a quick role reversal, in the second quarter.

Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said before kickoff that the game would be decided by explosive plays, and he wanted to limit the opponent’s electric moments.

“Every game, San Juan Hills has six to 10 explosive plays on offense that are 40- to 60-yard chunk plays,” he said.

The Diablos allowed San Juan Hills to stay within fighting distance via those big gains that Johnson warned against. While the home team never trailed, San Juan Hills cut the score to 47-44 midway through the fourth quarter after an improbable onside kick recovery. Senior kicker Trevor Koko continued an impressive season with a looping ball that Mission Viejo wasn’t able to field, breathing life into a potential comeback. A quick touchdown drive ensued that made the final minutes extra nervy for the Diablos.

Ultimately, the rushing attack killed the clock and clinched the win by grabbing one more touchdown on an 11-yarder by Junker with 40 seconds to play.

San Juan Hills backup quarterback Parker Armstrong was given the reins to let the ball loose by coach Robert Frith. He completed 27 of 37 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. His longest of the night came on a quick dump down to senior wide receiver commit Luke Frith, a Texas State commit who took it 80 yards for a touchdown. Another long score came on a slant route to senior wide receiver Cooper Chila who broke multiple tackles to take it 57-yards to the house.

Those plays summed up much of the game for the Stallions. Athletic players making big plays, and never giving up on the game. San Juan Hills lost, but it never gave up.

Frith’s constant messaging to the players clearly got through.

The Stallions’ coach said he always tells the team: “When that ball snaps, it is seven seconds of everything you’ve got.”

The game was a high octane battle, but there will be a lot to parse through in the film room, especially for Mission Viejo. In the midst of the barnstorming action, the victors had three bad snaps on extra points and 18 penalties, including six personal foul calls.

Johnson lamented what he called poor officiating after the game but also told his team that the errors needed to be cleaned up by next week’s playoff opener. Mission Viejo likely qualified for the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs with this the win, and will learn of its opponent on Sunday. San Juan Hills will finish the regular season with two losses and wait to see if it makes the Division 2 playoffs.

The Times’ top 10 high school football rankings from the City Section:

1. CARSON (8-1). Colts get to face unbeaten Mary Star at home in test to see if they can beat a team with a large and powerful offensive line.

2. CLEVELAND (9-0). Cavaliers go for rare 10-0 regular season with home game against Chatsworth.

3. KING/DREW (6-3). Coliseum League title can be finalized with win over Dorsey.

4. SAN PEDRO (6-2). Pirates need to regroup after 35-0 loss to Carson.

5. BIRMINGHAM (4-5). Receiver Paul Turner continues to have great season.

6. CRENSHAW (6-3). Cougars get win over rival Dorsey.

7. KENNEDY (9-0). Golden Cougars cruise to Valley Mission League title.

8. GARFIELD (8-1). It’s the East L.A. Classic vs. Roosevelt on Friday at East L.A. College.

9. MARSHALL (9-0). QB Nathaniel Cadet threw for seven touchdowns in win over L.A. Wilson.

10. PALISADES (5-3). QB Robert Holohan has 1,500 yards passing.

LAS VEGAS — What happened in Vegas cannot stay in Vegas.

Not if the Rams want to make a run to the playoffs.

Matthew Stafford must continue to flash his 2025 MVP form. Star receiver Puka Nacua and Rams tight ends must keep carrying a Davante Adams-less receiving corps. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum must build on an impressive combo rushing performance.

And the Rams’ defense must negate potential comebacks.

The Rams displayed all those attributes Sunday in a 35-21 victory over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Stafford became the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown passes by connecting with tight end Davis Allen for two and with Nacua for another in a victory that improved the Rams’ record to 3-4.

“A good step in the right direction,” coach Sean McVay said.

Williams and Corum each rushed for a touchdown as the Rams bounced back from consecutive defeats by the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals to keep alive their turnaround from their third poor start in three seasons.

For the first time in the Rams’ last five games, the outcome did not come down to the final play.

“I like those,” said Stafford, who ranks fourth all-time in fourth-quarter comebacks. “It’s nice feeling a little bit more comfortable in the fourth quarter.”

