The Cotton Bowl finish is set to be another classic in this next installment of the 2022-23 college football bowl game schedule, with USC taking a 35-30 lead 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 while the Trojans don star wide receiver Jordan Addison, the receiver room got a big boost from Brendan Rice, who had 174 yards. and two touchdowns on six catches through three quarters.
USC, already boasting more than 500 yards of offense and scoring touchdowns on five of its seven possessions, had answers on nearly every turn from Tulane. The Green Wave have two touchdowns and a field goal on their three third-quarter possessions, and Tyjay Spears is challenging Williams and Rice for the title of most impactful player in the game. Spears has 152 yards and three touchdowns, marking the eighth straight game in which he has rushed for at least 100 yards.
In USC’s case, the stakes for the final quarter are winning a bowl game for the first time at the end of the 2016 season and getting a jump start on the 2023 campaign with another outstanding performance from Williams. Tulane is already in its biggest bowl game since before World War II, so winning was already 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 takes on Tulane.