Bryan Jackson ran for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter as No. 17 Southern California rallied for a 26-21 victory over No. 21 Iowa on Saturday at Los Angeles.
Jayden Maiava passed for 254 yards and one touchdown. Makai Lemon caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a TD, and the Trojans (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten) stayed alive in the chase for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.
King Miller had 83 rushing yards on 19 carries, and Jackson scored his two TDs on four carries as USC overcame an early 14-0 deficit.
Mark Gronowski passed for 132 yards and a touchdown with an interception, while also catching a TD pass for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3), who lost their second consecutive game.
Kamari Moulton had 90 rushing yards for Iowa, while DJ Vonnahme caught four passes for 59 yards.
Trailing 21-10 at halftime, the Trojans owned the second half to extend their winning streak to three games.
Ryon Sayeri kicked a 28-yard field goal early in the second half before Lemon caught a 12-yard TD pass from Maiava late in the third to pull USC within 21-19. Maiava’s pass on a 2-point conversion try was incomplete.
USC went ahead for good with 13:36 remaining when Jackson finished off a six-play, 40-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. The drive started after the Trojans’ Jahkeem Stewart intercepted a Gronowski pass.
Iowa was on a late drive with a chance to take the lead, but Gronowski’s pass to Kaden Wetjen was just out of bounds at the USC 8-yard line with 1:59 remaining.
Iowa led 7-0 through one quarter after Gronowski hit Dayton Howard on a 2-yard touchdown pass. It became 14-0 when Gronowski scored on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter.
USC got onto the scoreboard for the first time on a 1-yard TD run from Jackson with 9:15 remaining in the first half.
Iowa used a trick play to take a 21-7 lead with 3:24 left before halftime. Gronowski caught a 5-yard TD pass from wide receiver Reece Vander Zee after a reverse that started on a hand off to Wetjen.
The Trojans pulled within 21-10 at halftime on a 40-yard field goal from Sayeri.
