After a strong 34-14 win against California to remain undefeated at home, the No. 14 University of Utah football team (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) traveled to Los Angeles to face the No. 18 USC Trojans. With three of the next four games being against ranked opponents (No. 18 USC, No. 9 Oregon and No. 5 Washington), every game is crucial if the Utes hope to make the Pac-12 Championship for the third year in a row.
Following the Trojans’ 20-48 loss against Notre Dame last week and amidst rumors of head coach Lincoln Riley soon making the move to the NFL, the Utes looked to capitalize on the confusion at the Coliseum.
Recap
Utah got the ball to start the game, and quickly found the endzone. After two rushes from Ja’Quinden Jackson, quarterback Bryson Barnes found Sione Vaki for 53 yards to open the scoring.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams showed his quickness on the Trojans’ opening drive, scrambling for 13 yards on 3rd and 4 to keep the drive alive. On the very next play, MarShawn Lloyd found the endzone on a 45-yard rush to even the score at 7-7.
Utah was unable to get anything going on the next drive, facing 3rd and 4 before a penalty would bring the Utes back five yards. Barnes was pressured, unable to complete a pass and Utah would be forced to punt.
USC’s offense quickly got moving, and Williams found Tahj Washington for 51 yards to get USC just one yard from the endzone. A trick play would find the endzone to give USC a 14-7 lead. Utah’s defense was tested early against one of the strongest offenses in the NCAA.
After a disappointing second drive, Utah needed to keep the offense moving. Utah would get stopped on 3rd and 3 in USC territory, electing to go for it on 4th and 3. Barnes found Vaki to move the chains and keep the drive alive. An illegal formation would push Utah to 1st and 15 from the USC 17. After a seven-yard rush from Jackson, Barnes would rush for 10 yards and another Utah touchdown to tie the game again, at 14-14.
Utah’s defense would get their first stop of the game, allowing just one yard on 3rd and 2 before the first quarter came to a close. USC was forced to punt, and Utah took over from their own 20-yard line. After a pair of runs by Jackson, the Utes faced a 3rd and 5, and Barnes delivered a 14-yard pass to Devaughn Vele. Utah would be forced to punt soon after, and USC would take over on their own 25-yard line.
Utah’s defense put the pressure on, with Jonah Elliss appearing to recover a fumble before official review determined the play to be an incomplete pass. After a USC first down, Utah would force 4th and 10 to get the offense back on the field.
Vaki would have a big 36-yard catch, with a 15-yard blindside block penalty added to the end to quickly move Utah up the field. Utah was set up with 4th and 1 on the USC 16-yard line but was unable to convert, resulting in a turnover-on-downs.
The Utes kept the pressure up on defense, getting a big stop on 3rd and 19, with Zemaiah Vaughn getting an interception before an offsides call on Connor O’Toole would nullify the interception and give the Trojans another chance to convert. Utah once again got the stop, forcing USC to punt.
Miscommunication in Utah’s backfield caused a fumble on 2nd and 6, but Utah was able to recover it. An unnecessary roughness call on Michael Mokofisi would force the Utes into 3rd and 26 before Utah would punt with just over a minute left in the half.
Utah would set USC up on their own 10-yard line, hoping to get one more stop before halftime. A long throw to Washington would turn up incomplete, and O’Toole sacked Williams as the first half came to a close.
Heading into the second half, safety Cole Bishop would see his first snaps of the game. Bishop was ineligible to play the first half after a targeting call during the game against California last week.
The Trojans would receive the ball to start the second half, and a 3-and-out would quickly get Utah’s offense on the field. Utah would quickly march into USC territory, highlighted by a 22-yard reception from Money Parks, just his second catch of the night. Facing 2nd and 3, USC’s defense would commit unnecessary roughness to give Utah a fresh set of downs.
A false start on Mokofisi would push Utah back to 2nd and goal from the 6-yard line. Barnes scrambled under pressure and delivered a pass to Landen King to find the endzone and take the lead at 21-14.
Once again, Utah’s defense continued to make big plays. Bishop immediately made his presence known, recovering a fumble forced by Van Fillinger to give Utah their first turnover of the game.
Utah’s offense was firing on all cylinders, moving quickly and getting a touchdown on the second straight drive of the second half. Barnes got his third touchdown pass of the night, finding Vaki for five yards to take a 28-14 lead.
USC would work down field, reaching the endzone but it would be called back for pass interference. This penalty would be offset by an offsides penalty on Utah, and USC would replay on 3rd and 9. A deflection would force the incompletion, and the Trojans would take a 44-yard field goal to bring the score to 28-17 as the third quarter came to a close.
On the first drive of the fourth quarter, USC would intercept Barnes and return it for a pick-six to bring the score to 28-23. The Trojans would try a two-point conversion to bring the score within a field goal, but Utah would get the stop and keep a five-point lead.
Barnes found Vaki on the first play of the drive for 36 yards. Utah would reach the 15-yard line, but was unable to find the endzone, settling for a 33-yard field goal to take a 31-23 lead with just over eight minutes left.
USC started moving quickly, picking apart Utah’s defense. Faced with 3rd and 4 on the Utah 8-yard line, Williams would fumble the ball but recover it, pushing 4th and 15 on the 19-yard line. USC would take a 36-yard field goal to bring the score to 31-26 with three minutes left.
Utah would only be able to take one minute off the clock, and USC would get a great punt return to set themselves up on the Utah 11-yard line. Williams would run it in to take the lead, and USC would fail another two-point conversion to bring the score to 32-31 for USC.
With just under two minutes on the clock, Utah would drive down the field, converting a big 4th and 1 with 25 seconds left. With three seconds left, Cole Becker hit a 38-yard field goal to take the 34-32 win as time expired.
Analysis
The first half ended nearly identical for both teams. Utah had the slight edge in rushing yards, 105 to 97, and fell just behind in passing yards, 134 to 139. Utah’s defense only allowed USC into the redzone once.
Second-half adjustments made a huge difference. Utah immediately got a defensive stop and quickly worked down the field to take the first lead of the second half. The team came out of the locker room looking rejuvenated.
Defensively, Utah forced a pair of turnovers that were called back, one by official review and one by penalty. Despite both being called back, Utah showed that they were a strong defensive threat, putting pressure on the USC offense.
Offensively, Utah was able to convert when they needed it despite going just 3-12 on third-down conversions. The Utes also converted two of three fourth-down conversions.
Utah finished the game with 482 yards, 247 rushing and 235 passing. USC wasn’t far behind, with 401 total yards, 145 rushing and 256 passing. Utah once again put up strong rushing defense.
“I believe that was our best offensive game of the year,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Whittingham reported that Cam Rising and Brandt Kuithe will not be playing for the rest of the season. Amidst rumors that the two will be taking a medical redshirt season, Whittingham did not elaborate.
“As far as my knowledge, they should both get that next year,” Whittingham said. “The medical staff is the ones that make that call. We’re not going to question that at all. That’s just how we operate.”
“Touchdowns are more than twice as valuable than field goals,” Whittingham said of the decision to go for it on fourth-down in the second quarter rather than take a field goal. “Except for that last one.”
Utah now heads home, looking forwards to another difficult matchup. Utah will take on No. 9 Oregon at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
s.overton@dailyutahchronicle.com
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