It’s possible that USC was thinking going in that they didn’t really have much to worry about until their game against the Bruins in the Rose Bowl on November 19th. But with their two best receivers out because of injury as well as their starting left guard, a linebacker and more, and facing this new give it 100% every time philosophy Arizona Head Coach Jedd Fisch has instilled into his players since taking over, it took a career night by Trojan QB Caleb Williams for USC to outlast the Wildcats. This one was close from start to finish. Tied after one 10-10, USC ahead by just four at the break 17-13, by just two after three 31-29, and not really pulling away for good until back-to-back TD’s aided by a Shane Lee 12 yard sack of Arizona QB Jayden de-Laura put them up by 16, 45-29, with just 6:24 left in the 4th Qtr. Arizona came back again to cut the difference in half on a de-Laura TD pass to Dorian Singer and a 2-point conversion to Jacob Cowing, but it took too long to make it happen. Still behind 45-37 with just 1:24 left the new never-say-die Wildcats tried but failed to recover an on-side kick then couldn’t stop the Trojans who at 4th and 1 on the Arizona 37 made a 1st down on a QB keeper with just 1:07 left in the game which USC ran out.
Both QB’s had great nights as they collectively threw for just nine yards shy of 800 yards and 8 TD’s with USC Sophomore QB Caleb Williams connecting on almost 70% of his passes for 411 yards, 5 TD’s and no interceptions. For the Wildcats Jaydn de-Laura was 26-of-43 for 380 yards, 3 TD’s and 1 interception–a pick that unfortunately for Arizona turned into a Trojan TD one play later on a 47 yard TD pass from Williams to Tahj Shaw. If not for that, right? Both teams were able to establish decent ground games with Travis Dye carrying most of the load for USC rushing 20 times for 113 of their 210 yards and their only rushing TD. For the Wildcats who used more of a committee approach de-Laura, Junior RB Michael Wiley, and Senior D. J. Williams collectively rushed 24 of their 26 attempts for all but 17 of their 163 yards with Wiley getting their sole TD on the ground. USC was a bit more disruptive on defense recording 2 sacks and 4 tackles for loss but a look at the Team Stats show that the details were just as close as the score. Arizona edged out the Trojans in 1st Downs, 28-to-26 while USC led in Total Yard of Offense, 621-to-543, as well as 3rd down and 4th down percentage efficiency where they were 65% and 100% respectively compared to 46% and 50% for the Wildcats.
Arizona, sitting at 3-5 overall, have a couple of tough road games coming up before going back home to finish their season off against the Cougars and their in-state rival Arizona State Sun Devils. First they’ll travel to Salt Lake City to take on Utah in Rice-Eccles Stadium this coming Saturday and then back to warmer weather at least as they’ll face UCLA in Pasadena. USC is now 7-1 and will play host in the Coliseum the next two weeks against Cal and then Colorado before traveling less than 15 miles to take on the Bruins in the Rose Bowl for the “Los Angeles City Championship” as well as possibly punching their ticket to the PAC-12 Conference Championship game. Stay tuned.