SEATTLE — An extended, chilly evening for USC had been main right here, to the doorstep of the Washington aim line. For many of this slog of a soccer recreation, by way of the rain and the freezing lake wind, Lincoln Riley caught stubbornly together with his strategy, throwing often right into a driving rain, testing the nation’s No. 1 go protection together with his struggling quarterback.
However after climbing again regardless of these circumstances, after taking the lead, then giving it again, USC’s coach turned again to the bottom, grinding away at Washington’s protection till his Trojans have been just some ft away from stealing again a recreation.
Eleven runs on a single drive had led to this second, on the one-yard-line. However by the point the ball made it to Woody Marks on that pivotal fourth down, he was stopped instantly within the backfield. And shortly sufficient, Washington would slam the door for good, handing USC a 26-21 defeat, its fourth straight on the highway.
So usually USC (4-5, 2-5) had been the group squandering a late benefit, shedding all 4 of their video games regardless of main at first of the fourth quarter. This time, it was the Trojans threatening to deal a devastating defeat to a Massive Ten opponent.
After turning away the Trojans as soon as on the aim line, Washington (5-4, 3-3) would make one other cease to seal the deal. After driving many of the subject in lower than a minute, USC confronted fourth down.
However as Miller Moss dropped again, the Huskies’ entrance broke by way of the USC line once more, laying chase to the Trojan quarterback, who needed to throw up a desperation heave as Washington’s go rush dragged him to the bottom, ending the comeback.
All evening lengthy, Riley had stored coming again to his quarterback, whilst Moss struggled to maneuver the offense. He threw 50 passes — the third time he’s met that threshold this season — however solely managed to tally 293 yards, together with two interceptions, on all these makes an attempt.
The pass-happy strategy appeared destined to doom the Trojans till halfway by way of the third quarter, when Moss dropped again on fourth and 9, in determined want of a spark.
He discovered it in a streaking Makai Lemon, who caught an ideal go in stride for a 37-yard rating.
The landing would flip the sport on its head, as USC’s protection pressured a direct punt, giving the ball again to Moss, who wanted simply three performs to maneuver the size of the sector earlier than discovering a wide-open Kyle Ford for a go-ahead rating.
However that lead wouldn’t final. Not as Washington turned a Moss interception into the go-ahead scoring drive.
It’s not as if USC didn’t have probabilities.
The Trojans got each alternative to open quick Saturday, with two of their first three drives beginning in Washington territory and the opposite opening on their 40-yard-line. However the Trojans moved simply three yards on their opening possession, had a tipped ball intercepted on their second, then watched a 52-yard field-goal try hit the crossbar on the third possession.
By the point they acquired the ball once more, the Trojans have been already in a 10-point gap.
Nothing got here simple from there. With its again already towards the wall, USC mounted a 12-play drive that required two third-and-long conversions, one in every of which got here courtesy of a go interference. Marks finally punched in a one-yard landing, giving the Trojans some semblance of offense to construct on.
USC must wait to truly harness that momentum. As rain continued to fall, Washington had little bother scoring on 4 of its 5 drives within the first half, whereas simply one in every of USC’s drives prolonged greater than 34 yards.
All of that might change after half, with USC firing again into the sport. Nevertheless it finally wasn’t sufficient, because the Trojans as soon as once more return residence with a loss in hand.
