Greg Schiano Erupts After Penalty in Rutgers' 42-35 Loss to No. 12 USC

Q: Did a controversial third-quarter whistle secretly save a vulnerable USC team from a shocking upset?

Probably not secretly, but it very likely helped USC in a pivotal moment. The inadvertent whistle itself did not hand USC points. In fact, it wiped out what appeared to be a Trojans third-down conversion, forcing the play to be redone. The bigger swing came immediately after, when Rutgers was flagged for illegal substitution, turning third-and-7 into third-and-2. That sequence kept USC in a far more manageable situation and triggered Greg Schiano’s furious sideline reaction. Even then, USC still had to survive multiple chances. Maiava then threw incomplete on the replayed third down, USC faced fourth-and-2, Rutgers jumped offside, and only after that did Maiava hit a 32-yard completion that helped extend the drive. So the whistle sequence mattered, but Rutgers also contributed to USC’s escape with its own mistakes. The stronger case that USC was vulnerable comes from the full game context. Rutgers piled up about 460 total yards, stayed within one score deep into the fourth quarter, and exposed major defensive issues for USC. Lincoln Riley acknowledged the Trojans were poor defensively, and outside of a huge 99-yard pick-six by Prophet Brown, Rutgers had real opportunities to seize control. So the whistle was not a hidden rescue on its own, but it was a significant break for a shaky USC team in a game where momentum was fragile. Without that sequence — and Rutgers’ errors right after it — the upset path for Rutgers would have been more realistic.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 20

A disputed illegal substitution call sent Greg Schiano into a sideline outburst Saturday, with the Rutgers coach knocking over a field marker during a 42-35 home loss to No. 12 USC.
The sequence began after an inadvertent whistle wiped out a USC play and reset third-and-7 from the Trojans' 28, before the penalty moved the ball forward and drew Schiano into a heated exchange with officials.
USC still faced fourth down, but Jayden Maiava then hit a 32-yard pass to extend the drive; the Trojans later held off Rutgers after the teams traded touchdowns.
Rutgers finished with 460 total yards, while Dylan Lonergan threw for three touchdowns and two interceptions; USC stayed unbeaten at 4-0 behind 102 rushing yards and a score from King Miller.
The near-upset stood out as one of Rutgers' strongest performances after losses to UMass and Boston College, even as USC escaped with questions still hanging over its playoff credentials.