Glenn Coleman
Oct 22, 2023 - 08:40

"USC vs Utah: Utes dominate with walk-off FG as Trojans defense falters in crucial moments"

No. 14 Utah defeats No. 18 USC with a last-second field goal, likely eliminating USC from College Football Playoff contention.

In a thrilling match, the 14th-ranked Utah Utes emerged victorious over the 18th-ranked USC Trojans with a last-second field goal by kicker Cole Becker. This defeat likely eliminates the Trojans from contention in the College Football Playoff for the second consecutive season. The game was a rematch of last year's Pac-12 title game.

With this win, Utah improves to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Pac-12 conference. They have now defeated USC, led by head coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams, in all three of their encounters. The Utes remain strong contenders for a three-peat as Pac-12 champions, with five games left in their schedule.

The Trojans showed signs of life late in the game, thanks to a 61-yard punt return by star freshman Zachariah Branch. Williams followed it up with an 11-yard touchdown run, giving USC the lead with less than two minutes on the clock. However, as has often been the case under Riley, the defense failed to make a crucial stop.

Utah relied heavily on their ground game, utilizing Ja'Quinden Jackson and Sione Vaki to control the time of possession and neutralize USC's potent offense, which had been averaging 47.3 points per game. After allowing 14 points in the first seven minutes, the Utes' defense settled down and prevented a late comeback by the Trojans.

USC, now 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Pac-12, suffered their second consecutive loss following a defeat against Notre Dame. Remarkably, all three of their losses under Riley have come against the Utes.

Despite Utah's previous struggles on offense, they managed to amass 483 yards against a USC defense that had been performing below expectations. The Utes have been playing without their starting quarterback, Cameron Rising, who suffered a major knee injury in last year's Rose Bowl. Backup quarterback Bryson Barnes stepped up and delivered the best performance of his college career, throwing three touchdown passes and completing 14 of 22 passes for 235 yards.

Looking ahead, Utah faces another critical challenge at home against the 9th-ranked Oregon Ducks, while USC hits the road to take on Cal. These upcoming games will be crucial in determining the trajectory of both teams' seasons.