Notre Dame Celebrates on USC’s Turf, Wins 22-13
LOS ANGELES–The Coliseum’s walls are awfully thin.
As Trojans coach Lane Kiffin addressed the media following his team’s 22-13 loss, he could hear the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrating. Notre Dame had just secured a national championship bid on the Trojans’ home turf.
This was supposed to be the Trojans’ season. Instead, the preseason No. 1 team in the nation dropped its fifth game of the season. In a season with such high hopes, USC ultimately lost four of its last five regular-season games after beginning the year with a 6-1 record.
“It’s very difficult for everyone in our locker room,” said Kiffin. “For everything that hasn’t happened the way we wanted this season, we hoped things could have been different today.” Read more >>
The Women Of Troy Can’t Finish Off No. 23 Nebraska
In the Southern California Women of Troy’s biggest challenge to date, they came up short.
The No. 23 Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated the Women of Troy 74-65 Friday afternoon behind a 20-4 run in the final 4:20 of the game.
“I thought they did an excellent job of showing what poise and patience and discipline is about down the stretch,” said USC head coach Michael Cooper. “We didn’t handle it very well going down the stretch, and that’s what cost us the loss.”
The Women of Troy utilized a 19-4 run over a nearly 12-minute stretch in the second half to take a 61-54 lead. In the waning minutes, however, USC both struggled to score and became unable to get defensive stops.
“We’re not finishers at all,” said Cooper, “and I’m not talking about scoring points. I’m talking about making the plays that have to be made on the court at that time.” Read more >>
The Dominant 1972 USC Trojans: A Look Back, 40 Years Later
LOS ANGELES–Time is so elusive. “It feels like a hundred years ago, and it feels like two weeks ago,” said J.K. McKay.
It actually has been 40 years already. McKay was a sophomore wide receiver for the undefeated 1972 Southern California Trojan football team. McKay’s father, John, was the head coach, and his best friend, Pat Haden, was the second-string quarterback.
The ‘72 team is widely regarded as one of the best in college football history, thanks to the team’s excellence on both sides of the ball. It featured 13-All Americans; 33 eventually played in the NFL. Read more >>
Trojans Can’t Overcome Turnovers and 24-0 Deficit, UCLA Wins 38-28
PASADENA, Calif. – The No. 21 USC Trojans fell behind 24-0 and were never able to fully recover, as they lost to the UCLA Bruins 38-28 in a game that rewarded the winning Bruins with the Pac-12 South crown.
Matt Barkley was intercepted on his very first pass attempt, giving the Bruins prime field position at the Trojans’ 17-yard line. Freshman UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley quickly turned the turnover into points, as he scampered into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.
The Trojans failed to score in each of their first four possessions, while the Bruins scored on each of their first four drives. The Trojans’ second turnover came on USC’s third drive of the game, as Marqise Lee fumbled fractions of a second before his knee hit the ground.
“For us to go down like that early, obviously there was something wrong with how we had our guys ready to play,” said Trojans coach Lane Kiffin. “We dug ourselves a hole, then came back out of it, but weren’t able to come all the way out.” Read more >>
2012 USC Football Behind Enemy Lines
Q&A With UCLA Writer Peter Yoon
This is big time.
The winner of Saturday’s noon affair will win the Pac-12 South and earn the right to face Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship game on Friday, Nov. 30. USC heads to Pasadena having won 12 of its last 13 against the rival Bruins, but for the first time since 2001, UCLA comes into the game with a better record and higher rank.
In last season’s head-to-head matchup, the Trojans notoriously mauled the Bruins, 50-0. Despite the drubbing, UCLA went on to play Oregon in the conference championship, because USC was ineligible for postseason play. This season, the Bruins, who are now coached by Jim Mora Jr., have improved considerably. Armed with a new coach and starting quarterback, the Bruins are 8-2 and have won their last four games. In the Bruins’ eight wins, they’ve averaged 42.5 points per game, while holding opponents to 22.1 points per contest.
Peter Yoon of ESPN LA has graciously agreed to come on for the second time in as many years to help us preview Saturday’s crosstown battle. Let’s get to it! Read more >>
Max Wittek, Cody Kessler Patiently Wait Their Turn
LOS ANGELES–After a junior season in which Southern California’s Matt Barkley torched defenses to the tune of 3,528 yards and 39 touchdowns, the NFL was calling. But Barkley wasn’t ready to leave.
Barkley’s return to the Trojans kept him together with wide receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee.
It also meant that promising backup quarterbacks Max Wittek and Cody Kessler would have to ride the pine for another year.
Although both quarterbacks badly want to start, they’re using the extra year with Barkley to further progress their games.
Wittek and Kessler got an early jump on their respective collegiate careers by graduating a semester early from high school in 2011. Early graduation is not uncommon, especially among quarterbacks looking to join their new team for spring practice. In 2009, Barkley did the same thing. Read more >>
The Trojan Family, Literally
LOS ANGELES — Allan Graf started at center for the undefeated 1972 Trojan team that is still regarded as one of the best in the history of college football. Fourteen years later, safety Tim McDonald was named a consensus All-American in the final season of his brilliant Trojan career.
In the late 80s, John Katnik started two years at center, including his senior season, in which the Trojans appeared primed for a come-from-behind Rose Bowl victory until quarterback Rodney Peete fumbled a late snap and the Michigan State Spartans were able to run out the clock.
These three players are part of a rich football tradition at USC, but they also share a deeper bond. Each former Trojan has a son who plays on this year’s team. Read more >>
Clipper Bench Leads the Way to Opening-Night Victory
It’s a funny story. After the Clippers’ top two scorers averaged a hair over 40 combined points last season, Paul and Griffin scored 23 points Wednesday night. Not apiece. Together.
The Clippers also committed 22 turnovers.
They still won. Seriously.
It’s been said that Jamal Crawford is instant offense, and against the Grizzlies, he certainly was. In his first game donning the red and blue, Crawford scored 11 points in a six-minute stretch of the second quarter. Over that span, the home team went on a 20-8 run, extending its lead over the Grizzlies to 12, 46-34.
Crawford is known around the league as a gunner, as he rarely meets a shot he doesn’t like. Tonight, virtually all the shots were going through the net. There were 3-pointers. There were off-balance runners. We saw everything. Even so, he only missed four of 14 attempts and turned in two stellar offensive quarters. Just as Crawford helped the Clippers jump out to a 12-point lead in the second period, he transformed a trailing team into a winner by scoring 12 fourth-period points. The tremendous debut resulted in 29 points over 30 minutes. Read more >>