It was not a perfect performance — Williams lost a fumble and penalties nullified two Corum touchdown runs.

But that did not matter against a Raiders team that served as a welcome antidote for the injury-depleted Rams.

The Raiders (3-4) went into the game having lost three in a row, and they showed no sign that their struggles against quality opponents will end anytime soon.

Next up for the Rams: The winless Chargers.

After that, trips to Washington (1-4-1) and Arizona (2-5) before a bye.

Rams running back Blake Corum tries to fend off Raiders safety Treydan Stukes during the fourth quarter Sunday.

(Candice Ward / Getty Images)

If the Rams keep playing the way they did Sunday, they could begin to round into a semblance of the team they were projected to be when they opened the season as Super Bowl favorites.

They certainly might be healthier.

Edge rusher Myles Garrett and tight end Terrance Ferguson are eligible to come off injured reserve. Cornerback Trent McDuffie, who sat out the last two games because of a groin injury, could make his way back.

Defensive lineman Kobie Turner will be out at least three more games but could possibly return for the matchup against the Green Bay Packers the night before Thanksgiving. Adams also will be back at some point.

In the meantime, McVay needs Stafford to play with the efficiency he showed Sunday.

The 18th-year pro completed 23 of 29 passes for 195 yards. A catchable fourth-quarter pass to tight end Colby Parkinson bounced off Parkinson and into the hands of Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean. Stafford has passed for 14 touchdowns, with seven interceptions.

His second-quarter touchdown pass to Nacua was the 155th since he joined the Rams in 2021, moving him past Roman Gabriel into first on the team’s all-time list. Stafford is also the first player in NFL history to lead two different franchises in touchdown passes; he had 282 with the Detroit Lions.

Nacua was questionable for the game because of a calf injury he suffered during practice. But the fourth-year pro caught eight passes for 68 yards, including his catch-and-run for an 11-yard touchdown.

Williams rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries. Corum gained 93 yards and scored a touchdown in 17 carries. He would have amassed more than 100 yards rushing if a 43-yard touchdown had not been nullified by a penalty.

Rams running back Kyren Williams stiff-arms Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses in the second quarter Sunday.

(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

“It feels great being able to have a partner back there like Kyren,” Corum said. “It just makes you want to go harder, seeing him do some of the things that he does on the field.

“You’re just like, ‘All right, it’s my time. Let me go do it.’ And so I feel like we just make each other proud and feed off each other’s energy.”

On a day when the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers lost for the first time, the Rams avoided falling further behind and appeared capable of possibly engineering turnarounds similar to the ones they produced in 2023 and 2024.

The Rams led 14-3 early in the second quarter on Stafford’s touchdown passes to Allen.

A few minutes before halftime, Nacua scored. Williams’ 17-yard touchdown run gave the Rams a comfortable 28-6 lead.

The Raiders threatened in the fourth quarter when Kirk Cousins connected with Tre Tucker for a 37-yard touchdown pass and, after Dean’s interception, found Ashton Jeanty for another.

But Corum sealed the victory with a four-yard touchdown run.

The Rams’ performance was more than enough against the Raiders.

Now they must build on it.

Quarterback Ryan Rakowski of Palos Verdes High was rolling right while being chased. Two defensive backs faced a quick decision. Stick with their receiver or come up to confront Rakowski if he decided to run.

Jalen Flowers was being covered, then saw Rakowski motion with his non-throwing hand to keep going. Soon Rakowski was firing the ball to a wide-open Flowers for a 43-yard touchdown as two helpless Mira Costa defenders gave pursuit.

The roar of Palos Verdes’ Jalen Flowers, a receiver and defensive back.

(Nick Koza / For The Times)

It was a perfect example showing the importance of chemistry between quarterback and receiver. Of course, talent helps lead to touchdowns, but chemistry beats talent like rock beats scissors.

“I think it’s kind of easy to have chemistry with him,” Rakowski said. “He understands the game so well, understands what coverages are.”

Jalen Flowers of Palos Verdes shows off his catching skills.

(Nick Koza / For The Times)

When quarterbacks and receivers are thinking alike, magic happens.

