Cody Kessler had three touchdown passes, and Javorius Allen ran for two scores, as 24th-ranked Southern California held off No. 25 Nebraska, 45-42, in a wild Holiday Bowl.
Kessler finished 23-of-39 for 321 yards with an interception. Allen carried the ball 26 times for 152 yards for the Trojans (9-4), who won their sixth bowl game in the last seven tries.
The Cornhuskers (9-4), guided by interim coach Barney Cotton, nearly rallied from an 18-point, second-half deficit in a game the teams combined for 1,040 yards.
Instead of attempting the tying field goal, Nebraska ran the ball on 4th-and-3 from the USC 31 with 2:35 left. De'Mornay Pierson-El rushed to the left, but Leon McQuay III came from across the field to make the tackle for a 1-yard gain.
Nebraska was down to one timeout, which allowed USC to run out most of the remaining time.
The Cornhuskers got the ball at their 32 following a punt and a 15-yard USC penalty with 17 seconds left. Kenny Bell was able to get out of bounds at the Nebraska 44 with one second left. USC players had already flooded the field before a video review showed Bell fell out of bounds.
Tommy Armstrong Jr.'s final pass went short of the end zone and was knocked out of bounds by Nelson Agholor.
Armstrong completed 32-of-51 for 381 yards with three TDs and an interception. Ameer Abdullah rushed 27 times for 88 yards and a score, while Pierson-El had eight receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Cotton, who has been on the staff as an associate head coach for the past seven seasons, replaced the fired Bo Pelini. The Cornhuskers let Pelini go on Nov. 30 despite winning at least nine games in each of his seven seasons at the school.
[SportsNetwork.com]
