USC prepares for second-straight road trip
As a result of their heartbreaking road loss to then-No. 19 Utah on Saturday night, the USC football team dropped out of the AP Top 25 Poll and is unranked for the second time this season.
More bad news · Senior linebacker J.R. Tavai will miss several weeks after injuring his knee against Utah on Saturday. The Redondo Beach, California, native is second on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss so far this season. – Mariya Dondonyan | Daily Trojan
It was the first time that Utah had ever defeated USC (5-3, 4-2 Pac-12) in Pac-12 play, and they did so in a nail-biting fashion that recalled memories of the last-second Hail Mary that Arizona State used to beat USC three weeks ago.
“We are going to continue to grow and learn,” USC head coach Steve Sarkisian said about the loss. “We are going to be better for it.”
USC suited up a season-low 48 scholarship players against Utah, with only 41 of them playing on the field. Following the game, Sarkisian did not blame the team’s lack of depth for letting up in the fourth quarter.
“I won’t ever lean on that,” Sarkisian said, in reference to the team’s limited availability of scholarship players.
The Trojans’ fourth quarter performance paralleled that of past games this season, including when they struggled to put away both Arizona schools.
After being stopped on a questionable fourth down decision to go for it at Utah’s 28-yard line with 2:08 to play, the USC defense allowed Utes quarterback Travis Wilson to lead a game-winning drive, capped off with a one-yard touchdown to wideout Kaelin Clay with just eight seconds left to play.
Though the loss is a blow to the Trojans’ Pac-12 title hopes, Sarkisian mentioned that there were still a lot of positives to take away from the game, including success in pass protection and freshman cornerback/wide receiver Adoree’ Jackson’s 100-yard kick return for a touchdown. On Monday, Jackson was named the Pac-12 special teams player of the week.
In his Sunday teleconference, Sarkisian said that his team needs to develop a killer instinct, especially if it wants to get back into contention in the Pac-12 South.
“I don’t feel this conference race is over,” Sarkisian said.
Unfortunately for the Trojans, injuries to key players do not help that cause.
Redshirt sophomore left tackle Chad Wheeler will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL in his right knee after being injured during the third play of Saturday night’s game. Senior Aundrey Walker will take over at left tackle for Wheeler after finishing out the rest of the game against Utah.
Senior linebacker J.R. Tavai will also be out several weeks with a knee injury. Tavai ranks fifth among the team in tackles with 41 and is third on the team in sacks.
Finally, redshirt junior tailback Javorius “Buck” Allen banged up his shoulder against Utah but is expected to play on Saturday.
The Trojans cannot afford to lose the Pac-12’s leading rusher in Allen, whose career season includes 1,010 yards rushing through just eight games.
USC will try and rebound next Saturday on the road in Pullman, Washington where they will get to take on quarterback Connor Halliday and the Washington State Cougars. The Cougars (2-6, 1-4) are coming off a 59-37 home defeat at the hands of the Arizona Wildcats. The Saturday tilt will kick off at 1:30 p.m.