USC defense stuffs Arizona final two-point conversion attempt
No. 9 USC 43, Arizona 41, final in triple-OT
USC stuffed Arizona’s two-point conversion attempt to seal a wild win. The defense surged forward and tackled the Wildcats’ DJ Williams for a loss that set off a jubilant celebration in the Coliseum.
USC scores first in OT two-point conversion sequence
No. 9 USC 43, Arizona 41, third OT period
After a line shift, Caleb Williams danced along the right side to slide into the end zone.
USC matches Arizona’s touchdown, but can’t complete two-point conversion
No. 9 USC 41, Arizona 41, end of second OT period
USC faces first-and-20 from its 35-yard line after a holding penalty was assessed what seemed to be a first-down scramble by Caleb Williams.
Williams completed a pass to Brenden Rice for a six-yard gain.
On second-and-14, USC was called for a false start.
On second-and-19, Williams found Mario Williams for a 23-yard gain.
On the next play, Austin Jones rushed for a nine-yard touchdown
Williams’ pass on the two-point conversion attempt was on target, but Rice couldn’t hold onto the ball.
Now both teams will alternate two-point conversion attempts.
Arizona scores, but USC breaks up two-point conversion attempt
Arizona 41, No. 9 USC 35 in second overtime
Arizona faced third-and-2 on the USC 17 after one short run and incomplete pass. Noah Fifita tried an option pitch that bounced and was recovered by Jonah Coleman for a first down. Coleman then rushed for four yards to the USC 7.
Fifita passed to Jacob Cowing for a 7-yard touchdown.
Arizona was going to line up for an extra point, but NCAA rules require going for a two-point conversion and the Wildcats called timeout to regroup.
Fifita’s pass to the end zone was knocked down by USC, giving the Trojans a chance to win the game if they can score a touchdown and convert their two-point conversion attempt.
Noah Fifita counters with a touchdown to extend overtime
No. 9 USC 35, Arizona 35 in overtime
Noah Fifita tossed a 25-yard touchdown to Jacob Cowing on his first overtime snap and Arizona hit the extra point to extend the game.
Caleb Williams rushes for a touchdown to open OT
No. 9 USC 35, Arizona 28 in overtime
On first down, Caleb Williams tossed an incomplete pass intended for Dorian Singer.
On second down, Williams tossed a short pass to Austin Jones for a seven-yard gain.
On third down, Williams rushed for an 18-yard touchdown and Denis Lynch hit the extra point.
USC starts overtime on offense
No. 9 USC 28, Arizona 28 in overtime
Caleb Williams and the Trojans take the field first in overtime.
USC’s potential game-winning field goal is blocked, forcing OT
No. 9 USC 28, Arizona 28, end of fourth quarter
USC started at its 33-yard line.
Austin Jones rushed for no gain before Caleb Williams passed to Tahj Washington for 26 yards. Williams then hit Brenden Rice for a six-yard gain to the Arizona 35.
MarShawn Lloyd gained five yards for a first down, moving the ball to the Arizona 30.
LLoyd then gained 24 yards with 24 seconds remaining.
USC faced first-and-goal at the Arizona 6. Williams faked a handoff and passed to Rice’s back and it fell incomplete.
On second-and-goal at the Arizona 6, USC fumbled the handoff exchange and Williams fell on the ball with nine seconds left.
The Trojans rushed to clock the ball and USC called timeout with four seconds left.
Denis Lynch lined up for the 25-yard field goal attempt and Arizona called timeout. After the break, the ball was snapped high, Lynch stubbed his foot in the turf and the ball was blocked.
The game goes to overtime after remarkably poor fourth-quarter finish by the Trojans.
Arizona misses a long field goal and game remains tied
No. 9 USC 28, Arizona 28, with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter
Arizona opened what looked to be a pivotal drive on its 21-yard line.
Noah Fifita tossed an incomplete pass on first down.
Jonah Coleman rushed for one yard, with Bear Alexander wrapping him up.
On third-and-nine at Arizona 22, Fifita scrambled past Alexander for a gain of 15 yards.
Coleman then plowed straigh ahead for nine yards and gained another seven yards for a first down.
On first-and-10 at the USC 47, DJ Williams rumbled for 11 yards before going out of bounds on the right side.
Fifita looked to pass deep on the left side into double coverage and USC broke up the pass.
On second-and-10 at the USC 36, Coleman rushed for a one-yard loss.
One third-and-10, Coleman stumbled after catching a screen pass.
