QB Darnold could be making last USC start in Cotton Bowl
DALLAS — Sam Darnold knows the speed of an NFL game is much faster than it appeared from the upper-level seats that he and his Southern California teammates had for a Dallas Cowboys game after arriving in North Texas for the Cotton Bowl.
What is still unclear is how quickly the All-Pac-12 Trojans quarterback could be playing at field level in the pros.
Darnold, a third-year sophomore, hasn’t said yet if he will return to Pac-12 champion USC for another season or if the Cotton Bowl against fifth-ranked Ohio State will be his Trojans finale. He has to decide by Jan. 15 whether to make himself eligible for the next NFL draft, which will be held in late April in the same stadium where he will play tonight.
“Obviously, I haven’t been thinking about it a ton. I’ve been really focused on Ohio State. So I think after the bowl game, honestly, I’ll be able to give a better answer,” Darnold said during his media session at the Cotton Bowl. “But I think just looking at all the factors, I can’t really pinpoint anything specifically.”
In two seasons with the Trojans, though he didn’t become the starter until the fourth game in 2016 on the way to a Rose Bowl title, Darnold has thrown for 6,873 yards with 57 touchdowns and 21 interceptions while completing 65 percent of his passes. Often considered just a prototypical drop-back passer, he has also run for 350 yards and seven scores.
The kid who has always dreamed of playing in the NFL is expected to be a top pick if he leaves USC early. Darnold said his decision on whether to go or stay won’t be impacted by which NFL team might choose him.
“It’s been such a dream of mine to play in the NFL that whether I go or whether I stay at USC, to be able to have the opportunity to even play in the NFL and achieve that dream of mine is something that I’ve always looked at,” Darnold said. “And for an organization to put their trust in me to be able to go out there and play football for them, I think any opportunity to play for anyone would be amazing and something that I’ve always dreamed of.”
While Darnold expects it to be a hard decision, he believes he will be able to say he made the right decision — no matter what that is.
USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin describes Darnold as a “quarterback’s quarterback” who will be ready for the NFL whenever he decides to go.
“Ultimately at the end of the day, he wants to win. He’s an extreme competitor,” Martin said. “I think he does like being in college. It might be one of those heartstring things, where, ‘Hey we made it to the Cotton Bowl, we did great. But can we do better? Can I play better?’ If that’s the case, then you’ll see him coming back.
“If he feels it’s the right situation, or the right timing for the right organization on the next level, he may make the decision to leave,” he said.
Before that Cowboys game on Sunday, when they were eliminated from playoff contention in a loss to Seattle, Darnold hadn’t attended an NFL game since going to see the Chargers as a young kid.
It was only three years ago that USC coach Clay Helton was in Darnold’s living room recruiting him to the Trojans.
“Life is kind of moving really fast right now,” Darnold said. “I’ve made some big decisions, and coming to USC was one of them. And it was a really great decision. So I think whatever decision I make by Jan. 15 is going to be a great decision, too.”
COTTON BOWL
Southern California (11-2) vs. Ohio State (112), today, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) Line: Ohio State by 7½. Series Record: USC leads 13-9-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE Playoff-snubbed Ohio State takes on USC in a throwback to Rose Bowls past. This is the eighth postseason meeting between the Buckeyes and Trojans and the first seven were all in the Rose Bowl, the last one 33 years ago. The Big Ten champion Buckeyes haven’t lost more than two games in any of their six seasons under coach Urban Meyer. Pac-12 champion USC is trying to reach 12 wins for the first time since 2008.
KEY MATCHUP All-America center Billy Price and Ohio State offensive line vs. USC front seven. The Buckeyes have allowed only 19 sacks, with one or none in six of the last eight games. The Trojans, with their 5-2 scheme, have 43 sacks. Four USC players have at least six sacks, led by All-Pac-12 defensive end Rasheem Green’s nine.
PLAYERS TO WATCH Southern California: Third-year sophomore and top NFL prospect QB Sam Darnold could be playing his last game for the Trojans. In his two seasons at USC, he already has a Rose Bowl title and has thrown for 6,873 yards with 57 TDs and 21 interceptions. He has 17 TDs and four interceptions in the last eight games. Ohio State: Freshman RB J.K. Dobbins has rushed for 1,364 yards and seven TDs. The Texas native had 174 yards rushing in the Big Ten title game, his sixth 100-yard game this season.
FACTS & FIGURES USC has won seven consecutive games over Ohio State, including four regular-season games since their last Cotton Bowl matchup. ... This is the first Cotton Bowl matching conference champs since New Year’s Day 1987, when Big Ten co-champ Ohio State beat Southwest Conference winner Texas A&M. That is the only previous Cotton Bowl appearance by the Buckeyes . ... USC is also in its second Cotton Bowl. The Trojans beat Texas Tech on New Year’s Day 1995 . ... Ohio State is playing a Pac-12 opponent for the first time since beating Oregon 42-20 in the first championship game in the four-team playoff, in the same stadium as this week’s Cotton Bowl.