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SAN DIEGO — USC bid farewell to the Pac-12 Conference with a six-pack to go and an eggnog bath to toast an otherwise unremarkable season.

With Caleb Williams watching from the sideline, Miller Moss threw a Holiday Bowl-record six touchdown passes in his first college start, and USC ended a frustrating campaign by beating No. 16 Louisville 42-28 on Wednesday night. Afterward, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley had a tub of eggnog poured over his head.

Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner who opted out of the game, watched from the sideline with his No. 13 jersey hanging around his neck. He ran onto the field and jumped on Moss in celebration after the redshirt sophomore twice took a knee in victory formation at Petco Park.

While Williams was among several Trojans who sat out, others showed up to play, such as redshirt senior wide receiver Tahj Washington, who caught two touchdown passes.

“From a leadership standpoint, we had a really strong senior group that wanted to come back and play this game, and I think that was really led by them,” Moss said. “They set the example, and it was easy for me to then fall in line behind them.”

Asked if Moss secured the starting quarterback job for next year, wideout Kyron Hudson, who blocked a punt then caught a scoring pass shortly thereafter, said: “What Miller did out there, it’s something that’s going to help us in the future, so, personally, yes, he did. I’m super excited for Miller. He waited his time, and he’s ready for it. He’s the guy we need.”

Moss took full advantage of the opportunity he was given when Williams, the presumptive first overall pick in the NFL draft, opted out.

Moss was 23-of-33 for 372 yards with one interception. He broke the Holiday Bowl record of four touchdown passes held by four players, including Jim McMahon in BYU‘s miracle 46-45 comeback win against SMU in 1980. The milestone came late in the third quarter when Moss lobbed a 12-yard pass to a leaping Ja’Kobi Lane in the back of the end zone. Lane’s second TD reception of the night gave USC a 35-21 lead.

Moss added on with a beautiful 44-yard scoring strike to Duce Robinson for a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes to go.

The six TD passes were also the most by a quarterback in his first start for USC (8-5), which had lost three straight games and five of six coming in after opening the campaign with national championship aspirations. The scoring tosses also were a Trojans bowl record and tied the Pac-12 bowl mark.

The Trojans played their final Pac-12 football game. They are joining the Big Ten next season, along with fellow Pac-12 defectors UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

“We could have come into this game not caring about it,” Riley said. “Honestly, all the years and wins and stuff, this was as fun a win as I can remember as a head coach. Just with all the changes, all the back and forth, six weeks, 20-plus guys that didn’t play in this game for different reasons.

“That’s a good football team that we just beat up on.”

Isaac Guerendo ran 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville (10-4). Jack Plummer threw for 141 yards with no touchdowns. The right-handed quarterback dislocated the pinky on his throwing hand early in the second quarter and had it popped back in. He said it didn’t affect his throwing.

Moss also threw scoring passes of 17 and 29 yards to Washington, who completed his first 1,000-yard receiving season. Hudson caught a 9-yard touchdown pass two plays after blocking Brady Hodges‘ punt, which went out of bounds at the Cardinals’ 18-yard line.

“They had a couple matchups of fast players on our safeties, and it just wasn’t one of our better days,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. “A lot of those guys have played well all year long; today wasn’t their best day.”

Leading 28-14, the Trojans were driving early in the third quarter when Moss was intercepted at the goal line by Quincy Riley, who returned it 61 yards to USC’s 39-yard line. Five plays later, Guerendo scored on a 1-yard run to pull the Cardinals within a touchdown.

Guerendo had scored on a 2-yard run on Louisville’s first possession of the game.

After USC kicker Denis Lynch was wide right on a 38-yard field goal try, the Trojans got the ball right back when Max Williams strip-sacked Plummer, with Solomon Byrd recovering at Louisville’s 19-yard line. Moss threw a short pass to Washington, who deked two defenders before diving into the end zone to tie the score 7-7.

USC jumped to a 21-7 lead on Moss’ second scoring pass to Washington and Hudson’s subsequent TD. Evan Conley scored on a 9-yard run for Louisville before USC went 75 yards in five plays just before halftime, with Moss dodging a defender, rolling right and chucking up a 31-yarder to Lane for a 28-14 advantage.

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Hintz (leg) back in action, joins Stars’ top line

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Hintz (leg) back in action, joins Stars' top line

EDMONTON, Alberta — Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz is back in the lineup for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday.