Arizona’s Tyler Loop lined up for a 50-yard field goal and missed wide left.
USC forced to punt after drive altered by penalties
No. 9 USC 28, Arizona 28, with 6:22 left in the fourth quarter
USC started with the ball on its 25 and was immediately called for holding, bringing up first-and-20 at the Arizona 15.
Caleb Williams’ pass downfield was incomplete as Arizona was called offsides, setting up first-and-15.
Williams delivered the ball downfield and it was nearly intercepted, but Williams was hit late and the refs flagged Arizona for roughing the passer.
USC then faced first-and-10 at the USC 35.
Williams handed off the MarShawn Lloyd for a three-yard gain and more flags were hurled. USC was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and 15-yard loss.
On second-and-23, Williams tossed short to Austin Jones for a gain of nine yards.
On third-and-14, Williams passed a bit behind Dorian Singer and Singer couldn’t hold onto it.
USC was forced to punt and it was downed at the Wildcats’ 21-yard line.
Noah Fifita leads Arizona offense on a scoring drive that ties the game
No. 9 USC 28, Arizona 28, with 8:17 left in the fourth quarter
Arizona opened its drive on its 25-yard line.
Noah Fifita rushed for six yards and then Jonah Coleman rushed for 26 yards. USC was called for a horse collar tackle on the play.
The sequence moved the ball to the USC 26.
Fifita was facing third down when he found Jacob Cowing for a four-yard gain and a first down.
Coleman rushed for five yards to the USC 1-yard line, but he was stuffed for no gain on the next play. DJ Williams rushed for a two-yard loss on third down.
Facing fourth-and-goal at the USC 3, Arizona lined up to go for it and the Trojans called their second timeout of the half.
Fifita faded back away from pressure and then passed to Cowing on the left side for a three-yard touchdown. Fifita then hit Tetairoa McMillan for the two-point conversion that tied the game.
Caleb Williams rushes for a touchdown
No. 9 USC 28, Arizona 20, with 12:54 left in the fourth quarter
On first-and-goal at the Arizona 1, the Trojans were called for a false start.
On first-and-goal at the Arizona 6, Austin Jones gained one yard.
On second -and-goal at the Arizona 5, MarShawn Lloyd gained two yards.
On third-and-goal at the Arizona 2, Caleb Williams gained one yard, but Arizona was called for illegal hands to the face. USC got a first down as the ball was moved half the distance to the goal.
On first-and-goal inside the Arizona 1, Williams was stuffed going up the middle, bounced outside and scored while carrying an Arizona player on his back. With the extra point, USC extended its lead to eight.
USC is on Arizona’s one-yard line at the end of the third quarter
No. 9 USC 21, Arizona 20, end of third quarter
USC started the drive on its 23-yard line and Caleb Williams immediately rushed for a 10-yard gain.
After one incomplete pass, Williams passed to Kyron Hudson and Tahj Washington for a combined gain of 16 yards. Williams went back to Washington for a gain of 26 and Arizona called for a facemask penalty.
On first-and-10 at the Arizona 12, MarShawn Lloyd gained three yards. On second-and-seven at the Arizona 9, officials ruled Lloyd gained eight yards as time expired in the third quarter.
USC will face first-and-goal at the Arizona 1 when play resumes.
USC forces quick Arizona punt
No. 9 USC 21, Arizona 20, with 3:23 left in the third quarter
USC’s defense gave up one first down and then picked up the pressure, forcing Noah Fifita to toss two incomplete passes. The Wildcats punted on fourth-and-eight at the Arizona 44.
Two Arizona penalties help USC take the lead
No. 9 USC 21, Arizona 20, with 5:44 left in the third quarter
USC started at its 25-yard line and Caleb Williams quickly broke away for an 11-yard run, stumbling as he went out of bounds.
Williams scanned up field on the next play and took off running when no one was open, rumbling for another 20 yards to the Arizona 44.
MarShawn Lloyd ran for three yards.
USC reversed the ball to Mario Williams, who looked to pass and eventually just ran the ball for four-yard gain.
On third-and-three, Caleb Williams faked the handoff and was immediately tackled for a loss.
On fourth-and-seven at the Arizona 41, USC opted to go for it. Williams tossed deep on the right side to Dorian Singer, but the Wildcats were called for pass interference.
It set up first-and-10 at the Arizona 26. Lloyd rushed for five yards. Williams then faked a handoff and tried to sling it underneath. USC argued the intended target was hit early, but no call was made. The clock was stopped for Justin Dedich’s injury and he had to come off the field for one play.
