CHAMPAIGN, Illinois — Deep in the end zone. Smothered between two defenders. After a fake handoff. While losing his helmet. USC receiver Makai Lemon was there through it all, ball in hand.

“They were able to get him the ball so many different ways,” Illinois defensive back Miles Scott said, “whether it was quick passes, whether it was deep passing down the field.”

Lemon was Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated receiver (92.3%) in Week 5 and was the most dependable player in a 34-32 loss to Illinois — a game that twisted and turned until the Trojans’ fourth-quarter lead was squashed by a last-second, 41-yard field goal.

The 151 receiving yards were a career-high for the Los Alamitos product, and Saturday marked his third multi-touchdown game of the season. Many experts are projecting him to

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