“At the end of the day, it boils down to trust,” said Westlake coach Rick Clausen, who played quarterback as did brothers Casey and Jimmy. “Is the receiver going to be where you need him to be? Is he going to make plays for you? It’s such a reliant position. You could be gifted as a thrower, gifted as a receiver, but one without the other is pretty useless.”

The best passing duos look like they have telepathic powers with the ability to anticipate each other’s next move. That’s why quarterbacks throwing to receivers in offseason practices are valuable as each learns about the other.

“When adversity hits and the finger-pointing begins, it’s your chemistry that saves you,” Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said.

When St. Bernard coach Dean Herrington was throwing passes to his No. 1 target, Dale Frack, in 1981 at Hart High, the chemistry between the two was legendary.

“You know where the guy is going to be. You’re on the same page,” Herrington said.

Even though the game has evolved, with sometimes four and five receivers going out for passes instead of two, Herrington said, “Chemistry is just as important, if not more so.”

“Chemistry is higher,” Hart coach Jake Goossen said. “If you have talent but it’s not complementary , it’s not going to be fruitful. I want some talent, too, but you have to have the chemistry.”

Here are duos this season showing off talent and chemistry:

Ryan Rakowski and Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes. Whether praying together before a game or giving high-fives after touchdowns, the Palos Verdes duo keeps producing on short slants or deep posts.

Jaden Jefferson and Quentin Hale, Corona Centennial. This duo grew up together, lived together and played together for years. Jefferson definitely knows what Hale is thinking and vice versa.

Star Thomas III and KJ Woodbury, Orange. They have combined for 16 touchdowns in nine games as juniors.

Jered Smith and Aiden Mejia, Verdugo Hills. Mejia could probably close his eyes and know exactly where Smith would be passing the ball. They have nine touchdowns together.

Grady Long and Landon Armenta, La Serna. Long trusts Armenta like he’s his brother. They’ve combined for 10 touchdowns, with Armenta surpassing 1,000 yards in receiving. They’ve been best friends since kindergarten.

Dane Weber and Chase Bonta, Chaparral. An injury left Weber on the sideline to start the season, but he’s back. Weber and Bonta have known each other since kindergarten.

Brady Edmunds and Dylin Bruce, Huntington Beach. In less than two seasons, they’ve combined for 12 touchdown passes.

Koa Malau’ulu and Kuika Moaalii, St. John Bosco. They are cousins who have been playing together since they were 10. Moaalii has nine touchdown receptions and is having a breakout sophomore season.

Corona Del Mar reciever JJ Haley (1) leaps for a touchdown catch.

(Don Leach/Daily Pilot)

John David Annett and JJ Haley, Corona del Mar. Annett sometimes throws the ball up knowing Haley will find a way to catch it. Both are juniors with complete trust in each other.

Hendrix Tucker and Charles Davis, Westlake. Filling in because of an injury, Tucker, a freshman, has discovered the importance of getting the ball to Davis, who has 11 touchdown receptions.

Jordan Spigarelli and Shane McKibbin, Newport Harbor. They’ve been throwing and catching passes from each other since fifth grade and have connected for eight touchdowns this season.

MADISON, Wis. — Just two short weeks ago, as the Trojans’ marching band roared joyously from the bowels of Beaver Stadium and a cold Pennsylvania rain poured down on a jubilant Lincoln Riley, it seemed like USC and its embattled coach might’ve finally found a foothold, just as they were about to begin a brutal back half of the schedule. They even had a bye to be sure it stuck.

But by Saturday night, any renewed sense of hope in USC’s season had all but slipped away. Maybe for good.

Instead, the Trojans played as poorly as they have all season in a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin. Quarterback Jayden Maiava looked lost. The offensive line was overwhelmed. The rushing attack was worse than nonexistent, with minus-17 yards. And the special teams were an all-too-familiar disaster, with two critical missed kicks.

For one half, it seemed USC’s defense might be the bright spot that kept the Trojans’ hopes alive. It allowed just 78 yards — and just three yards per play — from Wisconsin.

But as the other two phases descended into disaster for USC (6-2, 3-2), its defense could only hold for so long. Wisconsin only managed to rack up 200 total yards, only 58 of which came through the air.

