LOS ANGELES — Makai Lemon had a touchdown catch and a scoring run while making 11 receptions for a career-high 161 yards, and No. 19 USC stayed in the College Football Playoff race with a 38-17 victory over Northwestern on Friday night.

Jayden Maiava passed for 299 yards and hit Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane for touchdowns as the Trojans (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) remained unbeaten at the Coliseum this season with a persistent offensive performance featuring 482 total yards. That’s the most allowed all season by the stingy Northwestern defense, which also hadn’t allowed a 200-yard passer.

King Miller rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown, and Maiava also rushed for a score. Lemon scored on a 4-yard jet sweep with 11:31 to play to put away a win that kept the Trojans in the national title conversation in

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