USC clinches Pac-12 South with win over Colorado
Sam Darnold has seen plenty of what cornerback Ajene Harris can do in practice. He’s just thankful he doesn’t have to face him when it counts.
Darnold tossed two touchdown passes and ran for another, Harris intercepted two passes, including one he returned for a score, and No. 15 USC beat Colorado 38-24 on Saturday to wrap up the Pac-12 South title.
“Always good to have someone like him on defense,” Darnold said.
The same can be said of Darnold — on offense, of course — after he threw for 329 yards and improved to 18-3 as a starter.
USC (9-2, 7-1 Pac-12, CFP No. 11) led 27-0 in the third quarter, but needed to weather a late Colorado comeback. The Trojans blocked two field goals to move to 12-0 against the Buffaloes (5-6, 2-6).
Steven Montez was tackled on a fourth-down play near the USC goal line on Colorado’s final possession with just over a minute remaining. Montez said he thought it was first down.
USC will play in the conference title game on Dec. 1 at Levi’s Stadium.
WASHINGTON STATE 33,
UTAH 25 >> Luke Falk threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns and the No. 19 Cougars are now one win from winning the North and playing in the conference championship game for the first time since the league created divisions in 2011.
Washington State (9-2, 6-2) led from start to finish and could have won by more, but settled for five field goals despite moving inside the Utah 30 on those possessions. The Utes turned over the ball on three of their first four possessions, all in the first quarter, but the Cougars found the end zone on just one of the extra opportunities.
Utah (5-5, 2-5) had seven turnovers on the day and has lost five of its last six games.
Chima Onyeukwu picked off Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley’s pass with 58 seconds remaining to seal the win.
Falk set the Pac-12 career touchdown passes record in the second quarter. The Logan, Utah, native surpassed former USC quarterback Matt Barkley with his 117th touchdown pass and finished with 118.
Tavares Martin Jr. had 10 catches for 64 yards and a touchdown for WSU. UCLA 44, ARIZONA STATE 37 >> Josh Rosen threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Lasley on the first play of the fourth quarter to help UCLA pull away. Rosen was 25 of 45 for 381 yards with one touchdown and one interception and scored on a 1-yard run as the Bru- ins (5-5, 3-4 Pac-12) out- scored the Sun Devils 10-3 in the fourth quarter. Bolu Olorunfunmi ran for 79 yards and one touchdown, Soso Jamabo had a 21-yard touchdown run, and Nate Meadors returned an interception for a touchdown.
TEXAS A&M 55, NEW MEXICO 14 >> Nick Starkel threw for a career-high 416 yards and four touchdowns before sitting down at halftime as Texas A&M built a huge lead and cruised to a win. Starkel had appeared in each of the last two games, but was starting for the first time since Texas A&M’s opener against UCLA when he broke his left ankle in the third quarter. He threw TD passes of 60, 10, 1 and 36 yards.