Miss the first two, make the last one.

That wasn’t exactly Joe Houston’s plan heading into Saturday’s game against Arizona State, but the Trojans kicker came through when it mattered most, hammering home a 29-yarder to give USC (6-3, 3-3) a thrilling 34-33 win at the Coliseum.

The Trojans, so often the victims of late-game misfortune this season, were finally on the winning end of a last-minute play.

Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber missed a 42-yard field goal that would have given the Sun Devils the lead with 1:32 left and USC held on to earn its sixth win of a setback-riddled season.

“I really felt like ‘finally,’” coach Lane Kiffin said. “We just haven’t had many breaks this year where things go our way. It’s really good for our players [to win] such a roller coaster game.”

Saturday’s game was certainly tumultuous. The lead changed four times, including a swing that saw Arizona State erase a 15-point third quarter deficit. The Sun Devils’ defense stifled the Trojans all night, stopping them on 11 of 15 third down attempts.

“There’s a reason why they’re the No. 1 third down defense in the conference,” Kiffin said. “There’s a reason why Oregon was forced to punt 11 times. And there’s a reason why Washington ran for only four yards [against them]. It’s a really good defense.”

Matt Barkley threw for three touchdowns but struggled to find his rhythm under the lights. ASU held him to 215 yards passing and forced him to throw two interceptions. He looked particularly reluctant to throw the ball away when pressured -- Arizona State recorded four sacks. 

USC’s running backs fared a little better, gaining 187 yards on the ground (119 of them courtesy of Marc Tyler). But the real key for the Trojans was special teams play.

T.J. McDonald tipped one punt and blocked a second that gave USC great field position midway through the second quarter. The block party continued when Tyron Smith knocked down a point after attempt. Torin Harris scooped up the ball and ran it back to bring the Trojans within two points at a key time in the game. Those plays rallied the Trojans and ultimately gave them the impetus to make good on what was an otherwise lackluster showing.

“Coach Baxter does a great job of preparing us,” McDonald said of the team’s special teams coach. “He really breaks stuff down and pays attention to detail. He puts us in a great position. We practice blocking punts every day.”

In the end, it all came down to Houston’s leg though.

The senior had previously missed field goals of 27 and 35 yards, but those disappointments vanished as his final kick split the uprights.

“I’m human. I was anxious,” Houston said after the game. “But I believe in myself and my teammates and the team put me in a position to succeed. I just did my job.”

Key moment: Smith’s blocked point after attempt with 6:59 left in the fourth quarter set up a two-point runback by Harris that cut Arizona State’s lead to two points, 33-31. The play paved the way for Houston’s game-winning field goal minutes later. If not for Harris’ run, the Trojans would have been forced to go for a touchdown during a time when their offense was struggling.

Game changer: Malcolm Smith’s 74-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. Steven Threet had been throwing to the flat all game. Smith took advantage, jumping a pass in the left flank and taking it to the house a la his pick against UCLA last season. 

“I had a great opportunity,” Smith said. “[Threet] threw it right at me and I had the blocks. I had the energy to get [the touchdown].”

Player of the game: Marc Tyler. There weren’t many standout offensive performances in this game, but Tyler’s 119 rushing yards on 10 carries was pretty impressive. He also had a receiving touchdown on a great cutback move along the sideline. His tough running and the catches he made in the flat made up for a lackluster performance by starter Dillon Baxter.

“For some reason, I feel like I do better when I come off [the bench], when I’m the reliever,” Tyler said. “But if I start, I start. If I don’t, when I come in there and get the ball I’m going to make something happen.”

Play of the game: Houston’s 29-yard field goal to win the game. Normally, a kicker who misses two of three attempts isn’t rewarded with play-of-the-game status, but given the timing (3:06 left in the game) and significance (turned USC’s late-game fortunes) of Houston’s kick, it’s justifiable in this case. 

Unsung hero: Stanley Havili. The senior fullback rushed for just 12 yards on four carries, but he was a key part of the receiving game (three catches for 43 yards). He also scored a crucial touchdown (a 22-yard catch that put USC up by 15) in the third quarter.

Key stat: Malcolm Smith’s “pick 6” was just USC’s second defensive touchdown of the season. The first was Nickell Robey’s interception for a touchdown against Washington State.

Best coaching decision: The USC offense came alive in the second quarter when Kiffin began calling more passes in the flat to Tyler and Havili. The short pass approach stopped ASU from keying on Robert Woods and Ronald Johnson downfield and opened up the running game.

Worst coaching decision: Starting Dillon Baxter at running back. The highly-touted freshman ran for just 52 yards on 17 carries against ASU’s ferocious front seven. He didn’t have the strength or the drive to bull through the Sun Devils’ line the way Tyler did later in the game. Putting Baxter in the starting lineup shows that Kiffin feels he is maturing (which is a good thing), but in this instance it was the wrong call.

To reach editor Patrick Crawley, click here. Follow him on Twitter, @BasketballFiend.