Tre Madden on the way to his long touchdown reception in the first quarter. Photo by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Wildcats, showing cracks on defense early and firepower on offense late, fell to USC 38-31 on Thursday night.
Arizona dropped to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12. The Trojans won the first game under interim head coach Ed Orgeron, moving to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the league.
USC was without star receiver Marqise Lee due to injury, and lost starting tight end Xavier Grimble and starting running back Tre Madden during the game. But the Trojans got back running back Silas Redd from injury, and he gained valuable yards as USC ran out the final 4:15 after Arizona cut the lead to seven points.
Arizona improved its passing game, completing four passes of at least 27 yards, including a 57-yard score to Nate Phillips and a 45-yard touchdown to Garic Wharton. Senior quarterback B.J. Denker completed 28 of 44 passes for 363 yards and four scores.
The past seven games in the Arizona-USC series has been decided by a touchdown or less.
Check back for more later …
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Key play: Third-and-8 from the USC 37 with 1:38 to play, Arizona out of timeouts.
Bad result for the Cats: Silas Redd rushes for 10 yards.
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USC will start a key drive at its 4-yard line. Opportunity knocking for the Cats.
* * *
Are you kidding? Arizona gets a defensive stop — thanks to an offensive holding call — and strikes quickly, with a 28-yard pass from B.J. Denker to Garic Wharton. It’s 38-31 USC with 4:18 left.
* * *
Arizona still showing some fight, with Ka’Deem Carey running as hungry as ever and B.J. Denker pulling out a Johnny Manziel move for a touchdown. Denker scrambled hard backward and to his left to avoid pressure and fired to David Richards into the back of the end zone, where Richards got a foot down in-bounds.
The 9-yard touchdown pass makes the score 38-24 with 6:48 to play.
Denker has 321 passing yards. Everybody who had Denker for more than 300 raise their hand.
Carey has 138 yards rushing, 36 receiving.
Now, the Cats need to stop the run and get the ball back in a hurry.
* * *
Ka'Deem Carey's nickname should be the "Broken Compass," because his running style only knows one direction: North. #BearDown
— John Button Salmon (@GR8SalmonsGhost) October 11, 2013
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Needing a quick score, Arizona goes three-and-out. Start the bus?
* * *
USC is shutting the door. Javorius Allen scores on a 4-yard run to the corner on the second play of the fourth quarter to give the Trojans a 38-17 lead. USC’s depth at running back has been a big factor.
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Third quarter comes to an end. USC is up 31-17 and is at the Arizona 4-yard line.
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Ka’Deem Carey, by the way, hit triple digits on the last drive. He has more than 100 rushing yards in eight consecutive games and 12 of his past 13.
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Arizona has found a deep passing game tonight, with four passes covering at least 27 yards. The latest comes on a 45-yard pass along the sideline to Garic Wharton, who beat press coverage with a double move. The PAT is an adventure with a bad snap rolling to midfield, where USC is penalized for kicking the ball during the chase.
Arizona gets a chance to kick again and makes it to cut the lead to 31-17 with 4:03 to go. Plenty of time left.
If the #ArizonaWildcats defense is holding onto a turnover card, now would be a good time to play it. #BearDown
— WildcatUniverse.com (@Scott_Terrell) October 11, 2013
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USC starting RB Tre Madden not likely to play any more tonight because of a hamstring injury. Will not matter. USC has plenty of options and is getting strong carries from true freshman Ty Isaac on the latest drive.
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Arizona is going to be unhappy with its third-down defense. The Wildcats are on the verge of a stop, but then Cody Kessler — not known as a runner — slips out of the pocket for a 34-yard run. The drive ends in a 45-yard field goal by Andre Heidari to make the score 31-10 for USC with 8:15 to go in the third quarter.
* * *
Arizona needed a score on its opening drive of the second half to put some pressure on USC, but the Wildcats have to punt after gaining a couple of first downs. Ka’Deem Carey is up to 65 yards on 13 carries.
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I thought that OLB Morgan Breslin being out for USC would be a big deal. His replacement, J.R. Tavai, had eight tackles, including 2.5 for loss in first half.
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A 6-foot-6 tight end from Scottsdale Chaparral who will be one of many key adds to the Arizona passing game next season:
hey no matter I BEARDOWN with my boys….
— Trevor Wood (@t_wood_8) October 11, 2013
* * *
B.J. Denker is 16 of 21 for 209 yards at halftime. He already has set career highs for completions and passing yards.
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OK, lots of football left. B.J. Denker, rolling left, lofts a pass down the sideline — man, does he put a lot of air under his passes — and this time Nate Phillips is able to get a step on safety Dion Bailey and run under the rainbow for a 57-yard score.