All the Badgers would need in the second half to outlast the Trojans was two successful scoring drives. That was too much for one of the nation’s most high-powered offenses to overcome.

USC certainly didn’t live up to that reputation. Maiava was 31 of 50 for 258 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. The Trojans’ leading rusher, freshman Shahn Alston, had 28 yards rushing, while their usual starter, King Miller, never found any room against Wisconsin (5-2, 3-1).

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava passes against Wisconsin on Oct. 24.

(Ross Harried / Associated Press)

That was after USC spent the bye week talking a big game about its renewed focus on the run game.

But nothing about the Trojans’ effort Saturday seemed at all focused.

It was USC’s defense that set the tone early, while its usually high-powered offense struggled to move the ball at all. Wisconsin tallied just eight total yards in the first quarter, as the Trojans swarmed the line of scrimmage and terrorized quarterback Colton Joseph in the pocket.

USC couldn’t do much better on that side of the ball. After an opening three and out, the Trojans were facing the prospect of another empty possession when Maiava threw it downfield on third and 10. But the pass into double coverage was tipped … directly into the arms of Wisconsin cornerback Bryce West.

West returned the interception to the red zone. But USC’s defense clamped down, and the Badgers only managed a field goal.

USC coach Lincoln Riley argues a call during the first half Saturday against Wisconsin.

(Matthew Holst / Getty Images)

Maiava gave it back on the ensuing drive. Under pressure on third down, the senior quarterback scrambled and then threw a late pass over the middle. It was picked off.

USC’s rushing attack wasn’t helping, either. The Trojans didn’t have a single yard on the ground through the first quarter and only managed 10 by halftime.

But the Trojans somehow cobbled together a touchdown drive in the second quarter, thanks to three Wisconsin penalties, all of which handed them first downs. The last of the three — a face mask on what would’ve been an incomplete pass to the end zone — gave USC new life at the one-yard line, and even still, it took the Trojans three plays to punch it in. Maiava eventually found tight end Taniela Tupou for the score.

That’s when the Trojans started to sputter on defense. After being unable to move the ball at all for most of the first half, Wisconsin drove the entire field for a score just before halftime. Then the Badgers marched down the field again and scored to open the third quarter.

Down 17-7, USC drove to Wisconsin’s 12-yard line. But under pressure on third down, Maiava threw it away and was called for intentional grounding. The Trojans tried a field goal, but it was blocked.

The missteps continued. Maiava was sacked again on USC’s next drive, once again pushing the Trojans out of field-goal range. Then, a delay of game pushed them back even farther.

Still, early in the fourth quarter, Riley sent out his kicker, Caden Chittenden, for a 58-yard field-goal attempt. A rain had started to fall over Camp Randall Stadium, eerily similar to State College two weeks earlier.

But Chittenden’s career-long attempt came up well short. And soon enough, USC would follow.

It was always going to be the Bruin Bullies’ day.

No. 9 UCLA was hosting a Michigan State team with one of the least productive offenses in the country led by freshman quarterback Kayd Coffman, who was taking his first college snaps after the Spartans’ top two quarterbacks were injured.

After forcing three turnovers and four sacks, UCLA trounced Michigan State 28-10 Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins improved to 7-0 for the first time since 2005 after winning just three games last season.

UCLA’s defense carried it after the offense was flat in the first half, dropping two passes, drawing drive-killing penalties and fumbling twice in Michigan State territory. Both fumbles were forced by Spartans safety Devin Vaught and returned 50-plus yards to the red zone.

While UCLA conceded a touchdown after the first giveaway, allowing Michigan State (2-6, 0-5) to score in two plays, the Bruins avenged the second fumble with an interception from linebacker Donavyn Pellot.

Pellot returned his first career interception 67 yards. Wayne Knight scored on a one-yard run five plays later for his 13th touchdown of the season. The score gave UCLA a lead it would never relinquish.

UCLA quarterback Ty Dieffenbach passes in the first quarter against Michigan State at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“Second half [was] much, much better than the first half,” UCLA coach Bob Chesney told CBS immediately after the game. “Mistakes in there and uncharacteristic things that we cannot allow to happen at this point in the year.

“So a little bit disappointed in moments, but at the same point in time we did what we had to do.”

Once the offense found its footing, it did not step off the gas.

The Bruins leaned heavily on their running game as they returned to its usual form after being limited to 3.5 yards per carry and failing to surpass 150 yards the past two weeks. All three starting running backs reached the end zone for the third time this season, as UCLA finished with 245 rushing yards at 5.1 yards per carry. Anthony Woods led the UCLA rushing attack with 112 yards and a touchdown in 14 carries.

The running game loosened up the Michigan State defense, and UCLA quarterback Ty Dieffenbach took advantage of an already depleted secondary on the first drive of the second half, unloading a 63-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. for his first touchdown of the season.

Dieffenbach made the big play after sustaining an apparent leg injury on a hard hit late in the first half.

With the defense holding the Spartans to just 156 total yards of offense — 73 of which came in the fourth quarter with UCLA in control — Dieffenbach didn’t have to be perfect to secure the win. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, UCLA refused to allow a forward push at the line of scrimmage, flying into the backfield and holding Michigan State to 1.6 yards per carry.

UCLA running back Wayne Knight scores a touchdown in the second quarter against Michigan State on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

And when the Spartans tried to pass, the Bruins dug deeper, making it a nightmare for Coffman until Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald turned to fourth-string quarterback Leo Hannan. UCLA finished with four sacks, six tackles for a loss and five quarterback hurries, essentially living in the Spartans’ backfield.

The Bruins sealed their seventh consecutive victory with an interception from safety Malik Hartford, his second forced turnover of the game.

The UCLA defense was one of the team’s biggest liabilities during the past decade, stretching from the Chip Kelly era to last season’s three-win effort.

This season, UCLA hasn’t allowed an opponent to score more than 15 points since Sept. 19.

Josh Hoover had a four-yard touchdown run in overtime and No. 6 Indiana then kept Michigan out of the end zone in a 13-6 win on Saturday in Ann Arbor.

The defending national champion Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) avoided losing two in a row for the first time in three years with coach Curt Cignetti — and won at the Big House for the first time since 1967.

The Wolverines (4-3, 1-3) started quarterback Tommy Carr and sat Bryce Underwood, but the freshman didn’t fare as well as he did last week coming off the bench in a win over Penn State.

Carr lost a fumble on an ill-advised pitch in the first quarter and had a pass intercepted in the second half. He took sacks in the second and third quarters that led to missed field goals, including a 32-yard kick after advancing to the Indiana one-yard line.

Michigan reached the Hoosiers three in the final minute of regulation when Carr was sacked for a fourth time, leading to a 26-yard field goal as time expired.

at Cincinnati 37, No. 8 Texas Tech 24: Cole Tabb had a career-high 173 rushing yards and a touchdown while JC French IV threw for a career-high four touchdown passes in the Bearcats’ stunning upset.

It was the Bearcats first win over a top-10 team at home since Nov. 18, 2006, when they defeated No. 7 Rutgers 30-11. Cincinnati won at ninth-ranked Notre Dame in 2021.

The Red Raiders (6-1, 3-1) failed go 7-0 for the first time since 2013 and were plagued by mistakes all afternoon.

at No. 1 Miami 52, Pittsburgh 23: Malachi Toney had a school-record 16 catches and Dariah Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns in the Hurricanes’ first game as the nation’s top-ranked team in nearly 24 years.

Toney finished with 194 receiving yards and three touchdown catches, while Javian Mallory rushed for two scores and Mark Fletcher Jr. moved into the No. 2 spot on Miami’s all-time list with the 33rd rushing TD of his career.

Miami native Blue Hicks had five catches for 149 yards and a touchdown for Pitt (5-3, 2-3), which dropped its third consecutive game.

No. 10 Louisiana State 38, at Auburn 17: Sam Leavitt accounted for four touchdowns, including two throws to speedster Jackson Harris, and the visitors ended an eight-game, road-losing streak in Southeastern Conference play.

Leavitt completed 32 of 45 passes for a career-high 387 yards, ran for 54 more and played turnover-free football for the second consecutive week.

