The Cotton Bowl finish is setting up to be yet another classic here in this later portion of the 2022-23 college football bowl game schedule with USC holding a 35-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter. USC quarterback Caleb Williams already has 400 passing yards and four touchdowns in his first game since winning the Heisman Trophy, and though the Trojans are down star wide receiver Jordan Addison, the receiver room has gotten a huge boost from Brenden Rice, who has 174 yards and two touchdowns on six catches through three quarters.
While USC, boasting more than 500 yards of offense already, has scored touchdowns on five of its seven possessions, there have been answers at nearly every turn from Tulane. The Green Wave have two touchdowns and a field goal on their three third quarter possessions, and running back Tyjae Spears is challenging Williams and Rice for the moniker of most impactful player in the game. Spears has 152 yards and three touchdowns, marking the eighth straight game he has run for at least 100 yards.
In USC’s case, the stakes for the final quarter include winning a bowl game for the first time since the end of the 2016 season and getting a jump start on the 2023 campaign with another stellar performance from Williams. Tulane is already in its biggest bowl game since before World War II, so to win would cap what has already been a dream turnaround from 2-10 in 2021 to 11-2 in 2022.
CBS Sports will keep you updated throughout the Cotton Bowl with analysis and highlights as USC battles Tulane.