The Utah Utes beat the USC Trojans 42-24 in a college football game on October 7, 2018.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) — Utah beat Southern California 42-26 on Saturday night, with Cameron Rising throwing three touchdown passes and running for another.
It was the Utes’ first game since safety Aaron Lowe was murdered in a post-game party shooting on Sept. 26.
Rising completed 22 of 28 passes for 306 yards, with Tavion Thomas and Brant Kuithe both scoring on the ground, as Utah (3-2, 2-0 Pac-12) won its first road game over the Trojans since 1916.
On Saturday, October 9, 2024, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, wide receiver Drake London #15 of the USC Trojans catches a pass and sprints for a score against the Utah Utes in the first half of an NCAA football game.
For the first time in school history, USC (3-3, 2-3) has lost three consecutive games in the Coliseum by at least 14 points. Drake London had 16 catches for 162 yards and a score. In 1991 and 2000, the Trojans also dropped three straight conference games.
Utah seized control of the game when Thomas ran 43 yards up the middle to establish a 28-10 lead 2:19 into the second half, scoring touchdowns on four consecutive drives in the second and third quarters. With 9:13 remaining in the third quarter, Rising scored on a 17-yard keeper after Vonte Davis intercepted a pass by Kedon Slovis on fourth down to give Utah a short field.
Rising was able to take advantage of USC’s defensive backs’ aggressive tendencies as a thrower. Late in the second quarter, he connected with Money Parks off play-action for a 12-yard score and Devaughn Vele for a 37-yard touchdown off a flea flicker on fourth-and-1, before connecting with Dalton Kincaid on a 1-yard throw in the fourth.
Los Angeles, CA – October 09: USC Trojans head coach Donte Williams, center, looks on during the second half of an NCAA football game versus the Utah Utes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 9, 2024. (Image courtesy of Getty Images/Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News) )
USC was able to move the ball early on, with each of its first four drives finishing in Utah territory, but only managed to score 10 points as a result of poor red zone performance. To make matters worse, Parker Lewis missed a 34-yard field goal, and the offense couldn’t keep up after the Utes started exposing vulnerabilities in the Trojan defense.
Slovis completed 33 of 53 passes for 401 yards, two touchdowns, and two two-point conversions, while Vavae Malepeai scored on a short run.
THE DELIVERY SERVICE
Utah: In honor of Lowe, the Utes delivered their most comprehensive effort of the season. They’ll now return home to face Arizona State for first place in the Pac-12 South, and a victory would put them in a good position to play in the conference championship game on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas.
USC: The Trojans’ chance to play in a bowl game is suddenly in danger. It’s also possible that this is the first senior class at USC to suffer two losing seasons in their careers since John McKay had two sub.500 seasons in 1970-1971.
UP NEXT
Utah: The Utes visit the Sun Devils on Saturday in a matchup of the Pac-12’s final two unbeaten teams.
USC: The Trojans get a week off before facing Notre Dame on October 23. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, the intersectional rivals did not meet last season, just the second time since World War II stopped the series from 1943 to 1945.
