UCLA
5-6 , 3-5
USC
10-2 , 8-1
UCLA Defeated by USC, 28-23
November 18, 2017 | Football
LOS ANGELES - UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen threw for 421 yards, 204 to Jordan Lasley, and the Bruin defense held USC to 153 rushing yards, a season-low total for the defense, but UCLA's effort was just short, as No. 12 USC held on for the 28-23 victory at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Turnovers in the red zone and a few costly penalties cost UCLA much-needed points earlier in the game, but the Bruins did not quit. Down 21-7 late in the third quarter, UCLA closed to within five on a Lasley touchdown with 2:43 to play. But the Bruins missed the two-point conversion and were unable to recover the onside kick, and USC was able to get the first down it needed to run out the clock.
Rosen's 421 yards were the most ever by a UCLA quarterback against USC and just two yards shy of Matt Barkley's all-time record in the series, set in 2011. Lasley's 204-yard game was the fourth-best receiving performance in UCLA history.
USC (10-2) struck first on a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown by Michael Pittman, but the Bruins answered right back with a seven-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in an 11-yard touchdown pass fom Rosen to Lasley.
A long kickoff return gave USC good field position on its next possession, and it took six plays and two and a half minutes to go 56 yards for the touchdown, a two-yard rush by Ronald Jones that put USC ahead, 14-7. The Bruins appeared to tie the game early in the second quarter on a Bolu Olorunfunmi touchdown run on a reverse, but the play was nullified by a clipping penalty, which set the ball back 15 yards to the USC 30. The Bruins ended up with no points on that drive after J.J. Molson missed a 47-yard field goal attempt.
A Jaleel Wadood interception on fourth and 8 on the UCLA 30 gave the Bruins their first break of the game late in the second quarter. UCLA got down to the USC 17, but Rosen was strip sacked, and USC regained possession on their own 40 with 36 seconds to play in the half. The half, however, ended without a score, as the Bruins chased Sam Darnold out of the pocket, and he was tackled in bounds shy of the first down as time expired in the half with USC up 14-7.
UCLA's opening drive of the second half saw the Bruins drive down to the USC 15, only to have Rosen throw an interception in the end zone. USC scored on a one-yard touchdown run by Darnold on the ensuing possession to take a 21-7 lead.
But much like the Trojans' first touchdown, UCLA answered with one of its own. Rosen and Lasley linked up for their second touchdown of the game, a nine-yard pass that cut USC's lead to 21-14 with 2:57 to play in the third. A 26-yard Molson field goal with 10:19 to play in the game put UCLA down by just 4, 21-17.
USC answered with a touchdown drive to increase its lead to 28-17, and on its next possession, UCLA was on the verge of turning it over on downs with under four minutes to play, but a holding penalty by USC gave the Bruins new life with a first down on the USC 38. Rosen found Lasley four plays later for their third touchdown of the game, a 27-yard TD pass with 2:43 to play that cut the deficit to five points, 28-23. But after USC recovered the onside kick, the Bruins ran out of time to attempt a comeback.
UCLA (5-6) will finish the regular season against California on Friday, Nov. 24 at the Rose Bowl.
Team Stats
UCLA 0, USC 7
USC - Pittman, Michae 72 yd punt return (McGrath, Chase kick)
UCLA 7, USC 7
UCLA - Lasley, Jordan 11 yd pass from Rosen, Josh (Molson, JJ kick) 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:19
UCLA 7, USC 14
USC - Jones, Ronald 2 yd run (McGrath, Chase kick), 6 plays, 56 yards, TOP 2:31
UCLA 7, USC 21
USC - Darnold, Sam 1 yd run (McGrath, Chase kick), 5 plays, 44 yards, TOP 2:10
UCLA 14, USC 21
UCLA - Lasley, Jordan 9 yd pass from Rosen, Josh (Molson, JJ kick) 7 plays, 79 yards, TOP 2:30
UCLA 17, USC 21
UCLA - Molson, JJ 26 yd field goal 9 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:52
UCLA 17, USC 28
USC - Jones, Ronald 2 yd run (McGrath, Chase kick), 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 4:53
UCLA 23, USC 28
UCLA - Lasley, Jordan 27 yd pass from Rosen, Josh (Rosen, Josh passfailed) 8 plays, 61 yards, TOP 2:29