Arizona trails 28-10 and will get the ball first to start the second half.
* * *
USC makes it 28-3 with 2:08 left in the half on a 1-yard plunge by Javorius Allen. The Trojans are starting to play big-boy power football — one of RichRod’s pregame fears — and will do that a lot more now that they have a big lead.
* * *
Another mental breakdown: Arizona CB Shaquille Richardson, he of the late hit earlier, tussles with Nelson Agholor after the play and gets 15 yards for unnecessary roughness for a slap to the head.
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Add this to the list of Things Arizona has Done to Hurt Itself: A holding penalty after a completion for a first down on third-and-2. Backed up, the Cats eventually have to punt.
* * *
So, Arizona gets a punt blocked. Then, when it nearly has USC stopped, gives up a 20-yard pass to Nelson Algholor — the one USC receiver the Cats have to worry about — on third-and-7. Then, freshman LB Scooby Wright roughs the passer. One play later, Justin Davis goes around left end for an 11-yard touchdown.
Yep, Cats deserved to give up seven points there.
USC leads 21-3 with 6:40 to go before halftime.
* * *
Arizona’s rugby punt hasn’t been effective this season. Drew Riggleman, after a couple of steps to his right, hits a line drive that is blocked by USC, ending in a 13-yard effort. USC takes over at UA’s 42 after another special teams miscue for the Cats.
* * *
A USC receiver having a big day against Arizona is nothing new. Check it out: Robert Woods (255 yards vs. Arizona, 2011). Marqise Lee (345 yards, 2012). Nelson Agholor (109 yards in 20 minutes).
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Everybody is talking about a change at quarterback, but what about cornerback? Not a good game for the UA secondary, which lets USC off the hook on third-and-9, allowing Nelson Agholor to come across the middle of the field for a 40-yard gain, capped by a 15-yard late hit by CB Shaq Richardson.
Arizona eventually forces USC to punt but loses a lot of field position.
* * *
USC tight end Xavier Grimble has left the field to get his shoulder checked. Another blow to the Trojans’ passing game.
* * *
The Wildcats drive 91 yards but leave points on the board, when B.J. Denker and Nate Phillips can’t connect on a throw into the end zone on third-and-goal from the 5. Denker, rolling left, throws high to the 5-7 Phillips, who reaches above his head for the ball, which goes through his hands.
Arizona takes a delay-of-game penalty and settles for a 27-yard field goal by Jake Smith. It’s 14-3 USC with 12:42 to go before halftime. Points are good, but that is a missed opportunity for the Cats.
* * *
The first quarter ends with Arizona down 14-0, but at least the Cats are out of the shadow of their own end zone. Starting a drive at its 4, UA gets a first down and then hits a 27-yard pass to Terrence Miller — he exists! — wide open over the middle. That’s Arizona’s second-longest completion of the season.
* * *
USC goes one better, and hits a 63-yard touchdown pass (after its 62-yard TD throw) as running back Tre Madden runs past middle linebacker Jake Fischer and is wide open down the middle of the field. He fights for the final few yards as the Cats can’t prevent him front stretching across the goal line.
USC is up 14-0 with 5:02 to go in the first quarter.
Even though the Trojans don’t have Marqise Lee, this looks like the same ol’ pass defense we saw from the Cats last season.
* * *
Arizona does some nice things on its second drive, and B.J. Denker settles in to complete a few nice throws and use his feet to get out of trouble. Cats needed to answer with some points, though, and they end up empty after Jake Smith hits a banana kick, curving well left of the uprights, from 38 yards.
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Arizona MLB Jake Fischer is the antonym of Jadeveon Clowney. Not one snap of contact all week (ankle) starts and plays. Heart & Soul guy.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 11, 2013
* * *
USC has one threat at receiver, Nelson Agholor, and Arizona lets him get through the secondary to catch a 62-yard touchdown pass from Cody Kessler. Agholor runs past CB Jonathan McKnight and there was not safety help over the top. Trojans up 7-0 with 12:21 to play in the first quarter.
* * *
B.J. Denker’s first pass is high over the middle to Samajie Grant, incomplete. Same trend as in the Washington game. Arizona ends up in third-and-long, which is not a good look for the Cats — and USC sacks Denker to force a punt.
* * *
LB Jake Fischer is out there for the first snap for Arizona. He didn’t practice much because of ankle injury; didn’t need to. The Wildcats force a three-and-out on first series. Looks like the Trojans will use a lot of two tight end sets tonight.
* * *
Arizona wins the coin toss and defers, and here we go …
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There's barely enough people here to muster a few boos as Arizona goes back to locker room #USC
— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) October 11, 2013
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With the return of Silas Redd, USC has a trio of standout running backs (joining Tre Madden and Justin Davis) and hardly any healthy scholarship receivers. Said UA coach Rich Rodriguez about the USC offense in his pregame radio interview: “They’re going to try to pound us.”
