Korey Foreman’s interception of Dorian Thompson-Robinson with 1:25 remaining clinched No. 7 USC’s 48-45 road win over rival and No. 16 UCLA Saturday in Pasadena, Calif., preserving the Trojans’ College Football Playoff aspirations.
USC (10-1, 8-1 Pac-12 Conference) gave up three consecutive UCLA touchdowns over the late third quarter and into the fourth. Laiatu Latu delivered a critical third-down sack, forcing the Trojans’ first punt of the game and giving the Bruins possession with 2:27 remaining.
UCLA (8-3, 5-3) was driving when Thompson-Robinson found Jake Bobo for a 27-yard gain, part of Bobo’s team-high 76 yards receiving.
On the next play, Foreman stepped in front of Thompson-Robinson’s pass attempt up the middle for USC’s third interception of the UCLA quarterback to get the critical stop.
With the win, USC sewed up a berth in the Dec. 2 Pac-12 Championship Game. The Trojans close the regular season hosting nonconference rival and No. 18 Notre Dame.
Thompson-Robinson completed 23-of-38 pass attempts for 309 yards with four touchdown passes — three to tight end Michael Ezeike. Thompson-Robinson also rushed for 81 yards, with two touchdowns.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams outdueled him, setting a career-high with 470 yards on 32-of-43 passing. Jordan Addison caught 11 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown, and Kyle Ford hauled in Williams’ other touchdown pass.
Williams added another 33 yards with a touchdown on the ground, while Austin Jones — starting in place of the injured Travis Dye – ran for 120 yards on 21 carries, with two touchdowns.
UCLA jumped ahead 14-0, capitalizing on a pair of early USC misfires deep in Bruins’ territory. The Trojans had three trips into the UCLA red zone that failed to net any points.
The Bruins, meanwhile, went 4-of-4 on red-zone attempts. UCLA’s inability to slow the USC offense, which gained 649 total yards, made the difference. The Bruins gained 513 yards for the game.
–Field Level Media
