Trojans’ hopes go south after loss
They are eliminated from division race after fizzling against California at home.
It was a one-point game, USC trailing California in the final minutes of a Coliseum homecoming turned on its head, and many of the announced 56,721 alumni and fans were already heading for the exits.
A Trojans win was still very much in play, but they seemed to know better.
With 3:28 left, Iman Marshall proved them right. USC had stopped the Golden Bears on third down and was set to get the ball back with a chance to win the
game. The Trojans had made a statement by limiting California to fewer than 200 total yards in the game, but Marshall had more to say.
He approached the opposing sideline and jawed at the Golden Bears. A flag flew, unsportsmanlike conduct. California got a fresh set of downs and eventually won the game 15-14.
The winning number was fitting because it kept the Trojans from winning their 15th straight game against California.
At this point in a lost season, USC (5-5, 4-4 Pac-12) is running out of positive streaks to tout.
After this latest debacle for Clay Helton’s program, there will be no more talk of remote possibilities for a Pac-12 championship game.
There will be talk of two big rivalry games and a chance to salvage something. Beat UCLA or Notre Dame and there would be a bowl game. None of it would heal the heartache and frustration this fall has brought the loyal legions of Troy.
Saturday night should have been a USC win. If you can believe it, the Trojans had a chance to put California away late in the second quarter.
They were on the move, looking to put the finishing touches on their best offensive half of the season. On third-and-five from the California 15, USC quarterback JT Daniels found Amon-ra St. Brown for what would have been a first down, but St. Brown fumbled the ball back to the Golden Bears while fighting for extra ground.
USC would regret it, of course.
As promising as the first half was, with USC leading 14-0, the opening moments of the third quarter put everyone solidly back into reality.
Another bad Toa Lobendahn snap flew wildly over Daniels’ right shoulder, and Daniels was lucky to corral it for a safety.
On the ensuing California drive, Chase Garbers found Vic Wharton III for a 29-yard touchdown pass. Daniels promptly threw an interception into the hands of California cornerback Traveon Beck, who read the freshman’s eyes like a pro.
A few minutes later, Garbers took the ball into the end zone for a five-yard touchdown run.
With 6:13 left in the third quarter, the Golden Bears led 15-14. Preposterous. Except, no. Not if you’ve been watching the 2018 USC Trojans, who lost a second straight game at the Coliseum after winning 19 in a row.
Still, something was starting to look different about the Trojans on Saturday before it all fell apart. Even the most skeptical fans could see a potential for change happening midway through the second quarter.
First, the Trojans’ defense created a turnover for just the eighth time this season when Ajene Harris stripped Garbers from behind and the ball bounced into the hands of Jordan Iosefa at the USC 49.
While the defense’s turning a 23-yard Garbers quarterback draw into a takeaway was a welcome development, the best sign that the Trojans were becoming a more opportunistic outfit came plays later.
What would USC’s offense do with the gift? Daniels was sacked for a loss of 11 yards, setting up thirdand-19 at the Cal 44, it looked like more of the same. But Helton, calling plays for the second straight game, did not panic.
Helton called for an Aca’Cedric Ware run out of the shotgun, and Ware punched out 13 easy yards. On fourth-and-6, Helton passed up a 49-yard field goal attempt. Daniels converted an eight-yard pass in traffic to his personal chainmover, St. Brown.
On the next play, Helton did not let up. Daniels faked a handoff to Vavae Malepeai and tossed a perfect touch pass up to Tyler Vaughns, hitting him in stride for a 23yard touchdown.
USC led 14-0 on the second Daniels-Vaughns touchdown connection of the night.