* * *
Marqise Lee isn’t the only injury concern for USC. Two more receivers are out — Darreus Rogers and De’Von Flournoy — leaving the Trojans paper thin at the position. Another key loss for USC is pass-rusher Morgan Breslin, a defensive end last season who was converted to outside linebacker in the team’s new three-man front. He’s a potential first-rounder. Breslin on the sideline makes B.J. Denker happy.
* * *
Official word is that All-American WR Marqise Lee (knee sprain) is out for USC. Austin Hill (ACL) continues to be out, of course, for Arizona. Amazing that they combined for 604 receiving yards in last year’s game.
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Arizona is wearing all white today. The last time the Cats went white helmets, white jerseys, white pants, they lost 49-0 at Oregon last season.
* * *
USC HC Ed Orgeron plans to tell his players: "This is your team. Take ownership tonight."
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 11, 2013
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At Coliseum.. Ed Orgeron had #USC team gathered around midfield and you could hear his voice clear from the press box.
— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) October 11, 2013
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Arizona quarterback recruit Brandon Dawkins tweets that he will be at the game tonight. Dawkins, from Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, Calif., is having a fabulous senior season, having thrown for at least five touchdown passes in four of six games.
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The Arizona Wildcats play only their second game in 26 days when they take on USC tonight in Los Angeles (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1).
Here are five non-quarterbacks to watch:
Arizona RB Ka’Deem Carey: He has scored four touchdowns in two games against USC, with the first score of his career coming in the L.A. Coliseum in 2011.
He toughed out 119 yards on 28 carries vs. the Trojans last season, and he will need all of the physical improvements he made in the offseason tonight against a defensive front seven packed with future pros. Carey, always relentless, will have to keep pounding away … and hope that a big enough hole eventually emerges for a long run.
That didn’t happen at Washington, when he rushed a career-high 30 times.
“The weight that I put on makes me be the back that I am now, accepting 30 carries and taking that toll and taking that hit,” said Carey, up about 10 pounds to 207. “I’m more of a power back now, but I’m looking to get out in some space.”
USC DL Leonard Williams: The sophomore, at 290 pounds, is listed as an end in the Trojans’ three-man front, probably the nation’s best defensive line prospect among his class. He has made 24 tackles, including seven for loss and three sacks. Arizona’s line can’t focus exclusively on him because USC has too much talent all across the front.
Arizona CB Shaquille Richardson: The senior, with a healthy shoulder this season, has improved his confidence this season, coach Rich Rodriguez said. With USC receiver Marqise Lee unlikely to play, perhaps Arizona will be comfortable putting Richardson and Jonathan McKnight in man coverage, while having other defenders cheat against the run.
USC TE Xavier Grimble: On the other hand, Arizona has to be wary of USC’s tight ends. Just because the Trojans didn’t get Grimble (10 catches, 127 yards) and Randall Telfer (two catches, 17 yards) involved all that much under coach Lane Kiffin this season doesn’t mean that new play-caller Clay Helton won’t.
Arizona LB Marquis Flowers: How about an encore? He had two interceptions and seven tackles vs. USC last season. Other than Carey (and rehabbing wide receiver Austin Hill), Flowers is the team’s best draft-eligible prospect, a potential sixth-rounder by NFLDraftScout.com.
PREDICTION
I don’t much like the matchup at all for Arizona — for the emotional reasons (USC playing its first game under interim coach Ed Orgeron) and for the practical reasons (how are the Wildcats going to threaten the Trojans’ defense?).
It’s hard to see UA making consistent headway against USC’s run defense, and the Cats don’t have the personnel to exploit the Trojans’ cornerbacks through the air. Never mind that Arizona State put up 62 points and 612 yards vs. USC; that game just went sideways on the Trojans in a hurry against a balanced and explosive offense.
Those are two things that don’t much apply to Arizona right now.
USC isn’t so great on offense, either, so this won’t be a repeat of last season when the teams combined for 1,206 yards.
In a grind, the Trojans win, 28-17.
PREGAME LINKS
Arizona-USC preview: Close games have been the norm recently
Arizona QB Javelle Allen: Ready or not?
Arizona LB Scooby Wright among top freshmen in Pac-12
Scott Terrell takes a look at a great week of football in the Pac-12
L.A. Daily News: USC expects supportive crowd at Coliseum
Los Angeles Times: Clay Helton’s play-calling to be a change of pace
Greg Hansen has his Mr. Football column at the Arizona Daily Star.
The Daily Star’s Jon Gold examines whether USC is still a premier coaching job