LSU (6-2, 4-2 SEC) scored on five of six possessions in the first half to take a commanding 31-10 lead into halftime. Harris caught nine passes for 178 yards, scoring on a 10-yard strike and turning a 12-yard crossing route into a 70-yard sprint.

Auburn (4-3, 2-3) seemed to have a letdown a week after stunning then-No. 1 Georgia on the road.

at No. 23 Southern Methodist 59, California 20: Kevin Jennings threw three touchdowns to break the Mustangs’ career record while Kendrick Raphael ran for 104 yards while accounting for three scores, two on fourth-down plays, in the rout.

SMU (6-1, 4-1 ACC) trailed at halftime before scoring touchdowns on their first six drives after the break, when it gained 306 of its 492 total yards. Jennings, already SMU’s career leader for passing yards (9,766) and completions (781), surpassed the 72 scoring passes by Tanner Mordecai from 2021-22.

Freshman running back Christian Rhodes had touchdown runs of five and three yards in SMU’s scoring surge in the second half, while Cal (3-5, 2-3) opened with three consecutive three-and-outs.

at No. 24 Northwestern 42, Rutgers 14: Aidan Chiles threw three touchdowns for the third time this season and rushed for two others to lead the Wildcats to a fourth straight victory.

Caleb Komolafe rushed for 150 yards and a TD, including a 56-yard dash. Griffin Wilde, who finished with 133 receiving yards, Alex Honig and Drew Wagner caught passes for scores as Northwestern (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) raced to a 28-3 lead late in the first half.

Antwan Raymond rushed for 150 yards on 18 carries and the lone Rutgers (2-5, 1-3 Big Ten) touchdown, a 46-yard run late in the third. The score was set up by the first interception thrown this season by Chiles, who finished with 219 passing yards and 83 rushing.

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

RUSHING

• Asir Nembhard, Mater Dei: Set school record with 349 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in win over Orange Lutheran.

• Tru Warrior Casas, Fairfax: Rushed for 331 yards and four touchdowns in loss to Palisades.

• Shiloh Wickliffe, Cleveland: Rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns in win over Granada Hills.

• Gatsbee Gumban, Nogales: Rushed for 325 yards and two touchdowns in win over Don Lugo.

• Matthew Quintanilla, Granada Hills Kennedy: Rushed for 157 yards in win over San Fernando.

• Joseph Lara, Bonita: Rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns in win over Charter Oak.

• AJ Monroe, St. Pius X-St. Matthias: Rushed for 269 yards and four touchdowns in win over St. Paul.

• Braylin Drake, Corona Centennial: Rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in win over Chaparral.

• Matix Frithsmith, Hart: Rushed for 208 yards and four touchdowns, caught four passes for 92 yards and one touchdown in win over Canyon Country Canyon.

• Maliq Allen, St. John Bosco: Rushed for 136 yards and four touchdowns in win over Servite.

PASSING

• Star Thomas III, Orange: Passed for 423 yards and six touchdowns in win over Irvine.

• Chris Fields III, Carson: Passed for two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in win over San Pedro.

• Ian Ditch, Mary Star of the Sea: Passed for four touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in win over St. Bernard.

• Nicholas Hoang, Culver City: Passed for nearly 500 yards and six touchdowns in win over Torrance.

• Talon Spencer, Capistrano Valley: Passed for two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in win over Villa Park.

• Dane Weber, Chaparral: Passed for 222 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 116 yards in loss to Corona Centennial.

• Jaden Jefferson, Corona Centennial: Passed for 258 yards and one touchdown, ran for 75 yards and one touchdown in win over Chaparral.

• Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton: Passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 103 yards in win over Venice.

• Koa Regalado, Colton: Passed for five touchdowns, ran for one touchdown in win over Rim of the World.

• E’lacion Saxton, Bellflower: Passed for 441 yards and six touchdowns in win over Norwalk.

• Nathaniel Cadet, L.A. Marshall: Passed for 402 yards and seven touchdowns in win over L.A. Wilson.

• Marty Slye, Salesian: Passed for 267 yards and one touchdown in win over St. Anthony.

