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USC Football to Face Louisville in DIRECTV Holiday Bowl
December 03, 2023 | Football
LOS ANGELES--USC (7-5) will face Louisville (10-3) in the 44th DIRECTV Holiday Bowl at Petco Park in San Diego at 5 p.m. PT on Dec. 27 on FOX.
The matchup involves two nationally recognized programs. While USC is not ranked in any polls, Louisville is ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll, No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the CFP Poll after falling to Florida State in the ACC Championship game on Dec. 2.Â
This will be USC's fourth appearance in the Holiday Bowl, all in the past 10 seasons. USC beat Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl in 2014, 45-42, fell to Wisconsin the following year, 21-23, and lost to Iowa 24-49 in 2019. Louisville has never played in the Holiday Bowl.Â
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USC has never played Louisville in program history.
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USC is among the nation's premier bowl teams, with an overall postseason record of 34-20 (not including 1 win and 1 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 35-21). This will be USC 57th all-time bowl appearance. The Trojans have the nation's tenth highest bowl winning percentage (.630) among the 98 schools that have made at least 10 bowl appearances. USC's 34 bowl victories are third behind Alabama's 44 and Georgia's 35 for the most in the nation (not including 1 win for both USC and Alabama vacated due to NCAA penalty; original records: 35 for USC, 45 for Alabama).Â
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Defending Heisman Trophy winner QB Caleb Williams leads the Trojans. Williams finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the nation in points responsible for (250) and points responsible for per game (20.8), No. 6 in the nation in passing TDs (30) and passing yards (3,633), No. 7 in the nation in passing efficiency (170.1) and passing yards per game (302.8), No. 8 in the nation in total offense (314.6) and No. 10 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.36). He is the first FBS player in the last 25 years to throw for 6 passing TDs in a game for multiple schools.
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Williams has 30 TDs and 5 INTs. He is 266-of-388 (.686) for 3,633 yards. He has also rushed for 121 yards on 99 carries with 11 TDs. Compared to the first 12 games of his Heisman winning season in 2022 (268-of-407 [.658] for 3,712 yards with 34 TDs and 3 INTs and 351 rushing yards with 10 TDs), Williams has rushed for 1 more TD and has a higher completion percentage through 12 games than he did in 2022.Â
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Williams has a wide variety of talented receivers at his disposal. WR Tahj Washington, Williams' favorite target, leads the team with 52 receptions for 963 yards and 6 TDs. WR Brenden Rice leads the Trojans with 12 TDs on the season. He's tallied 45 receptions for 791 yards. WR Zachariah Branch, a freshman superstar, has recorded 29 receptions for 311 yards and 2 TDs. He is also one of the nation's most electric returners. Against Stanford, he returned a punt for a 75-yard TD in the second quarter. He had a 96- yard kickoff return for a TD vs. San Jose State on Aug. 26. He also has 2 TD receptions this season and is the first Trojan since Adoree' Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least one receiving TD in the same season. Jackson had 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns for TDs and 1 TD reception during the 2016 season. Since 1971 (when records are available) Branch is one of just 3 USC players to accomplish the feat, joining Jackson and Curtis Conway (1992 – 1 kickoff return TD, 1 punt return TD, 5 rec TDs). Branch also had 4 receptions for 30 yards and 1 carry for 2 rushing yards against Stanford. He also has a rushing TD this season (against Utah). Branch finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation in punt returns (20.6), No. 2 in the nation in combined kick returns (751) and punt return TDs (1) and No. 6 in the nation in kickoff return TDs (1).
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From the Trojan backfield, RB MarShawn Lloyd leads the team with 116 rushing attempts for 820 yards and 9 TDs. He finished the regular season ranked No. 6 in the nation in rush yards per carry (7.07).
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On the Trojan defense, ILB Mason Cobb leads the team with 77 tackles. Rush ends Solomon Byrd and Jamil Muhammad are USC's sack leaders, each with 6 for minus 36 yards. Five Trojans have intercepted passes this season: S Calen Bullock (2), CB Christian Roland-Wallace (2), ILB Eric Gentry (1), S Max Williams (1) and CB Jacobe Covington (1).Â
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PK Denis Lynch has made 10-of-13 field goals with a long of 53 yards.Â
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To conclude the regular season, USC was ranked No. 4 in scoring offense (41.8), No. 5 nationally in passing offense (329.8) and No. 8 in team passing efficiency (167.22). Per PFF, the Trojans were ranked No. 8 in rushing with a 92.4 grade, No. 14 in passing with a 85.5 grade and No. 18 in overall offense with a 85.6 grade.Â
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USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was relieved of his duties on Nov. 5, but on Dec. 1, Riley announced the hiring of new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn. Lynn most recently served as the defensive coordinator at UCLA where he completely transformed the Bruin defense. He elevated UCLA's defense from ranking No. 87 in 2022 to finishing the 2023 regular season ranked No. 11 in the nation. He also has 9 years of experience coaching in the NFL.Â
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The Louisville Cardinals are 10-3 overall and 7-1 in ACC play, most recently falling 6-16 to Florida State on Dec. 2 in the ACC Championship game. Louisville's 7-1 record matched their all-time best ACC record. This will be Louisville's 26th all-time bowl appearance, and the Cardinals hold a 12-13 postseason record.Â
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The Cardinals are led by QB Jack Plummer. He is 235-of-370 for 3,063 yards with 21 TDs and 12 INTs. RB Jordan Jawhar is Louisville's top back collecting 1,128 rushing yards on 181 carries for 13 TDs. On the aerial attack, Plummer's favorite target is WR Jamari Thrash who has tallied 63 receptions for 858 yards and 6 TDs. In addition to Thrash, 9 other Cardinals have scored TDs through the air this season.Â
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On the defensive side of the ball, LB TJ Quinn leads the team with 87 tackles. DL Ashton Gillotte is the team's leading sack-man with 11 sacks for minus 71 yards. Seven Cardinals have collected INTs this season: DB Devin Neal (4), DB Cam'Ron Kelly (2), DB Quincy Riley (2), LB TJ Quinn (1), DB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (1), DL Ramon Puryear (1) and DB-LB Gilbert Frierson (1).