The club’s top skater, sidelined since Game 2, when he took a slash to the left leg from Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, was placed on the top line, alongside Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen after taking warmups and line rushes prior to puck drop.

Hintz also took part in warmups before Game 3 on Sunday but exited early and was ruled out. He was back on the ice for Dallas’ optional practice Monday and told reporters he was “feeling good” and “trying to do everything I can” to get back in for Game 4.

It was early in the third period of Game 2 when Hintz — parked in front of the Oilers’ net — shoved Nurse from behind, and the Oilers’ blueliner responded by swinging his stick at Hintz’s leg. Hintz went down to the ice for several minutes before being helped off by Lian Bichsel and Mikael Granlund.

Nurse received a two-minute penalty for the slash but no supplementary discipline from the league. The blueliner addressed the incident publicly for the first time Tuesday, saying it didn’t come with malicious intent.

“I was backing up to net and I got shot in the back. And I think it was just a natural reaction [to respond],” Nurse said. “It’s probably a play that everyone in this room, whether you’re a net-front guy or D man, probably happens a dozen, two dozen times in a year. It’s unfortunate that I must have got [Hintz] in a bad spot. You don’t want to go out there and hurt anyone. But it was just one of those plays that happens so often.”

Having Hintz unavailable hurt the Stars in Game 3, a 6-1 drubbing by the Oilers that put Dallas in a 2-1 hole in the best-of-seven series. Hintz is the Stars’ second-leading scorer in the postseason, with 11 goals and 15 points through 15 games. He was hopeful when taking warmups Sunday that he’d feel good enough to get back in, but a quick discussion with the training staff made it clear he wasn’t ready.

Before Tuesday night, coach Peter DeBoer had since classified Hintz’s status as day-to-day.

“Of course you want to go every night, but sometimes you just can’t,” Hintz said. “I don’t know how close I [was to playing]. But I have played many years [and I] know when it’s good and when it’s not. I should be good to know that [when] it comes to that decision.”

The Oilers will have some lineup changes of their own to sort through in Game 4. Connor Brown, who is out after taking a hit from Alexander Petrovic in Game 3, will be replaced by Viktor Arvidsson. Calvin Pickard, injured in Edmonton’s second-round series against Vegas, will return to back up Stuart Skinner. And Edmonton continues to wait on defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who is getting closer to returning from a lower-body injury.

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Referee Rooney returns, 11 days after high stick

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Referee Rooney returns, 11 days after high stick

EDMONTON, Alberta — NHL official Chris Rooney was back on the ice Tuesday night for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.

It was the veteran referee’s conference finals debut, and a fitting return for Rooney given the circumstances. It was Rooney’s first game since he took a high stick to the face on May 17 during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers.

Rooney was injured 13 seconds into the second period when Panthers’ defenseman Niko Mikkola caught him with the end of his stick while fighting for a puck. Rooney fell to the ice and was tended to by trainers from both teams.

While bloodied, he was able to leave under his own power. Rooney sustained a black eye and received stitches for his injury but had no lasting damage. He was replaced at the time by Garrett Rank, in the building on standby in case on injury.

It was clear even the day after his injury that Rooney, 50, hoped to resume duties at some point in the playoffs. The Boston native was finally able to step in for Game 4 with fellow referee Dan O’Rourke.

The pair was joined by linesmen Ryan Gibbons and Matt MacPherson. Referee Graham Skilliter and linesman Ryan Daisy were in the building as alternates.

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Oilers forward Hyman injured in 1st, exits Game 4

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Oilers forward Hyman injured in 1st, exits Game 4

EDMONTON, Alberta — Edmonton Oilers‘ top-line forward Zach Hyman was ruled out for the rest of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday against the Dallas Stars after taking a hit from forward Mason Marchment, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported on the game broadcast.

The first-period collision appeared to immediately rattle Hyman, who dropped his stick and seemed to favor his right arm or wrist. Hyman went directly to the Oilers’ dressing room and did not return.

Hyman has been a key member of the Oilers’ postseason success, registering a league-leading 119 hits in 14 playoff games and scoring five goals and 11 points. He’s a fixture on the team’s top forward unit with Connor McDavid and is part of both the Oilers’ power play and penalty kill.

Edmonton was already down a forward going into Game 4 with Connor Brown sidelined after a hit from Dallas defenseman Alexander Petrovic in Sunday’s Game 3. Viktor Arvidsson returned to the lineup as Brown’s replacement on the fourth line.

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