No. 9 Indiana Beats No. 18 USC 27-13 as Backup QB Wilson Throws for 305 Yards

No. 9 Indiana beat No. 18 USC 27-13 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, as backup quarterback Grant Wilson threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns in his first start since 2024 and the Hoosiers' defence intercepted Jayden Maiava three times.

The Week 11 win lifted Indiana to 9-1 (6-1 Big Ten); USC fell to 7-3 (4-3). It was Indiana's first win over a ranked opponent this season, in the week the Hoosiers had slid five places in the playoff rankings. Becker's 42-yard touchdown with 3:30 left sealed it, and two late interceptions ended USC's hopes.

Key Points

• Final score: No. 9 Indiana 27, No. 18 USC 13, Saturday, November 14, 2026, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington.
• Grant Wilson: 305 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, in his first start since 2024, replacing the injured Josh Hoover.
• Charlie Becker's 42-yard touchdown catch with 3:30 left sealed the win, after Khobie Martin's one-yard run had broken a tie late in the third quarter.
• Jayden Maiava threw for 311 yards and one touchdown but was intercepted three times; USC scored once in five red-zone trips.
• What it means: Indiana's first ranked win keeps the defending champions at 9-1, with a trip to Washington next.

What Happened

Indiana wasted no time. On just the third play, Wilson hit Shazz Peterson for 47 yards, and two plays later he found Brock Schott for a 13-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. USC answered with a 29-yard field goal. Indiana turned a Maiava interception into a 21-yard field goal, but Maiava hit back with a 51-yard pass to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and a seven-yard touchdown to Zacharyus Williams to tie it at 10-10.

After the teams traded short third-quarter field goals, Martin, denied a 38-yard touchdown by replay moments earlier, scored from one yard out with 2:39 left. Beebe Jr. led Indiana on the ground (16 carries, 71 yards); Martin added 10 for 70. Maiava finished 26 of 42 for 311 yards and Mosley caught nine passes for 130 yards, but USC scored only once in five red-zone trips, and Becker's 42-yard touchdown with 3:30 left made it 27-13 before two fourth-quarter interceptions, one inside the Indiana five, ended USC's hopes.

Background and Context

Indiana arrived as defending national champions under a cloud. The Hoosiers had slipped five places in the playoff rankings during the week, and their offence had struggled in five straight games. Yet they kept winning. The quarterback situation framed the week: Hoover, the starter, has been recovering from a right shoulder injury, and Wilson replaced him at half-time two weeks ago, rallying Indiana to an overtime win over Minnesota. Coach Curt Cignetti then decided to start Wilson against USC, and stuck with the call even though Hoover was apparently healthy and available. Wilson, previously at Fordham and Old Dominion, came back for a seventh college season to win a second national championship.

USC came to Bloomington with plenty at stake after stunning No. 2 Ohio State 30-18 two weeks earlier, needing a win to keep its playoff and Big Ten title hopes alive. But the Trojans' road record against ranked opponents has long been a problem under coach Lincoln Riley, and Saturday left him at 1-8 in such games. USC also beat Friday's nationwide flight groundings because its team plane was already in the air.

Indiana Beats USC 27-13 Behind Wilson's 305 Yards

Wilson's 305 yards were Indiana's best passing day in weeks, and the 27 points were the Hoosiers' most since their Week 5 win over Rutgers. But the deeper story was the defence: the first interception set up a field goal, the second came with USC threatening, and the third, deep in Indiana territory, killed the Trojans' last chance. That is the formula that has carried Indiana all season, an offence that does just enough and a defence that makes the decisive play. At 9-1, the Hoosiers remain in the Big Ten title race and in the hunt for a playoff return. For USC, the night was a lesson in margins: five red-zone trips, one touchdown, and a loss that all but ends the playoff conversation.

Reactions and Quotes

Wilson did not hide what the night meant to him. "It's been a long time, seven years, and it's just such a blessing to be here with these fans and these players," he said. Cignetti was measured about his backup quarterback and the position battle. "Grant made some good plays, and he left some out there on the field," Cignetti said. "Now we'll figure out where we are and move forward." He did not say whether Wilson would remain the starter.

Riley rued the red-zone failures. On Maiava, he said: "He was a big part of us moving the ball the way we did, and the first interception he made a good decision on. But the red-zone (interception), that one really hurt us." Around college football, the verdict was that Indiana had answered the week's doubts by beating a ranked team by two touchdowns with its second-choice quarterback.

Why It Matters

This was the win Indiana's season needed. A poor result would have left the defending champions sliding down the playoff rankings. Instead, the Hoosiers own a ranked win, a 9-1 record, and a clear path: keep winning, and the playoff will take care of itself. Wilson's performance also gives Cignetti a genuine decision at quarterback if Hoover returns fully fit: stick with the starter, or the backup who has now won two games. For USC, the playoff hopes hang by a thread, the Big Ten title hopes are effectively gone, and Riley's 1-8 road record against ranked opponents will follow him into every big away game until he changes it.

What Happens Next

Indiana travels to Washington next Saturday for a big game against the Huskies, a test of whether the Hoosiers can finish strongly and reach the Big Ten championship game. The quarterback question will dominate the week. USC returns home to host Maryland, needing to win out and get help elsewhere. Tuesday's playoff rankings will show how much Saturday is worth after Indiana slid five places last week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score between Indiana and USC?
No. 9 Indiana beat No. 18 USC 27-13 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Who is Grant Wilson?
Indiana's backup quarterback, previously at Fordham and Old Dominion, back for a seventh college season chasing a second national championship. He started in place of the injured Josh Hoover and threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

Why did Josh Hoover not start for Indiana?
Hoover has been recovering from a right shoulder injury. Wilson replaced him at half-time against Minnesota two weeks ago, and coach Curt Cignetti started Wilson against USC even though Hoover was apparently healthy and available.

How many interceptions did Jayden Maiava throw?
Three. Maiava finished 26 of 42 for 311 yards and one touchdown, but was picked off three times, twice in the fourth quarter, once inside the Indiana five-yard line.

Read more on US News Pulse: Indiana survives Minnesota 23-16 in overtime, USC stuns No. 2 Ohio State 30-18, and No. 19 Oregon routs Michigan 31-7.