Offensive lineman Cayman Bundage celebrates with Ka’Deem Carey after Carey’s 7-yard touchdown run in the second half. Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE
Arizona closes out USC, knocking down a 48-yard Hail Mary into the end zone on the final play to beat the 10th-ranked Trojans 39-36.
It was a wild game with 1,206 yards of offense, 27 penalties, two receivers with more than 250 yards … and the Wildcats hung on to win it to improve to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-12.
The Trojans dropped to 6-2 and 4-2.
“I’m holding my breath,” coach Rich Rodriguez said when the final pass was in the air.
And then he was able to exhale.
“I think it makes us more relevant,” Rodriguez said. “We’re not a top 10 team; we’ve lost three games. But it gives us confidence. I hope it makes people notice.”
* * *
Going down to the field. Enjoy the end of the game.
* * *
Matt Scott takes a knee to the helmet as he slides after a run. He looks wobbly, throwing up on the sideline, but staying in the game. He appears to be fine, firing a 7-yard TD to David Richards. It’s now 39-28 with 5:36 to play. Can the Cats close out this game?
* * *
The Arizona defense forces a three-and-out. A score here would really put the pressure on the USC.
* * *
A 60-yard pass to Austin Hill, who is having one of the great receiving days in UA history, sets up Arizona for the go-ahead touchdown. Ka’Deem Carey totes it in from 7 yards for the lead, although the two-point conversion fails. Arizona up 32-28 with 10:46 to play.
* * *
Another (potentially) costly penalty against Arizona, as Taimi Tutogi is offsides when USC throws incomplete on fourth-and-7 from the UA 34. USC will try it again from the 29 with 14:00 to go in the game … and Marqise Lee is stopped short on fourth-and-2 on a reverse.
Lane Kiffin being too smart for his own good there?
* * *
That’s 997 combined yards through three quarters. One more (probably weird and wild) period to play. USC, 28-26.
* * *
Arizona turns the latest turnover into six points (yes, just six) on a 9-yard touchdown throw to Dan Buckner, who twists to make a catch from Matt Scott in the right corner of the end zone. The Cats try to tie the game at 28, but Ka’Deem Carey’s two-point conversion run is stopped short.
USC, 28-26 with 1:42 to play.
* * *
The Wildcats are right back at it, recovering a D.J. Morgan fumble at the USC 37. USC is trying to give this thing to Arizona, with five turnovers.
* * *
Arizona hanging around. Matt Scott does deep to Austin Hill for 42 yards to the USC 10, and then Scott runs it in for a touchdown to make it 28-20 with 3:56 to play in the third quarter. Hill has 199 receiving yards, making him “Marqise Lee Light” in this game.
* * *
The pace of the game, and the offenses, have slowed down in the second half. As for the atmosphere at the stadium … what atmosphere? The Zona Zoo student section looks about half empty midway through the third quarter.
* * *
And in the second half, Arizona still can’t catch Marqise Lee. He takes a slant pass and out-runs the UA defense to the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown, giving USC a 28-13 lead with 10:37 to go in the third quarter.
Lee has 13 catches for 299 yards, a Pac-12 record. The old record was 293, set by Oregon State’s Mike Hass against Boise State in 2004.
* * *
Nothing happening on Arizona’s first drive of the second half. Three-and-out. Could have been important for momentum.
* * *
Halftime numbers:
Marqise Lee, 12 catches for 255 yards.
Matt Barkley, 21 of 29 for 321 yards, with two TDs and two INTs.
Matt Scott, 16 of 31 for 191 yards, one TD, one INT.
* * *
Daniel Jenkins puts Arizona back in business after the USC touchdown with a 56-yard kick return to the USC 40. It appears that Arizona was going to turn that into a 27-yard field goal on the last play of the half, but Michael Cooper is penalized for holding. John Bonano then misses from 37.
It’s USC 21-13 after a long, sloppy first half.
The Trojans have 395 yards at halftime.
* * *
USC scores with 42 seconds left before half, and the Wildcats cannot come close to stopping sophomore receiver Marqise Lee, who has 255 receiving yards. Absolutely no pressure on Matt Barkley doesn’t help the UA cause.
* * *
After the exchange of turnovers, Arizona claws within a point at 14-13 on John Bonano’s 44-yard field goal. There is 2:38 to go before half.
* * *
An eventful no gain on this play: Safety Jawanza Starling intercepts Matt Scott but then fumbles on the return, and the Cats recover exactly where they started — at the USC 28.
* * *
Arizona has failed to fully take advantage of three turnovers, and now USC has the lead. Wide receiver Marqise Lee switches to rocket fuel after catching a short crossing pattern and he sprints into the end zone for a 49-yard score.
