Before the USC Trojans game against the Wisconsin Badgers sophomore receiver Ja’Kobi Lane’s best game was a three catch for 60 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s Holiday Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals.
Lane wasn’t much of a factor in his freshman year as he was stuck behind future NFL draft pick Brandon Rice and, but in that game, he got the nod with Rice in preparation for the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. All USC receivers got touches as Miller Moss threw the ball 33 times.
With both 2023 leading receivers, Rice and Tahj Washington off to the NFL the question was who would step up and fill their void. It seemed like the 6 foot 4, 195 pounder was poised to be the one to step into that role.
But through the first three games, he did not make a splash. He was solid and involved, averaging 3 catches and 29 yards per game.
Ja’kobi Lane Catches 10 Passes For 105 Yards and 2 Touchdowns To Fuel USC Trojans To Victory
But Lane stuck another feather in his cap that he will emerge as one of college football’s premier receivers, like so many Trojan receivers before him. And he did it in dramatic fashion.
When USC was down in the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers, Lane pulled in a contested catch while taking a hard shot picking up 15 yards, which is exactly what the Trojans needed to pick up the first down and keep the drive alive.
Three plays later on 3rd and goal from the Wisconsin six-yard line he hauled in his second touchdown of the day.
His first came on the first drive of the game. He caught a 14-yard pass a few plays before catching a 32-yard bomb.
He also caught four of the team’s 11 3rd down conversions. He caught 30 percent of Miller Moss’s completions and his 105 yards represent 34 percent of his passing yards. Lane had caught for 116 yards in the first three games.
His biggest contribution was kicking off an unanswered 21-0 run to set up the second-half comeback win.
The USC Trojans have several receivers who could dominate a game, but Lane’s game is easily the most dominant individual performance by a USC receiver so far this year and he did it when the team needed it the most.