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The Cardinals have the No. 16 ranked defense in the nation and the No. 13 ranked rushing defense. They finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in red zone defense and No. 9 in first downs defense (191). After competing in the ACC Championship game, Louisville now ranks No. 1 in red zone defense (0.690) and No. 6 in 3rd down conversion percentage defense (0.281). Per PFF, Louisville has the No. 19 graded defense in the nation with a 90.9 grade and is No. 14 in pass rush with a 82.6 grade.
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PK Brock Travelstead has made 17-of-24 field goals with a long of 53.
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Eight Cardinals earned All-ACC recognition: RB Jawhar Jordan, OL Bryan Hudson and DL Ashton Gillotte collected first team honors, WR Jamari Thrash was named to the second team and QB Jack Plummer, AP Jawhar Jordan, OL Michael Gonzalez and S Devin Neal garnered third team recognition.Â
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Louisville has played in California just 2 times throughout program history: first, in the 1970 Pasadena Bowl against Long Beach State on Dec. 19, 1970, when Louisville and Long Beach tied 24-24, and second, at San Jose State on Sept. 1, 1990, when the Cardinals and the Spartans tied 10-10.
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Trojan Athletic Fund members and USC season ticketholders will receive information via email starting today (Dec. 3) about the opportunity to purchase Holiday Bowl game tickets. All other USC fans should visit the Holiday Bowl site (holidaybowl.com) for ticket information. For more information, visit usctrojans.com/bowlcentral.Â
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The matchup involves two nationally recognized programs. While USC is not ranked in any polls, Louisville is ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll, No. 15 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the CFP Poll after falling to Florida State in the ACC Championship game on Dec. 2.Â
This will be USC's fourth appearance in the Holiday Bowl, all in the past 10 seasons. USC beat Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl in 2014, 45-42, fell to Wisconsin the following year, 21-23, and lost to Iowa 24-49 in 2019. Louisville has never played in the Holiday Bowl.Â
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USC has never played Louisville in program history.
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USC is among the nation's premier bowl teams, with an overall postseason record of 34-20 (not including 1 win and 1 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 35-21). This will be USC 57th all-time bowl appearance. The Trojans have the nation's tenth highest bowl winning percentage (.630) among the 98 schools that have made at least 10 bowl appearances. USC's 34 bowl victories are third behind Alabama's 44 and Georgia's 35 for the most in the nation (not including 1 win for both USC and Alabama vacated due to NCAA penalty; original records: 35 for USC, 45 for Alabama).Â
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Defending Heisman Trophy winner QB Caleb Williams leads the Trojans. Williams finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the nation in points responsible for (250) and points responsible for per game (20.8), No. 6 in the nation in passing TDs (30) and passing yards (3,633), No. 7 in the nation in passing efficiency (170.1) and passing yards per game (302.8), No. 8 in the nation in total offense (314.6) and No. 10 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.36). He is the first FBS player in the last 25 years to throw for 6 passing TDs in a game for multiple schools.