• Trevor Scott, Long Beach Poly: Passed for 254 yards and four touchdowns in win over Long Beach Millikan.

RECEIVING

• KJ Woodbury, Orange: Had touchdown receptions of 79 and 72 yards vs. Irvine.

• Jo’el La Foe, Culver City: Caught 11 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns vs. Torrance.

• Isaac Mora, Torrance: Caught 10 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Culver City.

• Chase Martin, Charter Oak: Had nine catches for 138 yards and one touchdown vs. Bonita.

• Chris Flores, Orange Lutheran: Caught nine passes for 118 yards and passed for 74 yards and a touchdown in loss to Mater Dei.

• Michael Farinas, Chaparral: Caught nine passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Corona Centennial.

• Jordan Walker, L.A. Marshall: Caught four passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns in win over L.A. Wilson.

• Keon’Dre Smith, Bellflower: Caught nine passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns in win over Norwalk.

• Moises Keith-Chavez, Irvine University: Caught five passes for 150 yards in win over Buena Park.

DEFENSE

• Isaiah Danns, Mater Dei: Returned interception 86 yards for touchdown to clinch win vs. Orange Lutheran.

• Noah Sanchez, Crespi: Had sack, interception and 11 tackles in win over Bishop Alemany.

• Jesse Pineda, Granada Hills Kennedy: Had two sacks in win over San Fernando.

• Alifeleti Tuihalamaka, Oaks Christian: Had two sacks in win over Newbury Park.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Trevor Koko, San Juan Hills: Made three field goals, including from 44 yards, in win over San Clemente.

• King Exusdus, Sun Valley Poly: Returned punt for touchdown in win over Verdugo Hills.

• Gabriel Goroyan, Westlake: Made 52-yard field goal in loss to Santa Barbara.

• Cade Mault, Santa Barbara: Made field goals of 49 and 43 yards in win over Westlake.

Senior running back Gatsbee Gumban of Nogales is closing in on 1,600 yards rushing after contributing 325 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night in a 38-17 win over Don Lugo.

Nogales is 9-0 and clinched the Gano League championship.

“He breaks off huge runs,” coach Kevin Encinas said.

Gumban had touchdown runs of 96 and 28 yards, giving him 19 touchdowns and 1,595 yards rushing. He also caught a 60-yard touchdown pass.

Nogales can go for an unbeaten regular seasonnext week against Rowland.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Rams receiver Puka Nacua will not practice Friday because of a calf injury and will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, coach Sean McVay said Friday.

Nacua took part in the majority of practice on Thursday but did not finish it. McVay indicated that tests revealed “a little minor thing in there,” and that Nacua would be a game-time decision Sunday.

“I don’t think he knows exactly when it occurred,” McVay said, adding, “he felt it where he wasn’t able to have some of the power and full explosion … but i don’t think he was aware of any sort of specific play that led to it.”

Nacua played in the season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers and then sat out two games because of a hip injury that caused abdominal soreness. He returned and produced more than 100 yards receiving in each of the next two games, and then caught six passes for 80 yards in last Sunday’s 18-16 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals.

Nacua, the NFL receptions leader in 2025, has 37 catches for 417 yards and a touchdown, and he also has rushed for a touchdown this season.

Nacua’s injury is the latest in a series suffered by a Rams team that opened the season as the favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium, but has lost its last two games to fall to 2-4.

Receiver Davante Adams is expected to be sidelined six to 10 weeks because of a hamstring injury suffered against the Cardinals.

Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell and rookie CJ Daniels are other Rams receivers.

“It’s our job to figure out, all right, what are some of the spots we can put them in that accentuate their skillsets,” McVay said.

Inside linebacker Nate Landman is out because of a concussion, McVay said. So veteran Eric Kendricks, who was signed to the practice squad a few weeks ago, will be activated to the roster against the Raiders.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie, who sat out against the Cardinals because of a groin injury, did not practice this week and will be listed as questionable against the Raiders.

Marshall Faulk is an extraordinarily active 53-year-old. The first-ballot NFL Hall of Fame running back is the head football coach at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. He runs a foundation in his name that assists underprivileged youth. He works out. He plays a lot of golf.