Williams had time to look for a receiver and threw it away, but he was hit late and the Wildcats were called for roughing the passer.
Dedich returned and Lloyd ran behind him on the next play for a nine-yard touchdown. With the extra point, USC claimed its first lead of the game.
Arizona extends lead with a field goal
Arizona 20, No. 9 USC 14 with 10:20 left in the third quarter
Jonah Coleman rushed for five yards, Arizona was called for a false start and Noah Fifita passed to Tetairoa McMillan for 21 yards.
On first-and-10 at the Arizona 47, Coleman rushed for 42 yards.
A few plays later on third-and-nine at the USC 10, Fifita rushed for five yards.
Arizona lined up to go for it at fourth-and-four at the USC 5, then called timeout. The Wildcats hit a 22-yard field goal to extend its lead.
USC stops Arizona drive as second quarter ends
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 14, end of the second quarter
USC hit a squib kick and Arizona got the ball at the Wildcats’ 43-yard line. The Trojans took a timeout to regroup as Arizona brought out its offense rather than taking a knee.
The kickoff decision put a little extra stress on the Trojans, but USC was able to tackle an Arizona receiver with no danger of reaching the end zone.
USC regained its footing in the second quarter. The undefeated Trojans have championship aspirations, but the team’s play is similar to that it showed against Arizona State after a bye. The Trojans seem to have difficulty getting hyped up for a perceived inferior opponent and Arizona made USC pay early.
Caleb Williams tosses his first touchdown pass of the game
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 14, two seconds left in the second quarter
MarShawn Lloyd put pressure on the Arizona defense, which fielded seven defensive backs to blanket Caleb Williams’ receivers. Lloyd gained 30 yards during three rushing plays.
Williams then found Brenden Rice for a 31-yard gain.
USC rushed for a two-yard loss. Arizona was called for holding on an incomplete pass to Mario Williams.
Caleb Williams faced first-and-goal at the Arizona 5 and he found Kyron Hudson for what was initially called a 5-yard touchdown with two seconds left in the second quarter. After the review, the ruling on the field stood and Arizona was charged a timeout. USC hit the extra point to further trim the Wildcat’s lead.
USC defense forces a punt
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 7, 2:52 left in the second quarter
Arizona only managed two short runs and sack before punting. It was a strong sequence for the Wildcats.
Arizona punted and the ball tumbled out of bounds at the USC 35.
Arizona’s defense continues to confound Caleb Williams
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 7, 4:48 left in the second quarter
Austin Jones rushed for five yards on the first snap of the USC drive. Caleb Williams faked a handoff and the quarterback was sacked for a loss of six yards.
Williams evaded a safety on third-and-11 and ended up tossing the ball away as he slid out of the bounds. He has struggled to find targets with Arizona putting seven defensive backs on the field.
USC punted from its own end zone and Arizona took a fair catch at its 40-yard line.
USC forces Arizona to punt
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 7, 6:12 left in the second quarter
After a short pass and a sack, Noah Fifita passed to Jonah Coleman for 27 yards amid pressure from the USC defense and the crowd.
Fifita was sacked for a 12-yard loss on the next play and threw an incomplete pass on the run on second-and-22 on the Arizona 41.
Fifita passed for a five-yard gain, but Arizona had to punt. USC took a fair catch at the 11-yard line.
USC scores after Trojans and Wildcats trade turnovers
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 7, 9:43 left in the second quarter
Caleb Williams searched for an answer to Arizona’s attack, but all his receivers were covered and the pocket collapsed. Williams was dropped for a 10-yard loss.
Arizona wasn’t lined up correctly and called timeout ahead of second-and-20 on the USC 15-yard line.
Williams completed a 53-yard pass and the Coliseum roared approval, but Williams was then stripped of the ball as he attempted to pass on the run during the next play. It was ruled a turnover and collected at the Arizona 34.
The Wildcats were called for an illegal substitution, rushed for a loss of one yard. Then Noah Fifita’s pass outside was intercepted by Jacobe Covington at Wildcats’ 36. Covington returned it 24 yards to the Arizona’s 12-yard line.
USC’s MarShawn Lloyd rushed for a seven-yard loss, but Arizona was called for a facemask penalty. Loyd gained two yards for first-and-goal at the Arizona 6.
Williams looked for pass options before tucking and running for a four-yard touchdown. With the extra point, USC trims the Arizona lead to 10.
