In a matchup dating back to 1923, USC and Washington met under Seattle’s gloomy skies for the first time as members of the Big Ten on Saturday, as the Trojans searched for their first road win in over a calendar year.
But at Husky Stadium — a venue notorious for providing Washington (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) with deafening noise to help defeat opposing teams — the home squad prevailed for its 19th consecutive win in the building, edging out USC (4-5, 2-5) 26-21. Both teams entered with the lingering memory of losing three of their previous four games, adding chills to the rainy, frigid climate.
The Trojans didn’t come out swinging by any means. They only had one red-zone trip in the first half and couldn’t establish an offensive rhythm, only mustering seven points in the first half. USC’s run game — a strong suit this season — didn’t wake up until the second half.
“We had great field position offensively on the first two drives, got nothing out of it,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “We lost the edge too many times defensively, both in the throw and run game in the first half, which we knew was gonna be really important against [Washington].”
Redshirt senior running back Woody Marks scored USC’s lone first-half touchdown while junior running back Jonah Coleman found the end zone twice for the Huskies, taking advantage of Washington’s strong offensive line play that created gaping holes.
Redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss had trouble connecting with his receivers from the jump, throwing two first-half interceptions and leading the Trojans to five scoreless drives across the first 30 minutes. The first-year starter threw the ball a whopping 50 times when the game was all said and done, the third time he’s had at least 50 passing attempts this season.
After a 20-7 halftime deficit, the situation seemed dire as the Trojans were kicking off to the Huskies to start the third frame. But, after a strong defensive series from USC to get the ball back in Moss’ hands, Riley took some weight off of his quarterback’s shoulders by utilizing his tailbacks more — and USC flipped the script by scoring touchdowns on back-to-back drives to begin the second half — giving it a one-point lead.
Moss dealt a dime to sophomore wide receiver Makai Lemon — who was coming off the best performance of his career against Rutgers (4-4, 1-4) — for a 37-yard score. USC then took advantage of a turnover on downs shortly after to set up redshirt senior wide receiver Kyle Ford for the go-ahead touchdown, completely swinging the once Washington-leaning momentum.
But the Trojans couldn’t string together any more scoring sequences, losing yet another game in which they led in the fourth quarter. Huskies senior linebacker Carson Bruener reigned terror on USC’s offense all evening, tallying two interceptions and 12 total tackles to help Washington silence Riley’s offense down the stretch.
The Trojans had multiple opportunities to take the lead late, marching into the red zone in each of their final two drives with chances to reach the purple-painted turf. But the Huskies held firm, forcing back-to-back turnovers to take their 32nd all-time win over the Trojans.
Penalties plagued the Trojans throughout the game, culminating with one final flag on USC’s last offensive possession. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Mason Murphy accounted for over half of USC’s flags, committing four false starts under the roars of Washington’s faithful with the fourth and final one opening the last series for Moss and the Trojans.
Amid the turmoil, sophomore wide receiver Zachariah Branch appeared to have broken out of his recent slump, leading USC with 102 yards. Branch’s best play was a 42-yard catch-and-run to set up Ford’s touchdown that gave the Trojans the lead.
Back under .500, the Trojans are still searching for a way to snap out of their late-game habits. Their reliance on the passing game has put immense pressure on Moss to perform down the stretch, which he has yet to accomplish on the road. USC’s running backs have proven their strengths, but their opportunities were few and far between in the first half.
“We’ve been a good enough team to win every game,” Riley said. “We’ve consistently been in these games that come down to one play, and we just have not done a good enough job of making those plays.”
Riley dismissed the idea of replacing Moss with redshirt sophomore backup quarterback Jayden Maiava going forward.
“For us right now, what we’re looking at is what is the best lineup, the best people to help us win each and every week,” Riley said.
The Trojans won’t leave Southern California for the remainder of the season. After a bye week, USC will host struggling Nebraska (5-4, 2-3) before rounding out its schedule with rivalry bouts against UCLA (3-5, 2-4) and Notre Dame (7-1).
An off week will give the Trojans time to reflect on their woes. But with bowl-implicating matchups remaining, USC won’t be able to disappear into the shadows just yet.