It was going to be simple. Tied at 28 points apiece with four seconds left, the Trojans lined up for a 25-yard chip shot. The accumulating tension from four quarters of excruciatingly sloppy football would soon be expelled once the ball split the uprights — three points destined to preserve No. 10 USC’s perfect record. 

But, just like everything else Saturday night, the game wouldn’t end that smoothly. As time expired, the Coliseum shuddered with a collective groan. A high snap caused redshirt sophomore kicker Denis Lynch to botch the kick, and the Trojans (6-0, 4-0 Pac-12) headed to overtime. 

The ensuing disbelief was short-lived. Fans eager to watch the continuation of the unthinkable thriller cheered as USC returned to the field. The Trojans took their positions with an elevated sense of responsibility, determined to deliver a win for their teammates. 

“A lot of teams don’t win this game,” Head Coach Lincoln Riley said. “I think if our culture of guys wasn’t strong enough, then we would’ve folded and we’d be sitting in here without a smile on our face.”

The Trojans fought their way to a third overtime, the first at the Coliseum since 2011, and scoured the depths of the playbook to put the game on ice. The entire offensive line shifted out left before the snap and junior quarterback Caleb Williams ran the opposite direction, diving toward the pylon for the game-winning conversion. 

The dramatics didn’t end there — the Wildcats (3-3, 1-2) were given one final play to match the Trojans’ score. Arizona responded with a pitch, senior inside linebacker Mason Cobb read the play perfectly and swallowed the running back for a loss, solidifying the 43-41 victory.

“I don’t want to win by 40 points, I get bored. You want that grind … It’s just the 11 guys back together, there’s nothing like that,” Cobb said. “Put the game on us … I love when all the weight is on my back.”

The ending was preceded by 60 minutes of equally engrossing play.

The Trojans trailed for the first time this season when the Wildcats scored on their first three drives. Arizona had a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and USC was desperate for a momentum swing.

In less than two minutes, senior wide receiver Brenden Rice caught a 53-yard pass, Williams lost a fumble and redshirt junior cornerback Jacobe Covington secured his first collegiate interception to place the Trojans in the red zone. 

“It changed the mindset. It was like a jump start,” Covington said. 

That chaotic sequence of plays shook up the game and the scoreboard. The Trojans’ deficit erased like an Etch A Sketch after Williams capitalized on the turnover with a touchdown scramble.

Antithetical to last week’s six passing touchdowns, Williams’ legs and elusiveness did the most damage against the Arizona defense. Williams gained 65 yards on the ground and rushed for 3 touchdowns, doubling his season total. 

“Lanes kept opening up, [defenders] kept dropping out and [Arizona] left me with big lanes,” Williams said. “I haven’t ran this year much. I don’t really like to run, but you got to do whatever you’ve got to do to win the game.”

Although Williams did plenty of heavy lifting, the most valuable player of the game was the penalty flag. Arizona granted the Trojans 117.5 yards on 11 penalties through four quarters, with two penalties enforced in the red zone.

In addition to the flag frenzies, the defense pulled through in vital moments.

“We’ve really spent a lot of time on situational ball,” Riley said. “To stop a couple of their two-point plays, that was the game there in the end.”

After Covington’s interception, the defense allowed just 11 more points in regulation, forced two fumbles and prevented multiple two-point conversions with a tackle-for-loss and pass deflection.

Entering the game, USC ranked 88th in the NCAA in percentage pass completions of over 20 yards allowed (11%). It also ranked 4th in the NCAA for most touchdowns of over 20 yards allowed (7 TDs).  

These worrisome trends were evident throughout the game for the Trojan resistance and they stemmed from the arm of Arizona’s redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Fifita in just his second start. The defense allowed six passes and two touchdowns of over 20 yards. Arizona’s senior wide receiver Jacob Cowing also tore up USC’s defensive backs as he posted 88 yards and four touchdowns. 

The Trojans lacked elegance against the Wildcats, but their record remains unblemished as they advance to 6-0. Last night, they proved to have the mental toughness and trust in one another required to win in the face of adversity — even if such challenges are self-inflicted. 

USC will look to carry its good fortune to South Bend, Indiana when they face No. 21 Notre Dame (5-2) Saturday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. EST (4:30 PST) at Notre Dame Stadium.