Noah Fifita carves up the USC defense for another touchdown
Arizona 17, No. 9 USC 0, 13:05 left in the second quarter
Arizona’s Jacob Cowing limped off the field after catching a pass for two yards.
Noah Fifita responded on second-and-eight at the Arizona 34 with a nine-yard pass to Tetairoa McMillan.
The Wildcats then called timeout with 13:53 left in the second quarter.
Fifita connected with McMillan, a fellow Servite alum, again for a gain of 39 yards. After a an incomplete pass, Fifita found Tanner McLachlan for an 18-yard touchdown. The Wildcats hit the extra point.
Arizona driving as USC’s miserable first quarter ends
Arizona 10, No. 9 USC 0, end of first quarter
Redshirt freshman Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, a backup filling in for the injured starter, is making the most of his return home. He has helped the Wildcats steadily pull away from their own end zone.
The Wildcats will faced first-and-10 at their 32-yard line when the second quarter begins.
USC has to hope the next period brings better play, with the Trojans struggling throughout the first quarter.
USC punts again
Arizona 10, No. 9 USC 0, 3:56 left in the first quarter
The Arizona defense isn’t giving Caleb Williams’ receivers much room to operate and is closing in on him quickly, leading to a surprisingly slow start for the Trojans’ typically prolific offense.
The Wildcats reutrned the punt 22 yards, but a block in the back penalty pinned the ball back at the Arizona 8-yard line.
USC defense gives up a touchdown
Arizona 10, No. 9 USC 0, 4:59 left in the first quarter
USC’s familiar defensive problems are flaring up early against Arizona, with players out of position and struggling to tackle.
Noah Fifita marched the Wildcats down the field, connecting with Jacob Cowing for a 23-yard touchdown. With the extra point, Arizona capped a 10-play, 64 yard drive for a quick 10-point lead.
Caleb Williams struggles to get passing attack off the ground
Arizona 3, No. 9 USC 0, 9:20 left in the first quarter
USC’s offense is off to a rough start.
Caleb Williams tossed three incomplete passes and the Trojans’ only first down came from an Arizona pass interference penalty. USC punted and Arizona takes over at its 36-yard line.
USC gives up a field goal, trails for the first time all season
Arizona 3, No. 9 USC 0, 10:12 left in the first quarter
Backup quarterback Noah Fifita, a Servite alum making his second consecutive start, showed no nerves, completing a 30-yard pass to Tetairoa McMillan. Arizona followed it with three runs for a total of 20 yards.
After a short run and incomplete pass, Fifita tossed the ball out of the end zone on third-and-goal at the USC 6. Tyler Loop hit a 23-yard field goal.
Arizona has rarely scored in the first quarter, while USC has never trailed all season. We’ll see how Caleb Williams responds.
USC, Caleb Williams forced to go three-and-out
No. 9 USC 0, Arizona 0, 13:31 left in the first quarter
Caleb Williams tossed a pass to open the possession and Arizona’s defense broke it up.
USC rushed for two yards and Williams scrambled out of bounds on third-and-eight.
The Trojans lined up to punt on fourth-and-six, but the team was called for a false start. USC oddly tried to run the returner into the ball and kicked it forward 10 yards to the Wildcats’ 34-yard line.
And we’re off ...
USC received the opening kickoff and it bounced into the end zone for a touchback.
Hand him the Heisman already. USC’s Caleb Williams once again shows he’s the best
He was running to his left. He was throwing to his right. He was leaving his feet.
The ball nonetheless flew out of his hand as if he were a shortstop firing from the hole. It soared downfield over long swaths of green, over the heads of stunned defenders and into the outstretched arms of a wide-open receiver running untouched into the end zone.
It was brash. It was beautiful. It was pure Caleb. It was all Heisman.
The 71-yard touchdown pass from USC quarterback Caleb Williams to Tahj Washington early in the Trojans’ 48-41 victory at Colorado on Saturday was an opening salvo that evolved into a striking mandate.
USC will face Arizona backup QB Noah Fifita
Servite High alumnus Noah Fifita returns to Southern California tonight and will make his second consecutive start for Arizona as quarterback Jayden de Laura is watching warmups in sweatpants.
De Laura missed last week’s game against Washington because of an ankle injury. Fifita, a redshirt freshman, completed 27 of 39 passes for 232 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in Arizona’s 31-24 loss to the Huskies.
