Southern California wide receiver George Farmer and the Trojans just cleared Nebraska and safety Corey Cooper, right, and cornerback Daniel Davie on Saturday night in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
Southern California wide receiver George Farmer and the Trojans just cleared Nebraska and safety Corey Cooper, right, and cornerback Daniel Davie on Saturday night in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Kessler threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns for USC (9-4), which was playing Nebraska (9-4) in a bowl game for the first time.

USC stuffed De’Mornay Pierson on fourth-and-3 from the USC 31 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Nebraska had one final shot but Tommy Armstrong Jr.’s desperation pass as time ran out was knocked down inside the 10.

Armstrong had brought Nebraska back from a 45-27 deficit with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Westerkamp and a 15-yard keeper and a 2-point conversion pass to Kenny Bell.

Armstrong threw for 381 yards and three TDs.

USC had 515 yards of total offense and Nebraska finished with 525.