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USC vs. Utah: live game updates

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USC 38, Utah 28 (final)

Kelvin York, who had been headed to USC before sustaining a knee injury, just made the score a little more respectable by running five yards for a Utah touchdown to cap an 11-play, 63-yard drive with 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

USC 38, Utah 21 (9:30 left in fourth quarter)

Good thing Utah got those two early touchdowns off USC turnovers.

Because otherwise the score would be really lopsided right now.

USC’s defense just came up with a turnover for a touchdown of its own.

It came on an interception and 38-yard return by Nickell Robey.

Credit defensive end Jordan Breslin with a big assist, though. He was closing in on a sack when Utah quarterback Jon Hays tried to throw the ball away and instead found Robey.

USC 31, Utah 21 (12:10 left in fourth quarter)

Matt Barkley is having a huge night. And so, again, is receiver Marqise Lee.

The tandem has hooked up again, this time on an 83-yard pass play for a touchdown that has given the Trojans some breathing room.

Lee ran a simple post pattern, and although the ball was slightly underthrown, he had time to come back to the ball, break a tackle, and cruise in.

Barkley has completed 21 of 26 passes for 298 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Lee has 11 catches for 191 yards.

Barkley would have another scoring pass had tight end Xavier Grimble not dropped a pass in the end zone on USC’s previous possession.

Grimble also had a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that helped stall that drive.

In the end, Andre Heidari was left with a 44-yard field-goal try, which he missed.

--Mike Hiserman

USC 24, Utah 21 (end of third quarter)

USC missed an opportunity to increase its lead when kicker Andre Heidari missed wide right on a 40-yard field-goal attempt.

Heidari had converted eight consecutive attempts dating to last season before the miss.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley has completed 20 of 24 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Robert Woods has six catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. He has 207 career receptions to tie Keary Colbert on USC’s all-time list.

Utah quarterback Jon Hays is 16 of 25 for 139 yards and two touchdowns.

USC 24, Utah 21 (halftiime)

The Trojans were thrilled to head to the locker room with a three-point lead.

USC fought back from a terrible start and got a break when Utah was called for a penalty on double-reverse pass that resulted in an apparent touchdown with less than two minutes left.

Utah then missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley has completed 12 of 15 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans, who have outgained Utah, 190 yards to 183.

Utah quarterback Jon Hays is 13 of 22 for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

The teams have combined for 17 penalties.

USC 24, Utah 21 (4:38 left in the second quarter)

The Trojans came back from a two-touchdown deficit to take the lead.

Matt Barkley threw a six-yard touchdown pass to receiver Robert Woods to put USC ahead for the first time in the Pac-12 Conference game.

Barkley has completed 12 of 15 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Woods has four catches for 53 yards. Marqise Lee has five catches for 62 yards.

Tailback Silas Redd has rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries.

Utah 21, USC 17 (7:54 left in the second quarter)

USC tight end Randall Telfer made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 33-yard touchdown reception that kept the Trojans within four points of the Utes.

Utah had gone ahead, 21-10, after quarterback Jon Hays engineered an eight-play, 81-yard drive.

Hays completed passes of six, 12 and 27 yards before finishing the drive with an 18-yard strike to receiver DeVonte Christopher.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley brought the Trojans right back.

Robert Woods got things going with a 41-yard reception. Two plays later, Barkley connected with Telfer.

Barkley has completed 10 of 13 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Hays is seven of 11 for 84 yards and two touchdowns.

Utah 14, USC 10 (12:53 left in the second quarter)

After a disastrous start, USC pulls back into the game.

The Trojans gave up two quick touchdowns after fumbles but they pulled to within four points on a 32-yard field goal by Andre Heidari.

USC quarterback Matt Barkleyhas completed eight of 10 passes for 54 yards.

Utah quarterback Jon Hays has completed three of six passes for 21 yards and a touchdown.

USC receiver Robert Woods appeared to be hurt when he collided with a Utah player while making a block on a punt return. After the play, the junior got up, stumbled and then fell face forward.

He sat out one play, but then returned.

Utah 14, USC 7 (7:12 left in the first quarter)

USC kept its composure.

Matt Barkley directed an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that tailback Silas Redd capped with a three-yard touchdown run.

Barkley was under pressure on the third play of the drive, but he calmly stepped up in the pocket and delivered a pass to receiver Marqise Lee, who turned upfield for a 16-yard gain.

The completion allowed the Trojans to breathe a sigh of relief.

Barkley and Lee connected again for 18 and six yards before Redd finished the march with runs of nine and three yards.

Utah 14, USC 0 (12:15 left in first quarter)

Two possessions, two fumbles.

Quarterback Matt Barkley bobbled a snap and Utah defensive tackle Star Lotuleile recovered the ball at the USC 13-yard line.

Two plays later, Utah quarterback Jon Hays lofted a pass to receiver Kenneth Scott in the end zone.

Officials initially ruled that he did not have possession. But a review showed he did, and the Utes went ahead by two touchdowns.

Utah 7, USC 0 (14:13 left in the first quarter)

Well, that didn’t take long.

Center Khaled Holmes returned to the USC lineup, but his second snap to Matt Barkley, who was lined up in the shotgun formation, was low.

Barkley picked up the bouncing ball, but Utah defensive end Nate Fakahafua ripped it from his grasp and ran eight yards to the end zone for a touchdown.

Pregame

It’s about 20 minutes before kickoff here at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, where USC will try to play a complete game for the first time.

There were hints in victories against Hawaii, Syracuse and California, but the Trojans have thus far been unable to put everything together.

USC, 3-1 overall and 1-1 in Pac-12 Conference play, had an open date last week, so it seems probable that center Khaled Holmes will start at center. He is warming up with the first-team offense. That should help offset Utah defensive tackle Star Lotuleile.

Running back D.J. Morgan, who had been sidelined the last three games following knee surgery, is on the field warming up. So is receiver George Farmer, who sat out the last two games because of an apparent hamstring injury.

This is USC’s first road game since Stanfordembarrassed the Trojans on Sept. 15.

Utah, 2-2 and 0-1 in Pac-12 play, does not appear to have either the defense or the running game that Stanford showed that night. So perhaps this is the game USC shows the nation what all the hype was about.

--Gary Klein

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