Max Williams returns, Zachariah Branch out against Arizona
With a little less than an hour before USC kicks off against Arizona, safety Max Williams is warming up with his teammates and appears primed for a return after missing last week with an undisclosed injury.
While the redshirt senior’s return could help steady a defense that struggled without him last week, receiver Zachariah Branch remains out for the second consecutive game. The speedy freshman is wearing his jersey and sweatpants while watching his teammates warm up.
Cornerback Domani Jackson is also not participating in warmups, keeping the starting door open for Christian Roland-Wallace. The second starting cornerback could be Jacobe Covington or Ceyair Wright.
Rush end Korey Foreman is also not dressed for the game. Head coach Lincoln Riley said Foreman is exploring a possible redshirt. The former five-star prospect has appeared in three games this season and could play in one more while still retaining his redshirt eligibility.
Looking back at the best Pac-12 games between USC and Arizona
With USC and UCLA playing their final season in the Pac-12, The Times is revisiting the top games in the history of each series. This week: USC versus Arizona.
Oct. 10, 1981: Arizona 13, No. 1 USC 10
Arizona ended USC’s 22-game home winning streak, upset the top-ranked Trojans and secured its first win in the series after 11 consecutive losses behind 293 yards on 21-of-37 passing by quarterback Tom Tunnicliffe. The Burbank native threw the game-winning touchdown to running back Vance Johnson with two seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Trojans jumped out to a 10-0 lead with Marcus Allen breaking a 74-yard run for the first touchdown. Allen ran for 211 yards on 26 carries.
‘He’s just very much on a mission’: Family fuels Solomon Byrd’s USC breakthrough
Solomon Byrd sinks into a plush beige sectional. There are crayon scribbles on the floor, diapers neatly stacked on the couch cushion and toys piled near the wall. Taysia Byrd, Solomon’s wife, is holding their 9-month-old daughter Bleu. Messiah, the couple’s 2-year-old son, is rummaging through the utensil drawer in the family’s open-concept kitchen on the ground floor of their two-story Inglewood home. An off-day during the busy football season gives the family of four a rare moment together.
USC rush end Solomon Byrd is happy here.
“Not to say I have it all,” Byrd said, “but I have everything that I wanted.”
The redshirt senior has grown into the man he prayed to be. He is a husband. He is a father. He is a college football player taking the field in front of his hometown crowd on one of the best teams in the country.
What’s wrong with USC’s defense? Is it the same story or are there new issues?
Bryson Shaw had been here before. He’d answered the same questions, addressed the same concerns about USC’s defense to the same group of gathered reporters, who no doubt would relay the same story about how the Trojans nearly came apart in the very same fashion. But last Saturday, when that familiar refrain had played out in Colorado, Shaw found himself feeling especially fed up. The USC safety leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed, and let the frustration flow.
“We’re not making plays. We’re missing tackles. We’re not doing our job,” Shaw said.
The blame for such a performance, he knew, would fall on Alex Grinch, the Trojans’ defensive coordinator. But Shaw insisted that Grinch’s players were “letting him down.”
“I don’t know what else to tell you besides we gotta fix it,” Shaw said.
USC and UCLA’s Big Ten schedules won’t feature Oregon or Washington every season
Big Ten officials had already completed the complex work of piecing together a new conference schedule including two new members when the conference added two more schools in early August.
Adding Oregon and Washington a few months after USC and UCLA meant reconsidering how to handle scheduling within the Big Ten’s new West Coast enclave. Should the four schools play one another every year? How should the conference balance geography with a massive 18-team rotation? Those questions were “really at the forefront of a lot of the conversations,” said Kerry Kenny, the Big Ten’s chief operating officer.
After two months of deliberations, the Big Ten laid out its answer Thursday, releasing a five-year plan for its conference football schedules that opted for “a more fluid rotation” over protecting annual matchups for USC and UCLA against Washington and Oregon.
USC vs. Arizona: Four things to watch — Trojans seek running game redemption
The record is perfect. The film is far from it. Entering the halfway mark of the season, it’s right where USC hoped to be.
“5-0 is plenty good enough,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “The execution, has it been perfect? Is it going to need to get better? Of course. … You’ve gotta own the good with the bad.”
Two uneven road performances have shown the No. 9 Trojans (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12) more negatives than positives. The same shaky defense that plagued them last year reared its head last week as Colorado nearly shocked the Trojans by slashing a 27-point lead to seven. With four games against teams currently ranked in the top 25 still on the docket in the last six games, Saturday’s midseason checkpoint against Arizona doesn’t offer any break.