Connect with us

Sports

USC makes season-ending statement in thrilling Las Vegas Bowl comeback over Texas A&M

Published

on

USC makes season-ending statement in thrilling Las Vegas Bowl comeback over Texas A&M

It was less than four months ago, at the start of his third and most consequential season yet as USC’s coach, that Lincoln Riley walked off this same field at Allegiant Stadium, brimming with belief. His new quarterback had come through. His rebuilt defense had delivered. The statement he’d been searching for finally seemed to arrive in a season-opening win over Louisiana State.

“We know what we’ve been building,” Riley said that night. “I know we’re making progress.”

By late December, any signs of that progress had long since disappeared, and confidence in USC’s coach had faded along with it, lost along the way through a frustrating season that ended Friday night right back where it began.

But after a campaign filled with frustrating fourth-quarter collapses, the Trojans were able to return, however briefly, to the form they found back in September, coming from behind to beat Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl 35-31 to finish their season 7-6.

The bookends bore some striking resemblance, down to the breathtaking finish, as USC once again fought through a fourth-quarter deficit to earn a statement-making win. Even if this statement didn’t ring quite the same as the one in September.

Advertisement

Once again it took timely stops by USC’s defense and heroic performances from its top receiver, as Ja’Kobi Lane reeled in 127 yards and three touchdowns, giving him a dozen on the year.

But this time the Trojans quarterback had to dig his way out of a deep hole first.

USC wide receiver Makai Lemon runs with the ball during the first half of the Trojans’ Las Vegas Bowl win Friday night.

(David Becker / Getty Images)

Advertisement

Where Miller Moss had put on a show throughout the season opener, his replacement, Jayden Maiava, struggled to move USC’s offense at all at the start of a mistake-filled finale. Worse yet, he committed three head-scratching interceptions, each of which threatened to derail a Trojans offense that seemed to be hanging by a thread.

But before the questions about USC’s quarterback future could be posed, Maiava managed to move the Trojans down the field on one scoring drive … then another … then another. He hit Makai Lemon for two big plays downfield, then found Lane for his second and third touchdowns. In quick succession, USC erased a three-score deficit behind its quarterback’s cannon right arm.

Texas A&M fired back, as quarterback Marcel Reed worked his own magic on a go-ahead touchdown drive, sprinting his way into the end zone with less than two minutes remaining.

It was too much time to leave Maiava, who put an ugly start behind him to finish with 295 yards and four touchdowns. As he sat back in the pocket on third and 13, with the bowl hanging in the balance, he fired a pass downfield that found Lane, who stumbled his way through one tackle for a 33-yard gain. Maiava hit Lane again, just before the goal line, but a delay of game set the Trojans back to the seven with just 12 seconds left.

Advertisement

It was Kyle Ford this time who broke open on the slant, as Maiava fired a dart for the go-ahead score.

It was a stunning, fourth-quarter turn for the Trojans, who’d seemed well on their way to giving away the game through the first three quarters. With five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, USC trailed by 17, with three turnovers to its name. But the Trojans defense stood tall from there, stopping the Aggies on three consecutive drives and giving Maiava just enough time to guide USC back into the lead.

Texas A&M wasted little time in asserting its will at the start, marching down the field with a methodical, 16-play touchdown drive, while USC struggled to move the ball. None of the Trojans’ first three drives managed to extend beyond six yards, while the Aggies racked up 134 in the first quarter alone.

Opportunities kept being handed to USC, anyway. A 46-yard return from Lemon set USC up at midfield, only for the drive to screech to a halt. A diving interception from Kamari Ramsey set the Trojans up in similar position on the next possession … with similarly disappointing results.

At any moment, it seemed Texas A&M might break the game open. But a tipped Aggies pass in the end zone was picked off by Akili Arnold, giving the Trojans yet another chance to find their footing. This time they followed through, as Maiava found Lane streaking wide open across the field to tie it 7-7.

Advertisement
USC linebacker Mason Cobb, left, and defensive end Braylan Shelby celebrate in the first half Friday.

USC linebacker Mason Cobb, left, and defensive end Braylan Shelby celebrate in the first half Friday.

(David Becker / Getty Images)

The Aggies stalled after that, managing a meager five yards in the second quarter. And yet USC still couldn’t seize control. One drive ended with a regrettable deep ball from Maiava that was picked off. Another was spent running down the clock just before halftime, only for USC to miss a 39-yard field goal.

Texas A&M did its best to make USC pay after that, scoring 17 straight points in the third quarter. But it wasn’t enough, as Maiava led the Trojans back to finish an up-and-down season on a high note, right where it started.

Advertisement

Sports

CM Punk to defend Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam

Published

on

CM Punk to defend Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

CM Punk appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” ready to take on any challenger that was ready to step to him after winning the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn.

Punk entered the ring in Oklahoma City and called back to the “Monday Night Raw” after WrestleMania 42 when he told Cody Rhodes he’d be ready to deliver if a championship opportunity fell “out of the sky.”

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face off during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)

Advertisement

“When championship opportunities fall out of the sky, CM Punk catches them,” he said.

Punk named potential SmackDown superstars he’d think might come for the title, including Gunther, Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest and Trick Williams. He even said that Zayn could come back around and get his rematch if he wanted. He didn’t mention Rhodes’ name, but the “American Nightmare” came out uncalled and marched his way down to the ring.

“I don’t think you and I can run away from each other anymore,” Punk told Rhodes.

Cody Rhodes looks on during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)

Advertisement

Rhodes agreed and mentioned that Punk would want a match with him, just “say when.” It was a quick retort from Punk, who said, “when.” SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, who was in the ring for the segment, booked the match for SummerSlam.

Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam, which takes place Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

First, however, Punk and Rhodes will be involved in a tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in New York City next week. Aldis made the match after Gunther demanded that Aldis put him in a match against Punk. Gunther was hoping it would be for the championship. Instead, Gunther will tag with Zayn.

Gunther didn’t take too kindly to that and attacked Aldis. Rhodes came back out to break up the calamity. He wanted to take on Gunther after the show went off air but Gunther walked away.

Gunther makes his entrance during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Punk definitely has his hands full as he moves to SmackDown to become a fighting champion.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

World Cup fans flock to In-N-Out, Erewhon and Trader Joe’s for a taste of California

Published

on

World Cup fans flock to In-N-Out, Erewhon and Trader Joe’s for a taste of California

World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.

As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.

In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.

It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.

Thirsty international sports fans gathered for pictures outside different Erewhons, wandered their aisles smiling, and, of course, picked up pricey smoothies.

Advertisement

While Erewhon would not comment on its business, mobility data company Arity, which uses phone data to track consumers, said Erewhon visits at the outlets around SoFi Stadium were quadruple what they were a week earlier on June 12, the day of the U.S. national soccer team’s opening match there.

Arity looked at what stores people visited within a 10-mile radius of SoFi that day and also found surges in visitors to nearby El Pollo Loco and Trader Joe’s.

Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out.

Some complained on social media that international tourists at Trader Joe’s were buying up all the mini canvas tote bags.

Soon after the Belgium vs. Spain quarterfinal ended Friday, the In-N-Out near SoFi had a long line of soccer fans stretching out the door in bright red and yellow and black jerseys and matching striped hats and scarves.

Advertisement

One of the workers said he had to explain “spread” and “animal style” to foreign football fans.

“I didn’t know this place existed,” a fan from Romania said while waiting in line.

Los Angeles and other cities and states that have hosted the event need the soccer fans to spend money to make the event worth all the time, effort and money it requires.

A rosy 2024 report projected the World Cup could bring more than $800 million to the L.A. region as 180,000 people converge on the area to sleep, eat and spend.

There were early concerns people weren’t turning up for the event because of the high ticket prices and the difficulty of obtaining visas for citizens of some countries.

Advertisement

However, at least for some L.A. hotels, there was a surge of last-minute visitors which pushed up occupancy and room rates.

While sports fans are not in the region to shop, they do make time for it.

World Cup customer spending is also apparent in beer sales. Andrew Heritage, the chief economist at the Beer Institute said beer purchases at entertainment and attractions in L.A. – outside of World Cup spaces – were up around 10% from normal.

“That tells me that fans in the L.A. area have decided to extend their stay and take in all the other things that the area has to offer, rather than just the match itself,” he said.

On social media, the purpose of these shoppers is clear: grab a quick souvenir or local specialty and take a selfie.

Advertisement

The data from Arity suggests that fans are very efficient when they spend at local spots, diving in, getting what they want and getting out as soon as possible, said Jeff Schlitt, a director at the company.

“Normally you’re there for an hour. They’re going to be there for 15, 18 minutes,” he said. “Why is that? Because they were purpose-driven shoppers.”

For some travelers, the more popular American chains aren’t unfamiliar. But some of the native L.A. fare still comes as a surprise.

As one Belgium-Spain matchgoer from the Netherlands stood taking a picture of the In-N-Out sign after the game, he said he’d never had a burger like the one he’d just tried.

“We only have McDonald’s and Burger King,” he said. “It’s way better.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Shohei Ohtani ruled out of MLB All-Star Game as Dodgers plan to manage nagging injury

Published

on

Shohei Ohtani ruled out of MLB All-Star Game as Dodgers plan to manage nagging injury

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The face of baseball will not be at Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Shohei Ohtani was scratched from his start on Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers said he will also miss the Midsummer Classic with what the team called left knee irritation.

Ohtani, for obvious reasons, has become an All-Star Game fixture. He has earned the honor in each of the past five seasons and made his first start in 2021.

Advertisement

Starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up before the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The two-way phenom is on his way to winning his fifth MVP award in his last six seasons as he is hitting .290 with a .939 OPS and pitching to a minuscule 1.79 ERA, the second-lowest in the sport among pitchers with 80-plus innings. His OPS is also the seventh-best mark in the league.

The Dodgers said Ohtani will be the team’s designated hitter up until the break, but he will “have some interventions on his knee to put him in the best position for the second half of the season.”

Ohtani dealt with knee issues earlier in the season.

It is certainly a big hit for the game as the other face of the sport, Aaron Judge, will miss the game due to a fractured rib that has kept him out since late May.

Advertisement

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets ready in the on deck circle against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) (Norm Hall/Getty Images)

DODGERS WILL AGAIN VISIT WHITE HOUSE TO CELEBRATE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP, OFFICIAL SAYS

Ohtani hit 99 home runs combined in 2024 and 2025, leading the National League with a 1.025 OPS in that span. Ohtani did not pitch in 2024 after elbow surgery but returned to the bump last year and owned a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 K/9, a figure he also put up in 2022 that led the American League.

The “Japanese Babe Ruth” is the only player in MLB history to have 300-plus plate appearances and 40-plus innings in six separate seasons (Ruth only did it twice and never stole 50 bases), and he has more than excelled at both.

Shohei Ohtani pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on May 13, 2026. (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ohtani is not hitting like he has in the past, but certainly the best pitching performance of his career will make up for it. He “only” has 20 homers and 56 RBI this season.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending