Trojans rally from 13 down to win opener

LOS ANGELES » In the final three minutes of a game that began with Southern California’s earliest kickoff in decades, the Trojans finally did a few things worth getting up early to see.

And a couple that had to be seen to be believed.

Drake London caught a 21- yard touchdown pass with 1: 20 to play, and USC rallied from a late 13point deficit for a 28- 27 victory over Arizona State on Saturday in the Pac- 12’ s long- delayed season opener.

For the first 57 minutes of play after that 9 a. m. kickoff, the Sun Devils appeared to be grinding out a solid victory largely by forcing mistakes from the Trojans. USC gave up a handful of big plays by the Sun Devils, committed four turnovers of its own and turned the ball over twice on downs in ASU territory.

But at perhaps the last possible moment to mount a two- score comeback, the Trojans did just that. “I don’t care how old I get,” USC coach Clay Helton said. “I’ll never forget this game.”

Bru McCoy caught a deflected 26- yard TD pass with 2: 52 left, and McCoy then recovered the ensuing onside kick as well. USC’s next drive stalled — but on fourth- and- 9, Kedon Slovis fired a desperation pass down the middle to London, and the two- sport athlete beat double coverage to haul it in for an electrifying score.

USC’s defense then stopped Arizona State on downs near midfield with 50 seconds left to preserve an astonishing comeback for the perpetually embattled Helton and his talented team.

“Well, it reminds you of 2020, doesn’t it?” Helton said. “A year of adversity and finding a way to overcome hard situations.”

Slovis passed for 381 yards with a school- record 40 completions for USC, while Stephen Carr and Markese Stepp made scoring runs in the first half. London also caught eight passes for 125 yards, none bigger than his winning TD reception.

“That play was a play we run all the time,” Slovis said. “There was three steps and a hitch ball, and Drake did the rest for me.”

While the Trojans celebrated, the Sun Devils opened their season with a crushing loss.

Freshman DeaMonte Trayanum rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns, while Rachaad White had a 55- yard TD reception in a similarly strong debut for the Sun Devils, who got agonizingly close to an impressive road win for coach Herm Edwards and new offensive coordinator Zak Hill.

“The thing I’ve learned about college football, they can score at any moment,” Edwards said. “We had an opportunity defensively to get off the field a couple of times, and we didn’t do it. We gave their offense life.”