EAST LANSING – On third-and-goal, USC quarterback Jayden Maiava tried to fit a throw into a tight window.

Malik Spencer was there to smash it.

The Michigan State senior safety lowered his left shoulder to deliver a vicious but clean blow to the chest of Jaden Richardson, knocking the ball out of the receiver’s hands and onto the turf in the end zone.

“Hitting him and seeing the ball come out and him on the ground holding his stomach, I felt good,” Spencer said after practice on Wednesday. “I felt good for sure.”

The bone-crunching pass break-up resulted in the Trojans settling for a field goal on their opening drive before ultimately pulling away for a 45-31 win on Sept. 20. In the moment, it was a huge play early for the defense at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

“When (defensive back

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