Los Angeles, CA – USC running back Keaontay Ingram rushed for a career-high 204 yards to help the Trojans snap a three-game home losing streak with a 41-34 win over Arizona on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“Hard-fought game,” Interim head coach Donte Williams said. “Like I said before, Arizona has no quit in them. Hats off to them because they won the second half of
the football game. But I do like the way that we won the line of scrimmage tonight. Even on defense, we stopped the run and on offense we ran the ball.”
On the Trojans opening drive, Ingram scored from three yards out to give USC a 7-0 lead. On the following drive, Arizona tied it 7-7 when Jamarye Joiner connected with Tayvian Cunningham for a 73-yard touchdown.
USC didn’t waste any time as Kedon Slovis hit the speedy Gary Bryant Jr. for a 62-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead with 9:53 left in the first quarter. True freshman quarterback Jaxson Dart came into the game in the second quarter and led the Trojans to a 15-play, 96-yard drive. Dart capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Drake London.
After the USC defense recovered a fumble caused by cornerback Chris Steele, Dart drove the Trojans down the field and hit London for a 6-yard touchdown. London stayed on the ground after being tackled in the end zone. They put an air cast on his leg and carted him off the field. London caught nine passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an injury.
“It’s always a fear anytime somebody goes down and you see him go ahead and get the air cast and everything,” Williams said. “So that is a fear. At the same time we have a lot of guys in this locker room that fought hard tonight and they’ll continue to fight no matter what.”
USC cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart got burned by Cunningham again for a touchdown but it was called back after Taylor-Stuart ripped the helmet off Cunningham on his way to the end zone. The ball was spotted where the helmet came off.
Three plays later, Arizona running back Michael Wiley scored on a 1-yard run to the Trojans lead 28-14. Slovis came back into the game and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Jr. for a 35-14 lead with 32 seconds remaining in the first half.
On the Trojans second offensive possession of the third quarter, Slovis was intercepted by former Narbonne High School linebacker Anthony Pandy, who returned it 40 yards for the score. Arizona trailed USC, 35-21. The Trojans added a 23-yard field goal to extend the lead 38-21 with 6:48 left in the third quarter.
Arizona wasn’t done yet as quarterback Will Plummer scrambled for a 16-yard touchdown. The Wildcats trailed 38-28 with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter.
Up next for USC is a road game against Arizona State on Saturday, Nov. 6. Arizona will look to win its first game of the season when they host California next Saturday.
