LAS VEGAS -- There was no more symbolic image of what USC's dramatic Friday night finish meant than to see wide receiver Kyle Ford fall to his knees in the end zone and bury his helmet in his hands in an unleash of emotion after catching the game-winning touchdown pass with 8 seconds left in the Trojans' come-from-behind 35-31 Las Vegas Bowl win over Texas A&M.

Perhaps, no one on the roster more embodied the toil and frustration of this season that simply didn't go as planned for almost anyone involved than the sixth-year senior.

Ford had left USC after the 2023 season to chase a bigger role across town at rival UCLA, only for it not to materialize, so he returned to the Trojans for his final season again expecting more. That didn't come either, as he spoke only about his frustration during the latter part of the season.

But for all of that, going back to the two ACL surgeries that derailed his early years at USC and undermined the trajectory many expected for the former top-100 national prospect, the best moment of Ford's complicated college football career was saved for the very end.

"Man, it was just a lot of emotion. My journey hasn't been exactly easy," Ford said afterward. "I thought it was going to be easy from where I was coming out of high school. Just in that moment everything flooded -- the two surgeries, the grinding, being in a bad position, transferring, not getting what I want out of it ... this is just a testament to how hard I think I've worked and persevered through it. So that all hit me all at once, and it was a cool way to end it."

There's been no player on USC's roster easier to root for than Ford, who has always been candid and open in discussing the ups and downs of these last six years.

Albeit admittedly frustrated to not be a bigger part of the passing game (yet again) this fall, he remained a committed teammate to playing his role, whatever it entailed.

If anyone deserved a moment like that, a strong case can be made it was indeed Ford.

"That was awesome. For his career to play out the way it did, to come back to us here this year, he was one of our captains for the game, he's had a great attitude all year," coach Lincoln Riley said. "He's been one of those guys that just wanted to do anything it took to win all year, and so yeah, it was kind of fitting that the senior gets a chance to make that play and what an awesome play it was. So what a great memory for him and, again, that's the kind of guys you want to build around, guys that are that invested in this program."

Riley and Ford shared a big embrace during the on-field celebration after the dramatic win.

According to Stats Perform, Ford is the first FBS player to end his college football career with a game-winning touchdown in the final 10 seconds of his last game since Iowa's Warren Holloway 20 years ago.

Ford finished with a season-high 6 catches for 59 yards Friday night, pushing his season totals to 26 receptions (a career-high) for 317 yards and 3 TDs (also a career-best).

For his six-year collegiate career, he had 88 catches for 1,190 yards and 9 TDs.

"You always look back at it and if you're a competitor you're always going to be hard on yourself and you want more. Those moments are like, 'Damn, we could have done that a lot more, I feel like.' But, you know, that's the journey," Ford said. "Some years are good, some years are learning -- that's what it is. I think it was a good way to end for me and my confidence and going forward bringing that into the league and find my path there."

Asked what he took from the frustration of this season, Ford said any disappointment didn't compare to the toughest years of his journey -- the two ACL tears, the tough year across town at UCLA, etc.

"I came to terms with it. I'm happy with the man I am and like the way I grew as a person aside from football, but football also teaches you some good lessons and I think that was a good one tonight," he said.

As for that indelible moment to end it, USC had rallied back from being down 24-7 late in the third quarter to take a 28-24 lead with less than 5 minutes left only to have Texas A&M retake the lead, 31-28, with 1:49 to play.

The Trojans then went 75 yards on 10 plays, including the final first-and-goal from the 7 with 12 seconds left. Ford knew he was going to be open on the play and had a good feeling the pass from Jayden Maiava was coming his way.

"Absolutely. I knew it right away," he said. "I think it was No. 10 that was on me the whole game, so pre-snap he's pretty head up on me and then he took a step back. You know, I was like, 'Jayden better throw this damn ball.' And he did and it happened. I knew right away. ... Yeah, I was ready for it."