One other large sport, one other large stink.
One other loaded season, one other misplaced season.
4 years after Lincoln Riley arrived at USC amid gaudy guarantees to return the soccer program to nationwide prominence, effectively, two phrases.
Nonetheless ready.
Needing a win at Oregon’s Autzen Stadium on Saturday to have an opportunity at their first Faculty Soccer Playoff berth, the Trojans as soon as once more fell quick, fell deep and mainly fell on their faces.
Nonetheless ready.
In entrance of its jubilant followers roaring like USC followers as soon as roared, Oregon used an 85-yard punt return, a horrible Trojans penalty and terrible USC play calls to roll to a 42-27 victory.
Nonetheless ready.
With the win, the seventh-ranked Geese virtually actually earned a playoff spot.
With the loss, the Fifteenth-ranked Trojans undoubtedly have been eradicated for the fourth time in Riley’s 4 seasons whereas hanging an equally damning quantity on the embattled coach.
Below Riley’s management, the Trojans are 0-5 in opposition to top-10 groups.
Practically as unhealthy, in 4 years the Trojans have received simply three highway video games in opposition to groups that completed the season with information higher than .500. Earlier than beating Nebraska this 12 months, Riley’s Trojans had not recorded a top quality highway win since his first season.
If USC beats UCLA subsequent weekend as anticipated, the Trojans will end with a 9-3 document and a pleasant trip in some nameless bowl sport.
And that won’t be sufficient. That can’t be sufficient.
One wonders how lengthy the deep-pocketed USC folks will endure such failed expectations, such fruitless autumns, such … mediocrity.
Heck, if UCLA should buy its manner out of the Rose Bowl, one imagines that USC might purchase its manner out of a soccer coach.
Simply saying. Simply saying, as a result of at this level, there actually isn’t something extra to say.
USC coach Lincoln Riley might smile early Saturday because the Trojans solid a tie, however by then finish of a 42-27 loss to Oregon there was little to be ok with.
(Lydia Ely / Related Press)
USC started Saturday’s sport with power and magnificence, forging a 14-all tie on the primary play of the second quarter on a trick play that didn’t work in opposition to Notre Dame, receiver Makai Lemon throwing 24 yards to Tanook Hines to tie the sport.
If solely the swaggering Trojans weren’t additionally so sloppy.
On their subsequent possession, a line-drive punt was returned 85 yards for a landing by Malik Benson to offer Oregon a 21-14 lead.
Then on the finish of the primary half, all the things fell aside for USC, similar to all the things at all times appears to collapse in large video games.
The breakdown started when USC appeared to regain momentum on a missed 44-yard discipline purpose by the Geese’ Atticus Sappington. However on the play, the Trojans’ Desman Stephens II leaped over the road for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Given new life, the Geese shortly took benefit with a one-yard landing run by linebacker Bryce Boettcher to offer the Geese a 28-14 lead with 1:52 remaining within the half.
Then USC appeared even worse on its ensuing drive when, on first and purpose from the Oregon eight-yard line, Riley inexplicably referred to as two operating performs by Lemon that have been stuffed. The Trojans finally have been pressured to try a discipline purpose, however Ryon Sayeri bounced it off the correct upright and the Trojans ended up with zilch.
At halftime, the Geese’ 14-point lead appeared quite a bit bigger, and it seems it was insurmountable.
At first of the second half, the Trojans held Oregon on fourth and one from round midfield, stole the Geese’ subsequent possession on an interception by Kennedy Urlacher, transformed their very own fourth down and finally scored on a four-yard move from Jayden Maiava to Lemon to make it 28-21.
However then Oregon used a number of bruising runs to arrange a 28-yard landing move to Kenyon Sadiq to make it 35-21 late within the third quarter and that was that.
The Trojans made it a one-possession sport once more on a nine-yard landing move to Lake McRee early within the fourth quarter, however Oregon drove down the sector and scored on one other bruising run by Noah Whittington to clinch it.
Finish of sport. Finish of season.
Nonetheless ready.
