Lemon’s 32-Yard Strike Lifts Trojans Past Bruins at the Coliseum

Los Angeles — USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, already celebrated as the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner and a consensus All-American, added another highlight to his decorated résumé Saturday night, hauling in a 32-yard touchdown pass that helped seal the Trojans’ victory over crosstown rival UCLA at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The second-half scoring play showcased the precise route-running and reliable hands that have NFL talent evaluators projecting Lemon as one of the first offensive weapons off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. After finding a seam in the Bruins’ secondary, Lemon secured the catch and sprinted into the end zone, prompting an exuberant celebration that energized the home crowd and widened USC’s margin in a pivotal late-season matchup.

Lemon’s touchdown was his latest impact moment in a campaign that has seen him dominate opposing defenses and solidify his place among college football’s elite pass-catchers. While the Trojans continue to build momentum, the electrifying score against UCLA further burnished Lemon’s draft stock and offered a glimpse of the playmaking ability that has Miami Dolphins scouts—among others—taking diligent notes ahead of April’s selection process.