Louisville football entered Holiday Bowl with better record but USC proved more talented

SAN DIEGO — Despite USC’s 7-5 record, Louisville knew not to take the tradition-rich Trojans lightly in the Holiday Bowl.

Though both football teams were looking to overcome losing skids and end the season with a win, the Trojans were playing for pride after a tumultuous season that included the firing of their defensive coordinator. USC quarterback Miller Moss emerged as the biggest star and helped his team turn the tide. Replacing 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Moss threw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in USC’s 42-28 win over Louisville on Wednesday night at Petco Park.

Cardinals defensive lineman Stephen Herron, who never beat USC during his time at Stanford, wasn’t fazed by the Trojans’ record and noted how seriously he was taking the game.

“(USC coach) Lincoln Riley's a crazy offensive mind, one of the best in the game right now, and you have to respect that,” Herron said Dec. 19. “They recruit just as well as anybody, so you kind of have to treat this like a regular game, like a championship game.”

Even with USC being without several key players, including Williams, the Trojans weren’t without talent. The program has had a top-10 recruiting class in two of the past three years, and it showed Wednesday night.

Louisville’s defensive line was dominant all season but struggled to get pressure on Moss, a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and the Cardinals’ secondary couldn’t stop USC’s receivers.

By the end of the first half, Moss tied the previous Holiday Bowl record with four touchdown passes on 13-for-18 throwing for 281 yards, giving the Trojans a 28-14 lead.

"They had a couple of matchups of fast players on our safeties," Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. "It just wasn't one of our better days. ... But I'm still proud of the effort they gave us all year. It just was one of those days that they (USC) made plays, and I just think that it's a lot to learn from."

Though USC boasted talent and star power, Louisville had its own stars destined to make a name for themselves.

Cornerback Quincy Riley has been on an island for much of the season and showed the Trojans why. With the team down 28-14, Riley recorded a Holiday Bowl-record 61-yard interception return two minutes into the third quarter. Moss stymied the Cardinals with his deep ball throughout the game, but a target to Dorian Singer with Riley defending fell incomplete during the fourth quarter to bring up third-and-long.

The Cardinals benefited from Riley’s third-quarter pick to inch within a score of USC (8-5) on a 1-yard touchdown run from Isaac Guerendo, who started in place of leading rusher Jawhar Jordan, who opted out of the game to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Guerendo’s first start as a Cardinal ended with the Wisconsin transfer totaling three touchdowns and a career-high 161 yards for his second 100-yard rushing performance of the season.

"Just think that he's extremely talented and really flourished in our offense and was a big component to helping us score points and do some good things," Brohm said of Guerendo. "He put in a lot of hard work. That's one person that has put in the work, and even though he wouldn't get the reps early on, stayed working. He definitely did his part."

Louisville (10-4), which was also without leading receiver Jamari Thrash, opened the game with momentum and forced USC to go three-and-out on the opening drive. It was the 18th straight time the defense accomplished the feat. But once Moss got in a rhythm, it was hard to stop him.

The same could be said of USC safety Jaylin Smith, a former four-star prospect who had 12 tackles. Although the Trojans were statistically one of the nation’s worst defenses this season, they sacked quarterback Jack Plummer three times and limited the Cardinals’ passing game. Plummer suffered a dislocated pinkie at the beginning of the second quarter and had to have it popped back in place. The QB said it didn't affect him much. Brohm spoke to Plummer and team doctors, all of whom indicated that Plummer was "able to go and play."

"Honestly, it felt pretty good throwing the ball," Plummer said. "It didn't affect me a ton. It (was) just kind of battling through a little bit of pain, but as far as throwing the ball, I don't think it affected my accuracy or spirals or distance or anything."

Although Louisville scored on its opening drive — a 2-yard run from Guerendo — the Cardinals couldn’t get enough going to win. During the first half, they suffered a comedy of errors that included a fumble by Plummer, a failed trick play on special teams and a blocked punt.

Jadon Thompson’s inability to convert on fourth down in the red zone late in the fourth quarter while trying to corral a high pass from Plummer and a fumble were the final two daggers for U of L.

Though Louisville reached 10 wins for the seventh time in program history, the Cardinals ended the season on a three-game losing skid.

"We still played a heckuva season," Guerendo said. "If you would have told us that we're gonna have a 10-win season at the beginning of the season, I'm sure a lot of guys would have been pretty happy with that. But, obviously, use this (loss) as fuel and make sure we're continuing to prepare and then use this offseason to get better."

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Holiday Bowl: Louisville football ends 2023 with third straight loss