USC escaped Corvallis, Ore., with the most defining win of its young season Saturday night, needing both a touchdown with a little more than a minute to go and then a late interception to squeak out a 17-14 thriller against Oregon State.

An offense that came into the night ranked 7th in the country in scoring at more than 50 points per game didn't find the end zone until the fourth quarter in this one. The Trojans trailed for most of the night, star quarterback Caleb Williams struggled to get anything going in the passing game until the very end and a raucous orange-clad crowd inside Reser Stadium sure felt imposing at times.

But the USC defense forced four more turnovers -- making it 14 in four games now -- while center Brett Neilon pushed his quarterback across the line for a crucial late first down and Williams saved his best throw for last on a 21-yard dime to Jordan Addison to offset all that had gone wrong throughout the evening.

And when Oregon State QB Chance Nolan's downfield pass was deflected by linebacker Eric Gentry and landed in the hands of safety Max Williams to seal the win, the sideline erupted.

Coach Lincoln Riley was asked afterward if winning like this meant a little more than the blowout victories that had preceded it in USC's now 4-0 start.

"One-hundred percent. If everything's rolling and you don't [face adversity] that's awesome, and obviously we'd love for that to happen every week, but that's not college football. It doesn't happen like that all the time," Riley said. "How many times do you see a really good team go in and get upset or beat in a tough road atmosphere like tonight? It happens all the time. That's where you separate yourself. Really great teams find a way no matter what the circumstances."

RELATED: Watch the USC postgame press conference with Lincoln Riley, Eric Gentry and Travis Dye | Watch the postgame interview with USC DC Alex Grinch

Whether or not this proves to be a really great Trojans team -- and there's plenty of reason to think it will -- they sure delivered a great and momentous ending Saturday.

USC finally found the end zone in the opening minute of the fourth quarter on a 7-yard Travis Dye touchdown run on fourth-and-2 as the Trojans took their first lead, 10-7.

On the next drive, cornerback Mekhi Blackmon looked to have put momentum squarely in the Trojans' favor with a fantastic interception deep in USC territory, only to have the USC offense sputter out just in front of its own goal line. The ensuing punt went poorly, barely making it to the USC 35 and returned to the 22.

Oregon State's offense made the most of the opportunity, as Jam Griffin darted through an open lane for an 18-yard touchdown as the Beavers retook the lead, 14-10, with 4:41 remaining.

Williams would finish just 16 of 36 passing for 180 yards, but his final pass was by far his best -- a 21-yard strike down the sideline that got to Addison just before an Oregon State defender closed in on him.

Needing just a field goal to tie the game and 1:07 on the clock, the Beavers began moving the ball after being gifted 15 yards on a USC unnecessary roughness penalty on the kickoff by walk-on Clyde Moore. The Beavers quickly got it near midfield, but on third-and-10 from the Oregon State 46, Chance Nolan heaved the ball downfield only to have it knocked away by the long arms of Gentry and into the lap of Max Williams.

With that, the No. 7-ranked Trojans survived to move to 4-0.

First quarter

None

Second quarter

13:18, Oregon State: Deshaun Fenwick 4-yard TD run (Everett Hayes kick), OSU 7-0

5:38, USC: Denis Lynch 42-yard field goal, OSU 7-3

Third quarter

None

Fourth quarter

14:18, USC: Travis Dye 7-yard TD run (Denis Lynch kick), USC 10-7

4:41, Oregon State: Jam Griffin 18-yard TD run (Everett Hayes kick), OSU 14-10

1:13, USC: Caleb Williams 21-yard pass to Jordan Addison TD (Denis Lynch kick), USC 17-14

With 14:18 left to play, the Trojans faced an inflection point as they settled in for fourth-and-2 from the Oregon State 7. Trailing 7-3, the Trojans went for it. Caleb Williams handed the ball to Travis Dye on a read option play, and the running back bolted to the right side of the line. Jonah Monheim had blasted open a hole and Dye burst through it, breaking through a tackle attempt by the safety before rolling into the end zone with high knees. USC took its first lead of the game and the offense scored its first touchdown of the day on the play, setting the table for a tight victory.

