Arizona at USC
This was a tale of two halves—one half with USC’s uber talented WR Drake London and one half without. In the first half with London the Trojans put points up on the board at a blistering pace, scoring TD’s five of the six times they handled the ball while averaging less than three minutes a possession. The closest the Wildcats got was when they tied the score within the first four minutes of the game on a 73 yard TD pass from QB Jamarye Joiner to Tayvian Cunningham which included a USC pass interference call. After that, the first half was all about USC scoring TD’s, one with a fumble assist from the Wildcats. Arizona scored another TD of their own in the half but by the break the Trojans were up 35-14 and London had already caught 9 passes for 81 yards and 2 TD’s before leaving on a cart with his right ankle immobilized and sadly, after confirmation of an ankle fracture, is out for the rest of the year and maybe forever as far as college goes.
The second half, without London, was a whole different story with Arizona picking up seven quick points when Trojan QB Kedon Slovis threw up a pick six on USC’s own 37 yard line, then adding two more field goals and another TD while the Trojans were only able to put up a field goal in each of the 3rd and 4th Qtrs, making the final score against the worst team in the PAC-12 uncomfortably close in the end—just a TD apart at 41-34—with Freshman Safety Calen Bullock recovering an on-side kick with under two minutes left to seal the deal.
It’s almost as though the Trojan’s couldn’t figure out what to do in their passing game after London left. He is huge, not just within the USC program, but nationally and as Head Coach Donte Williams pointed out afterwards, “was about to put up one of the best statistical seasons that any receiver has put up in college football.” Ryan Kartje, in his game review for the Los Angeles Times continues; “It’s not an exaggeration either. Even after missing the second half of Saturday’s game, London still leads all Power Five wideouts in receptions (88) and receiving yards (1,084). Had he continued that pace, London would’ve almost certainly surpassed Marqise Lee (118) for the most receptions in a single season in school history while also challenging him for the single-season record for yards (1,721). Lee set both marks in 2012, capping his record-setting season by winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.”
USC Junior QB, Kedon Slovis, and Freshman Jaxson Dart teamed up under center for this one—unknown by Slovis until he was substituted for—with both connecting for a combined 313 yards and two TD’s each with the other two going to Sophomore WR Gary Bryant Jr. Senior RB Keaontay Ingram shouldered the bulk of the running game rushing 27 times for 204 of the Trojan’s 234 yards while picking up their only score on the ground. Arizona Freshman QB Will Plummer connected on 20-of-34 for 264 yards and although not throwing any interceptions was unable to translate those yards into any points either—under pressure from a USC pass rush all game long who picked up 5 sacks and 8 tackles for loss. On the ground the Wildcats rushed 32 times for 127 yards with Plummer and Sophomore RB Michael Wiley responsible for about half of the yards and both of their scores on the ground.
The Trojans picked up 35 first downs compared to 24 for the Wildcats, 547 total yards of offense against 466, and two seconds shy of 33 minutes time-of-possession compared to 27 minutes for Arizona. Besides the competition to get the most points on the board and win the game it seems as though the teams were secondarily mired in another battle—let’s see who can get the most penalties and lose the most yards. It was tight and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a college game with more as they combined for 21 penalties and 230 yards, but Arizona pulled this one out with 12 penalties for 130 yards. Arizona heads back home to host Cal while USC hits the road to take on that other Arizona team, the Sun Devils, who have the ability to score a whole lot more points than their in-state rival.
UCLA at Utah
UCLA had a path forward to the top of the PAC-12 South after the Cougar’s surprise beat down of Arizona State earlier in the day. With starting QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson still out injured back-up Freshman Ethan Garbers, who landed on Chip Kelly’s bench via the transfer portal from Washington, got the start and connected on 27-of-44 for 265 yards, 2 TD’s and 1 interception on a tipped pass at his own 19 yard line that translated into a Utah TD two plays later when Sophomore RB Tavion Thomas ran it in for just one of his four rushing TD’s on the day. You read that right—4 TD’s while rushing 24 times for 160 of Utah’s 290 yards with Sophomore QB Cameron Rising picking up another on the ground in addition to connecting on 17-27 for 179 yards, 1 TD, and no picks on route to an easy 44-24 victory at home in Salt Lake City.
After the game UCLA Ben Bolch, sport’s writer for the Los Angeles Times, had his own thoughts about the loss; “UCLA’s defense entered the game ranked No. 13 nationally against the run, allowing [just] 94.8 rushing yards per game, [but the UCLA defense allowed] nearly triple that figure Saturday, providing more fodder for fans calling for the dismissal of Bruins [defensive] coordinator Jerry Azzinaro. Garbers did his part. He showed composure under heavy pressure and some elusiveness running. He completed 27 of 44 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns . . . [but] UCLA’s defense, the one constant stain since Kelly’s arrival, once again failed to deliver. Utah scored touchdowns on its first four drives, overpowering the Bruins with a relentless running game and handing them a 44-24 loss at Rice-Eccles Stadium.”
Zach Charbonnet, Brittain Brown, and Garbers represented the entire ground game for the Bruins with Charbonnet, as usual, picking up the lion’s share of UCLA’s 165 yards on the ground as well as their only rushing TD. Down 28-10 at the break it looked as though the Bruins might be able to make some headway after Utah blew their first opportunity at a score in the 2nd half when they missed a field goal and UCLA scored a TD two possessions later–holding Utah scoreless in the 3rd Qtr. But the Bruins couldn’t stop Utah’s ground game once they crossed mid-field as they rushed on four of the next five plays including QB Cameron Rising’s 12 yard scamper into the end zone to go up 35-17. UCLA would score once more on an Ethan Garbers 9 yard TD pass to Greg Dulcich but the Utes would pick up a safety and another TD of their own to put the game way out of reach.
As the AP wrote in their take-away for ESPN; “The Utes played turnover-free football and converted eight of 12 third downs to keep them in control most of the game. Utah now has complete control of their destiny and pole position for the South title.” For the Bruins they have three chances left to get bowl eligible with their game against Colorado after a bye week their best opportunity.