Live blog: USC vs. Oregon State
Today’s game kicks off at 5 p.m. on the West Coast. All updates will be timestamped with game time. Be sure to check out our Twitter feed for instant info at http://www.twitter.com/dailytrojan
5:50 4th Quarter – USC 7, OSU 30 – Touchdown OSU. The Beavers exploit holes in the USC defense yet again, driving 62 yards in seven plays for the score. Katz finished the drive by connecting with Jordan Bishop on a 5-yard strike.
With 5:50 left in the game, this seems to be the nail in the coffin for the Trojans. Undoubtedly extremely disappointing for a team that had a legitimate chance to break their four-year losing streak in the state of Oregon.
9:48 4th Quarter – USC 7, OSU 23 – The Trojans have gotten a couple shots at scoring, but continue to flatline on 3rd down. Penalties have driven USC back deep into their own territory, and they are forced to punt yet again. Unless the Trojan defense can make a big play, there seems little USC can do to pull back into contention.
End of 3rd Quarter – USC 7, OSU 23 – The Trojans stop the Beavers on third down from their own 21 to force a field goal, but a late unsportsmanlike penalty on OSU pushes them back out of field goal range. USC takes over on their own 7 after a punt, but can only find one first down before being forced into a fourth down & short situation. A fake punt gives the Trojans the first down at their own 41. It remains to be seen if there is any rally left in the Trojans.
3:21 3rd Quarter – USC 7, OSU 23 – TOUCHDOWN USC! The Trojans finally get on the board with a 7-play scoring drive finished by a 13-yard rush by Gable, who nicked the pylon as he dove for the endzone. The scoring drive was not pretty and aided by a crucial OSU defensive holding on 3rd and 9, but USC will take it nonetheless. The Trojans are only two possessions away from tying the ballgame, but they would need to convert on two 2-point conversions to do so.
6:31 3rd Quarter – USC 0, OSU 23 – Field goal OSU. The Beavers continue to put up points after long drives, capping this latest one with a 34-yard field goal by Kahut. Rodgers is controlling the offense and running all over USC, who cannot seem to get anything going on either side of the ball.
The one thing USC has done well this game? Kickoff returns. C.J. Gable just returned one for 56 yards.
13:25 3rd Quarter – USC 0, OSU 20 – The Trojans start with the ball at the beginning of the second half, but cannot gain any ground with senior backup quarterback Mitch Mustain in the game. Barkley was sacked on the second-to-last play of the half and was carted off the field, leaving Mustain to take the reigns of the offense. Luckily, the USC defense has risen to the challenge, stopping OSU on three straight plays — and forcing a fumble, recovered by the Beavers for a 20-yard loss on third down —to force the punt. The Trojans take over at their own 20.
UPDATE: Barkley is rumored to have a sprained ankle. More will come when news is announced.
0:41 2nd Quarter – USC 0, OSU 20 – Field goal OSU. The Beavers once again put up a solid offensive drive, setting up a 38-yard field goal that Kahut knocks through the uprights. The Trojans are getting dangerously close to being out of this game, and have :34 seconds to make something of this half.
2:35 2nd Quarter – USC 0, OSU 17 – USC once again stalls on offense, driving down to OSU’s 36 before turning the ball over on downs. The Trojans’ play calling is not helping their cause — a slow-developing run play on 3rd & 2 goes nowhere, and an ill-advised deep pass on 4th down is swatted down to give the Beavers the ball. There are very few positives to come out of this half of play for USC.
7:48 2nd Quarter – USC 0, OSU 17 – Touchdown OSU. The Beavers force two more USC punts, and on their second possession since the pick 6 they punch it in for a 2-yard TD after a 53-yard drive. The Trojans look bad on defense — they stopped OSU on a 3rd & very long, but committed Pass Interference on a 4th down fake punt attempt to keep the drive alive — but look much worse on offense, where they have done little to challenge the Beavers. With 7 minutes left in the first half, USC could be sealing their fate early if they continue to be lethargic and flat.
13:31 2nd Quarter – USC 0, OSU 10 – Touchdown OSU. Barkley throws an interception on the first play of the second quarter that is returned by Jordan Poyer for 65 yards and a Beaver touchdown. USC seems out of sync, and the Beavers have done everything they can to capitalize on it. The crowd of 44,969 hasn’t filled out Reser Stadium, but they sure are making it sound like a packed house. If the Trojans don’t do something with this next possession, they may be facing a sizable disadvantage going into the half.
End of 1st Quarter – USC 0, OSU 3 – The first quarter ends on a slight high note for USC — Freshman wide receiver Robert Woods returned the ensuing kickoff to USC’s 47 yard line, then senior tailback Allen Bradford picked up a nice gain for the first down on the next play. USC currently faces a 2nd & 10 from OSU’s 42.
3:30 1st Quarter – USC 0, OSU 3 – This game has been a battle of the defenses (or ineffective offenses?) so far, with both teams punting on their last possessions. The Trojans were just held to a three-and-out immediately after the Beavers did the same, but OSU’s latest possession looks promising, with the Beavers and tailback Jaquizz Rodgers finding tons of running room.
UPDATE: The Beavers cap their drive with a 34-yard field goal by Taylor Kahut. OSU leads 3-0 with :30 seconds left to play in the first quarter.
6:30 1st Quarter – USC 0, OSU 0 – The Trojans kicked off the start the game, and, after allowing a couple first downs to the Beavers, finally stood tough and forced an Oregon State punt. The Beavers were able to down the ball at the Trojans’ 3 yard line, but USC has been methodical in it’s drive so far, bringing the ball all the way to the OSU 24. The Trojans just converted a 4th and 2, and it seems as if junior tailback Marc Tyler has more than enough room to run. USC has him running both from a traditional set and out of the Wildcat, presumably to exploit Oregon State’s weakness in the defensive line.
UPDATE: Upon further review from the officials, Tyler’s progress was stopped just short of the first down, giving the Beavers the ball back. So much for all that running room.
Pregame – Hey guys, it’s James Bianchi here, ready to bring you some live blogging from Corvallis, Oregon! Stay tuned.