USC scores two late TDS to beat Arizona State
Drake London caught a 21-yard touchdown pass with 1:20 to play, and No. 20 USC overcame a late 13-point deficit to beat Arizona State 28-27 on Saturday in the Pac-12’s long-delayed season opener.
Bru Mccoy caught a deflected 26-yard TD pass with 2:52 left for the Trojans, and Mccoy recovered the ensuing onside kick as well. On fourthand-9, Kedon Slovis fired a pass down the middle to London, and the two-sport athlete beat double coverage to haul it in for an electrifying score.
USC stopped Arizona State on downs near midfield with 50 seconds left to preserve an astonishing comeback for perpetually embattled coach Clay Helton’s team.
Until their rally, the Trojans were struggling for poise and precision in a game that began at 9 a.m. USC agreed to its earliest kickoff in at least 70 years for a national television audience, but it looked like another embarrassment for Helton and his Trojans — before it abruptly turned into a thrilling triumph.
USC racked up 556 yards of offense and outgained the Sun Devils by 164 yards, but the Trojans were nearly finished because they committed three turnovers and turned the ball over on downs two more times — all inside ASU territory.
Slovis passed for 381 yards 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.
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.
NO. 8 FLORIDA 44, NO. 5 GEORGIA 28 >> Kyle Trask had another four-touchdown night, becoming the first quarterback in Southeastern Conference history to accomplish the feat in five consecutive games, and Florida beat undermanned Georgia.
The Gators (4-1) ended a three-game losing streak in the rivalry known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” — it was coach Dan Mullen’s most significant victory in three years in Gainesville — and have a stranglehold on the SEC’S East Division.
The Bulldogs (4-2), were likely eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration.
Trask completed 30 of 43 passes for a career-high 474 yards despite playing much of the night without standout tight end Kyle Pitts.
NO. 6 CONCINNATI 38, HOUSTON 10 >> Gerrid Doaks rushed for a career-high 184 yards and one touchdown, Desmond Ridder ran for three scores and threw for another and Cincinnati rolled past Houston.
The Bearcats (6- 0, 4- 0 American Athletic Conference) extended their school-record home winning streak to 18 games. NO. 13 INDIANA 38, NO. 23 MICHIGAN 21 >> Michael Penix Jr. passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns and Indiana beat Michigan for the first time in 33 years.
Penix helped Indiana (30) snap a 24-game losing streak in the series — tied for the longest active skid in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It was the Hoosiers’ first victory over the Wolverines since Oct. 24, 1987, just their second in 41 games and only the second in the 21 games played at Memorial Stadium.
The Wolverines (1-2) still don’t have a top-15 road win since beating Notre Dame in 2006.
NO. 14 OKLAHOMA STATE 20, KANSAS STATE 18 >> Jason Taylor II returned a fumble 85 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and Oklahoma State stopped Kansas State’s 2-point try that would have tied it with 2:08 to go.
NO. 16MARSHALL 51, MASSACHUSETTS 10 >> Grant Wells threw three touchdown passes, Brenden Knox ran for two scores and Marshall pummeled Massachusetts.
Marshall (6- 0) continued to produce a seasonlong balance on offense that keeps opponents guessing.