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Williams has 30 TDs and 5 INTs. He is 266-of-388 (.686) for 3,633 yards. He has also rushed for 121 yards on 99 carries with 11 TDs. Compared to the first 12 games of his Heisman winning season in 2022 (268-of-407 [.658] for 3,712 yards with 34 TDs and 3 INTs and 351 rushing yards with 10 TDs), Williams has rushed for 1 more TD and has a higher completion percentage through 12 games than he did in 2022.Â
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Williams has a wide variety of talented receivers at his disposal. WR Tahj Washington, Williams' favorite target, leads the team with 52 receptions for 963 yards and 6 TDs. WR Brenden Rice leads the Trojans with 12 TDs on the season. He's tallied 45 receptions for 791 yards. WR Zachariah Branch, a freshman superstar, has recorded 29 receptions for 311 yards and 2 TDs. He is also one of the nation's most electric returners. Against Stanford, he returned a punt for a 75-yard TD in the second quarter. He had a 96- yard kickoff return for a TD vs. San Jose State on Aug. 26. He also has 2 TD receptions this season and is the first Trojan since Adoree' Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least one receiving TD in the same season. Jackson had 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns for TDs and 1 TD reception during the 2016 season. Since 1971 (when records are available) Branch is one of just 3 USC players to accomplish the feat, joining Jackson and Curtis Conway (1992 – 1 kickoff return TD, 1 punt return TD, 5 rec TDs). Branch also had 4 receptions for 30 yards and 1 carry for 2 rushing yards against Stanford. He also has a rushing TD this season (against Utah). Branch finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation in punt returns (20.6), No. 2 in the nation in combined kick returns (751) and punt return TDs (1) and No. 6 in the nation in kickoff return TDs (1).
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From the Trojan backfield, RB MarShawn Lloyd leads the team with 116 rushing attempts for 820 yards and 9 TDs. He finished the regular season ranked No. 6 in the nation in rush yards per carry (7.07).
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On the Trojan defense, ILB Mason Cobb leads the team with 77 tackles. Rush ends Solomon Byrd and Jamil Muhammad are USC's sack leaders, each with 6 for minus 36 yards. Five Trojans have intercepted passes this season: S Calen Bullock (2), CB Christian Roland-Wallace (2), ILB Eric Gentry (1), S Max Williams (1) and CB Jacobe Covington (1).Â
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PK Denis Lynch has made 10-of-13 field goals with a long of 53 yards.Â
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To conclude the regular season, USC was ranked No. 4 in scoring offense (41.8), No. 5 nationally in passing offense (329.8) and No. 8 in team passing efficiency (167.22). Per PFF, the Trojans were ranked No. 8 in rushing with a 92.4 grade, No. 14 in passing with a 85.5 grade and No. 18 in overall offense with a 85.6 grade.Â
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USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was relieved of his duties on Nov. 5, but on Dec. 1, Riley announced the hiring of new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn. Lynn most recently served as the defensive coordinator at UCLA where he completely transformed the Bruin defense. He elevated UCLA's defense from ranking No. 87 in 2022 to finishing the 2023 regular season ranked No. 11 in the nation. He also has 9 years of experience coaching in the NFL.Â
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The Louisville Cardinals are 10-3 overall and 7-1 in ACC play, most recently falling 6-16 to Florida State on Dec. 2 in the ACC Championship game. Louisville's 7-1 record matched their all-time best ACC record. This will be Louisville's 26th all-time bowl appearance, and the Cardinals hold a 12-13 postseason record.Â
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The Cardinals are led by QB Jack Plummer. He is 235-of-370 for 3,063 yards with 21 TDs and 12 INTs. RB Jordan Jawhar is Louisville's top back collecting 1,128 rushing yards on 181 carries for 13 TDs. On the aerial attack, Plummer's favorite target is WR Jamari Thrash who has tallied 63 receptions for 858 yards and 6 TDs. In addition to Thrash, 9 other Cardinals have scored TDs through the air this season.Â
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On the defensive side of the ball, LB TJ Quinn leads the team with 87 tackles. DL Ashton Gillotte is the team's leading sack-man with 11 sacks for minus 71 yards. Seven Cardinals have collected INTs this season: DB Devin Neal (4), DB Cam'Ron Kelly (2), DB Quincy Riley (2), LB TJ Quinn (1), DB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (1), DL Ramon Puryear (1) and DB-LB Gilbert Frierson (1).
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The Cardinals have the No. 16 ranked defense in the nation and the No. 13 ranked rushing defense. They finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in red zone defense and No. 9 in first downs defense (191). After competing in the ACC Championship game, Louisville now ranks No. 1 in red zone defense (0.690) and No. 6 in 3rd down conversion percentage defense (0.281). Per PFF, Louisville has the No. 19 graded defense in the nation with a 90.9 grade and is No. 14 in pass rush with a 82.6 grade.
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PK Brock Travelstead has made 17-of-24 field goals with a long of 53.
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Eight Cardinals earned All-ACC recognition: RB Jawhar Jordan, OL Bryan Hudson and DL Ashton Gillotte collected first team honors, WR Jamari Thrash was named to the second team and QB Jack Plummer, AP Jawhar Jordan, OL Michael Gonzalez and S Devin Neal garnered third team recognition.Â
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Louisville has played in California just 2 times throughout program history: first, in the 1970 Pasadena Bowl against Long Beach State on Dec. 19, 1970, when Louisville and Long Beach tied 24-24, and second, at San Jose State on Sept. 1, 1990, when the Cardinals and the Spartans tied 10-10.
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Trojan Athletic Fund members and USC season ticketholders will receive information via email starting today (Dec. 3) about the opportunity to purchase Holiday Bowl game tickets. All other USC fans should visit the Holiday Bowl site (holidaybowl.com) for ticket information. For more information, visit usctrojans.com/bowlcentral.Â
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