USC v. Utah Column
By: Jake Browning
LOS ANGELES — USC has lost to Utah again. I wrote the same hook nearly a year ago, and it’s not surprising that it’s making another appearance in one of my columns. The CFB Playoffs are now out of reach for the Trojans, and rightfully so. Maybe this will be the wake-up call that the school needs to fire Alex Grinch and bring them down from the pedestal they tried to sit on during the offseason.
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Saturday night’s game in Salt Lake City was a nail-biter until the end. All things considered, however, it was a fantastic game. It came down to the last second, neck-and-neck throughout both halves, just the type of thing that all audiences enjoy aside from the losing team. Looking forward, USC’s future becomes more and more blurry with each week. The preseason saw them being one of the most dominant forces in college, with the small hiccup that is Alex Grinch. Week after week we see Lincoln Riley’s team crumbling under issues of miscommunication and overall underwhelming performances. It all started against the Wildcats. Well, maybe before then but that was the national wake-up call that these guys were not the crew everyone imagined they were.
Yet, it’s not over just yet. The National Championship is highly likely to be out of the picture but the fight for the Pac-12 Conference is just starting. There were elements of positivity seen out of their game against the Utes. Utah entered Saturday’s game as the best rushing defense, allowing 66.8 yards on the ground per game, a number the Trojans surpassed in just the first quarter. The offensive line performed very well allowing for great production for both MarShawn Lloyd and Austin Jones, both averaging over 6 yards per carry. This offers a positive outlook for the offensive in the wake of the seemingly decreasing productivity of Caleb Williams. Completing 24 for 34 passes and 256 yards is highly underwhelming for the Heisman winner, and that will have to see improvement in the coming back-to-back games against the leading Pac-12 teams.
USC’s problem seemed to be just the defense, yet it appears to be spilling over into the offense. The conversion rates on 3rd and 4th downs have decreased, turnover rates have increased, and time of possession is falling. These issues are all stemming from various members of the coaching staff. Currently ranked #24, the Trojans have a long way to go if they want to be true contenders for the Pac-12 championship, and even farther to go to become national championship contenders again. While I reserve a lot of love for the USC Trojans, their only confirmed win for the rest of the season is this week’s game against Cal. Other than that — USC fans buckle up, it’s gonna be a tough ride.
