It was the epic showdown that everyone expected but in the end it was USC winning the way they have won all year—brilliant play by their outstanding QB Caleb Williams, great performance by a running back—this time Austin Jones in place of an injured Travis Dye—and taking advantage of and/or forcing the other team into mistakes and turnovers. Regarding mistakes and turnovers, in a game that evolved into one in which it seemed as though whoever had it last was going to win, none seemed worse than the interception Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw with 1:26 left in the 4th quarter and trailing the Trojans by what would become the final score, 48-45, ending the Bruin’s drive to either tie the score and send the game into overtime or win it outright. But it was his fumble at their own 27 yard line half-way through the 3rd Qtr that USC turned into a TD two plays later to go up by 10 points, a margin that DTR helped create by throwing an interception before the break in their drive to score and widen a narrow lead before the half. On the game DTR completed 23-of-38 for 309 yards, 4 TD’s, and 3 interceptions while also rushing 14 times for 81 more yards and another two scores. Responsible for all five of UCLA’s TD’s and almost 400 yards of total offense It certainly wasn’t for lack of trying on his part. But as has been the case with DTR his entire college career, the mistakes he does make always seem to come at the worst possible time.
Speaking of untimely mistakes, USC’s QB Caleb Williams had one of his own in what was otherwise another brilliant performance. On their third possession of the game and trailing the Bruins 7-0 the Trojans had the ball on the USC 30 yard line after a 63 yard kick-off and 28 yard return. Two plays later Williams’ 24 yard pass was intercepted–only his third of the season–by Kain Medrano and brought right back to their own 30 yard line where they started. It took just one play for DTR to cash in, connecting with Michael Ezeike in the end zone to go up 14-0 and at the end of the 1st Qtr this was a game that UCLA seemed to have complete control of. But three quarters later it would be the Trojans celebrating their ticket to the conference championship and maybe even a trip to the national semi-final. For Williams who has completed 65% of his passes this season–74%+ in this one–while throwing for 3,480 yards, 33 TD’s in the air and 7 on the ground with a mere 3 interceptions, some are projecting that he’ll also be celebrating a ticket to New York next month as a Heisman Trophy Finalist.
Senior RB Austin Jones, who had only rushed an average of 30 yards per game so far this season, really stepped up his game in replacement of USC’s injured starter Travis Dye carrying the ball 21 times for 120 yards and 2 TD’s while also receiving 4 catches for another 57 yards. Junior RB Darwin Barlow and QB Caleb Williams picked up the other two rushing TD’s for the Trojans. In the air Williams was 32-of-43 for 470 yards, 2 TD’s and that one pick early in the game that led to UCLA’s second touchdown. For UCLA Zach Charbonnet, who was averaging 182 yards and 2 TD’s over the last four conference games, was pretty much held in check—picking up 95 yards but never making it into the end zone. The Trojans put it on the back of DTR and he did deliver all of UCLA’s TD’s but also all of their critical mistakes.
Instead of talking about the mistakes of his own QB Chip Kelley chose to praise his opponent afterwards saying; “We played against as good a quarterback as I’ve faced in my college career, watching what Caleb did tonight, so I would give Caleb a lot of credit and say he’s a heck of a quarterback.” As far his team’s defense and an area that needs to be worked on the AP had this to say in The Takeaway for ESPN; “The Bruins’ defense has had issues the past two weeks, especially with stopping an opponent’s passing game. It allowed four completions of at least 35 yards in this one.” Up next for UCLA is a trip to Cal on Friday while the Trojans will stay home to host No. 18 Notre Dame in the Coliseum on Saturday. If successful they would have wins over three ranked opponents this season. That and a victory over another ranked opponent in the PAC-12 Conference Championship might just be enough to get them into the national semi-final.