Eric Gentry barely got his hand on the Beavers' final pass of the game, tipping a deep crossing route thrown by Chance Nolan while he trailed the receiver down the field. The ball bounced up, back and safely into the waiting arms of Max WIlliams, securing a USC win. Gentry wasn't even the primary defender, but he picked up the route and covered it anyways.

RB Travis Dye

The USC offense found itself in real trouble tonight as the passing game sputtered, managing just three points through three quarters. Caleb Williams struggled to make reads and had serious accuracy problems, leaving the run game to carry the load. Dye answered the call, keeping the USC offense moving early on while Williams searched for his rhythm.

Through the first half, Dye managed 92 yards on just 9 rushes while the team managed only 64 yards through the air. After both teams battled through a scoreless third quarter, Dye broke the dam on his fourth-down scamper for a touchdown, putting USC in the lead for the first time. He continued to pop long runs through to the end of the game, despite stouter run defense from the Beavers, helping the Trojans close out the win.

Dye finished with 133 rushing yards and a TD on 19 carries for his third straight 100-yard game.

DL Tuli Tuipulotu

He wasn’t among the Trojans to force a turnover tonight, but Tuipulotu affected this game in USC’s favor more than anybody through four quarters. His consistent ability to generate penetration was key to the team’s strong defensive performance against a highly-capable Oregon State offensive line. Against both the pass and the run, he found his way into the backfield, sometimes untouched. His efforts disrupting the Beavers' offense were critical to USC's close victory.

Special mention is warranted for center Brett Neilon having the presence of mind to push his quarterback to a pivotal first down after Caleb Williams was initially stopped short on fourth-and-6 of the Trojans' game-winning drive.

William would connect with Addison for the game-winning touchdown five plays later, but only because of that nudge from Neilon.

It doesn't rhyme like the Bush Push, but we'll take the alliteration.

Surprisingly enough, it was the defense's efforts over four quarters that got USC out of the state of Oregon with a victory. On a night when Caleb Williams floundered spectacularly, the Trojans defense held its ground against an Oregon State offense that had scored efficiently through three weeks. The previously-unbeaten Beavers were held to just 14 points on the night, their strong rushing attack held capably in check by the USC front seven for most of the game. Four key interceptions continued the defense's stand, including the game-clincher on the final drive. The Trojans' fortitude on that side of the ball kept the team alive on a nightmare of an offensive night.

This USC offense is not the unstoppable juggernaut some have thought it was. Not yet at least. It all begins with Caleb Williams, who played what might have been the worst game of his collegiate career to this point. His decision-making was highly concerning from start to finish in this one, and his accuracy was just never there on a consistent basis. He delivered a beautiful strike for the game-winning score to Addison, but the body of work he laid forth tonight leaves questions.

USC simply needs Williams to be better — much, much better — for this team to be competitive down the stretch. He's a fantastic player, but he can't have "oopsie" games like this one. The USC defense, however, proved that it does have the ability to reach another gear. It also showed that its ability to generate turnovers is a very real trait, adding 4 to bring their season total to 14.

Passing

Caleb Williams: 16/36, 180 yds, 1 TD

Rushing

Travis Dye: 19 carries for 133 yards, 1 TD

Caleb Williams: 9 carries, 27 yards

Austin Jones: 5 carries, 11 yards

Raleek Brown: 3 rushes, 8 yards

Receiving

Tahj Washington: 6 catches, 67 yards

Jordan Addison: 3 catches, 42 yards, 1 TD

Brenden Rice: 3 catches, 28 yards

Mario Williams: 1 catch, 22 yards

Travis Dye: 1 catch, 9 yards

Lake McRee: 1 catch, 8 yards

Kyron Hudson: 1 catch, 4 yards