Trojans go up 14-10 with 4:36 to play in the second quarter.
* * *
Rich Rodriguez goes for it on fourth-and-13 from the USC … and he looks good as Matt Scott scrambles for a first down. One problem: An illegal block in the back downfield. That makes it fourth-and-15, and the Cats still go for it.
One more problem: Taylor Slavin drops a catchable pass right beyond the first-down marker. USC ball.
* * *
USC’s Mr. Former Heisman front-runner throws a pass right to linebacker Marquis Flowers. Thanks, Matt Barkley. That’s his second interception of the first half, and the third turnover for the Trojans.
* * *
Cats having penalty problems. A delay of game after a kickoff? RichRod’s head might have exploded.
* * *
USC gets on the board on a 12-yard swing pass to the right from Matt Barkley to tight end Xavier Grimble. Trojans make it 10-7 with 10:07 left before halftime.
* * *
Arizona not being so disciplined, either, as safety Jourdon Grandon draws a 15-yard personal foul penalty for hitting fullback Soma Vainuku in the helmet a few steps after Vainuku had dropped a pass down the sideline.
A play later, Matt Barkley hits Marqise Lee for a deep 50-yard pass, and the Trojans are back inside the red zone at the 19.
* * *
Arizona’s defense comes up with another big play, as Marquis Flowers pops the ball loose from Silas Redd, when Johnathan McKnight recovering at the USC 21. The Trojans are 0-for-2 in the red zone (and also failed to score after reaching the UA 21 on their opening drive).
Kind of the reverse of the Oregon game for Arizona.
* * *
That’s a wrap on the first quarter as Jared Tevis saves a touchdown by bringing down USC RB D.J. Morgan around the ankles after an 18-yard gain. A fine opening 15 minutes for the Cats, taking advantage of an undisciplined Trojans team.
* * *
Arizona responds with more points after USC’s fourth-down failure, although it had to take a 2-yard touchdown run by Ka’Deem Carey off the board because of a holding call on Fabbians Ebbele.
UA eventually finds itself in a first-and-goal situation from the 4, but has to settle for a 27-yard field goal by John Bonano. It’s 10-0 Arizona with 48 seconds left in the first half.
* * *
Can you believe USC huddles on offense? Who still does that?
* * *
The momentum is all Arizona, as USC declines a possible three points and goes for it on fourth-and-2 from the Arizona 15. Barkley play-actions and throws to the right corner of the end zone for TE Xavier Grimble, but the pass is out of reach and Arizona takes over.
* * *
Safety Jared Tevis is indeed playing for the Cats after missing two games because of an ankle injury.
* * *
After Arizona got its hands on two Matt Barkley passes, nearly picking him off, the third time is the charm. Barkley’s pass goes off the hands of Marqise Lee and into the arms of linebacker Marquis Flowers to thwart a drive that had reached the UA 20 before a personal foul penalty.
Arizona takes advantage of another USC penalty — a taunting foul on safety T.J. McDonald — after the Cats had appeared to go three-and-out. With new life, Arizona marched for a touchdown, capped by an 8-yard pass to Johnny Jackson with 7:20 to go in the first quarter.
A 30-yard pass to Austin Hill helped fuel the drive, too.
* * *
Arizona gets a replay break when Silas Redd is called down after what was called a 34-yard touchdown run. Redd kept going as he rolled off Derrick Rainey while being brought down by a trio of defenders. Redd balanced himself with his right hand and kept running while everyone else stopped.
No touchdown, but RichRod can’t be happy about his defense’s effort.
* * *
USC wins the toss and receives. Derrick Rainey starts at cornerback for Arizona for the second consecutive game, replacing Shaq Richardson (who is playing some nickel back).
* * *
Based on warmups, it looks like USC true freshman Max Tuerk will start at left tackle, and Arizona safety Jared Tevis, who has missed two games because of ankle injury, is raring to go.
* * *
Arizona will be wearing white helmets with red jerseys and red pants.
* * *
It’s never too late to make a prediction — if only to be mocked later — so here goes.
As we’ve mentioned, the past five games in the Arizona-USC series have been decided by a touchdown or less, with the Trojans winning four times, so why not again today?
Arizona should be able to move the ball, because it has against everybody else (even Oregon, the red-zone failures notwithstanding), and has the top offensive performances of the season against Oklahoma State, Oregon State and Stanford.
The flip side is USC has to too much firepower, too much balance, too much big-play potential to think that the Wildcats can hold off the Trojans for long. I’m looking for a high-scoring game, USC winning the turnover battle and coming away with this:
USC 42, Arizona 35.
Related: Arizona-USC: Five things to watch