And he has Parkinson’s disease.

Faulk revealed his diagnosis on The Caring Neurologist podcast this week, saying he noticed Parkinson’s symptoms on the golf course.

“The rigidity in my hand, just sometimes after I play a lot or I practice a lot,” he said. “I just thought it was normal nerves when putting and stuff like that. But it started to be times where I was playing, but I wasn’t in a match, and it would still do that. I was like, ‘Wow, is that normal?’”

Faulk said he was diagnosed about 18 months ago. An unfailing optimist in his social media dispatches and a fiery truth-teller when addressing his team, the former Rams Super Bowl champion described himself on the podcast as “one of the lucky ones” because he caught the disease early.

“The doctor was like, ‘You need to go get checked,’” he said. “You need to go have X, Y and Z done. You’re at an age, it’s possible; it’s likely that it’s not, but you need to go get checked.’”

He jumped on the phone to speak with other former NFL players who share the diagnosis.

“They told me about some of the symptoms and things they had that they thought [were] just football-related, that it didn’t relate to Parkinson’s in any manner,” Faulk said. “They wish, in those early stages, if they had maybe just known a little earlier, they would be in better shape.”

Former Green Bay Packers greats Brett Favre and Ahman Green currently live with Parkinson’s. So does former quarterback Bernie Kosar.

St. Louis Rams’ Marshall Faulk, left, straight-arms Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks during a 2005 NFL game.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

Perhaps the most noteworthy sports figure to battle Parkinson’s was boxing great Muhammad Ali, who died in 2016. Faulk met Ali at a dinner and said on the podcast that he is comforted by the memory.

“He leaned over to me and he whispered, ‘You a bad boy,’” Faulk said. “And then he made a couple other comments. I was like, ‘He’s all there.’ So knowing that, I didn’t look at it like life is going to end.”

Faulk was seemingly indestructible as a player. An All-American at San Diego State, he was drafted second overall by the Indianapolis Colts in 1994 and immediately made an impact, rushing for more than 1,000 yards for the first of seven times and being named NFL rookie of the year.

Faulk was traded to the then St. Louis Rams ahead of the 1999 season and led their “Greatest Show on Turf” offense to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory in January 2000. The following season, Faulk was named NFL MVP. He transitioned to the NFL Network broadcast booth after retiring in 2005 having rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 touchdowns while also catching 767 passes for another 36 touchdowns.

He got into coaching in 2025, joining Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado. When the opportunity arose to become the head coach at Southern, Faulk didn’t hesitate even though he already had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

“I could have stayed at Colorado. I was comfortable. But I’ve never done well in life when comfortable,” he said at his introductory news conference at Southern. “And I’m not gonna lie to you. This is uncomfortable, and I like it.”

The Jaguars, an HBCU school competing in the FCS, are 3-4 in Faulk’s first season after going 2-10 in 2025. Faulk’s messages to his players go beyond football. On Thursday he posted this on Instagram: “Protecting your game goes far beyond avoiding injury.⁠ Protect your body.⁠ Protect your mind.⁠ Protect your circle.⁠ Protect your future.

“The decisions you make away from the field can have just as much impact on your future as what happens between the lines,” he continued. “Choose the people, habits, and environments that move you closer to where you want to go.⁠ Send this to a young athlete who needs this reminder today.⁠”

Helping others is why he decided to open up about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, he told host Dr. Sandeep Thakkar on the podcast.

“I want to help as many people as I can,” he said. “What you want to do with that information is pass it on to the next generation to make sure that they have it better, that they know more. And you’re doing it to leave this world a better place than it was when I got here.”

Give Talon Spencer a football or a baseball and he’ll do magical things.

The two-sport standout at Capistrano Valley High has helped lead the football team to a 7-1 record as quarterback.

He has completed 69% of his passes for 1,361 yards and 14 touchdowns with only two interceptions. He also has rushed for 708 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Athleticism has helped him be a dual-threat quarterback and also succeed in baseball.

Capistrano Valley upset unbeaten Corona del Mar last week and takes on 7-1 Villa Park, which lost to Corona del Mar, in a Bravo League game on Friday.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.