Alamo Bowl Magic: Ken Seals’ Movie-Ending Rally Powers TCU Over No. 16 USC

In a storybook finish for the hometown hero, Ken Seals led two dramatic scoring drives in the final five minutes to secure a 30-27 overtime victory against USC in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO — They say you can’t write a better script than reality. For TCU quarterback Ken Seals, his final collegiate game was exactly that: a movie. Making his first-ever start for his childhood favorite team, the Azle, Texas native steered the TCU Horned Frogs (9-4) to a gritty, come-from-behind victory over the No. 16 USC Trojans (9-4) on Tuesday night.

Seals, a sixth-year senior who spent the last two seasons as a backup, stepped into the spotlight after starter Josh Hoover entered the transfer portal. He didn’t just fill the gap—he owned the moment.

The Turning Point: Jeremy Payne’s Overtime Heroics

The game reached a fever pitch in overtime. After the TCU defense held USC to a short field goal on their opening possession, the Horned Frogs faced a disastrous 3rd-and-20 from the 35-yard line.

What happened next will live in Alamo Bowl lore:

The Play: Seals checked down to freshman running back Jeremy Payne in the flat.
The Effort: Payne caught the ball at the line of scrimmage, evaded four USC defenders, and broke multiple tackles along the sideline to dive into the end zone.
The Result: A walk-off touchdown that sent San Antonio into a frenzy.

“I’m not surprised,” said TCU linebacker and Defensive MVP Kaleb Elarms-Orr. “He was doing it all night. Once he made that first dude miss, I knew he was gone.”

Game Stats & Highlights

The Box Score

Key Performer	Team	Stats
Ken Seals (QB)	TCU	29/40, 258 Yards, 1 TD
Jeremy Payne (RB)	TCU	123 Total Yards, 2 TDs
Jayden Maiava (QB)	USC	280 Yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Jaden Richardson (WR)	USC	1 TD (Spectacular 1-hand catch)

A Hero’s Journey

For Seals, this wasn’t just another game. Growing up only 23 miles from the TCU campus, he had waited years for this opportunity. After starting 22 games at Vanderbilt, he transferred to TCU only to wait behind Hoover.

“My mentality was just sell out, it’s your last one, man,” Seals said, reflecting on his 59-yard drive in the final 2:44 of regulation that set up the game-tying field goal.

Red Zone Woes for Lincoln Riley and USC

Despite a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch by Jaden Richardson to take the lead in the third quarter, USC struggled where it mattered most. The Trojans were held to four field goals by a stifling TCU defense that refused to break, even after a crucial pass interference call gave USC a first down at the 2-yard line in overtime.

Coach Lincoln Riley pointed to execution as the primary culprit: “We just did not execute good enough in the red zone on either side of the ball.”

What’s Next for Both Programs?

The win provides TCU with massive momentum heading into the 2026 season with a 9-4 record. For USC, the loss ends a promising season on a sour note, leaving Riley and his staff to address red-zone efficiency and defensive consistency during the spring ball.