LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Jayden Maiava passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, and Makai Lemon had a career day with 161 receiving yards and two scores as Southern California pulled away from Northwestern for a 38-17 victory on Friday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

A crowd of 67,179 watched the Trojans improve to 7-2 overall, while the Wildcats fell to 5-4.

Northwestern struck first, capitalizing on its opening drive. The Wildcats methodically moved down the field, with running back Caleb Komolafe doing the bulk of the work before quarterback Preston Stone found Griffin Wilde for a 4-yard touchdown pass.

Southern California answered immediately, embarking on a 15-play, 75-yard drive that Maiava capped with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Lemon, tying the game at 7-7.

The Trojans took their first lead early in the second quarter. Maiava engineered another long drive, finishing it himself with a 6-yard scramble into the end zone to put USC up 14-7.

The Wildcats responded with a drive of their own, keyed by a 37-yard burst from Komolafe. The running back finished the possession with a 2-yard touchdown run, his lone score of the game, to tie the contest at 14-14.

Just before halftime, USC reclaimed the lead. A 55-yard run set up the Trojans in Northwestern territory, and a few plays later, a 12-yard rushing touchdown gave Southern California a 21-14 advantage heading into the break.

The Trojans extended their lead on their first possession of the second half. Maiava connected with Ja’Kobi Lane on a 10-yard touchdown pass, capping a drive that featured a 52-yard completion to Lemon.

Northwestern managed to get on the board in the third quarter with a 33-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 28-17.

Any hope of a Wildcats comeback was extinguished early in the fourth quarter. Lemon took an end-around 4 yards for a touchdown, his second of the game. A late field goal by Ryon Sayeri provided the final margin.

Maiava, from Las Vegas, was efficient, completing 24 of 33 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns, adding 10 rushing yards and another score on the ground. Lemon, a local product from Los Alamitos, was his primary target, hauling in 11 receptions for 161 yards.

For Northwestern, Komolafe was a bright spot, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and adding five receptions for 40 yards. Stone, from Dallas, completed 20 of 30 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown.

The USC defense, led by linebacker Eric Gentry and a host of tacklers including Kamari Ramsey and Braylon Conley, who each had six tackles, kept the Wildcats’ passing attack in check and recorded two sacks.

The victory sets up a pivotal Pac-12 matchup for Southern California, which hosts Iowa next Saturday. Northwestern returns home to face Michigan.