Minus Williams, Moss shatters Holiday Bowl TD-pass mark in USC win - ESPN

SAN DIEGO — With Caleb Williams watching from the sideline, Miller Moss threw a DirecTV Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in his first college start and USC ended a frustrating season by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 Wednesday night.

Moss took full advantage of the opportunity he was given when Williams opted out. Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and presumptive first overall pick in the NFL draft, watched from the sideline wearing a white T-shirt with his No. 13 jersey hanging around his neck.

Moss was 23 of 33 for 372 yards, with one interception. He broke the Holiday Bowl record of four touchdown passes held by four players, including Jim McMahon in BYU's miracle 46-45 comeback win against SMU in 1980. The record came late in the third quarter when Moss lobbed a 12-yard pass to a leaping Ja'Kobi Lane in the back of the end zone. Lane's second TD catch of the night gave USC a 35-21 lead.

Moss added on with a beautiful 44-yard strike to Duce Robinson for a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes to go.

Williams jumped on Moss in celebration after the redshirt sophomore twice took a knee in victory formation at Petco Park.

The six TD passes were also the most by a quarterback in his first start for USC (8-5), which lost three straight games and five of six coming in after opening the year with national championship aspirations. They also were a Trojans bowl record and tied the Pac-12 bowl record.

Isaac Guerendo ran 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville (10-4). Jack Plummer threw for 141 yards with no touchdowns.

Moss also threw scoring passes of 17 and 29 yards to Tahj Washington, who completed his first 1,000-yard receiving season. Kyron Hudson caught a 9-yard touchdown pass two plays after