By Tim Peterson
(Los Angeles) – Keaontay Ingram rushed for 204 yards and a touchdown and USC racked up 547 total yards in a 41-34 win over Arizona Saturday before 52, 435 at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
USC needed every one of those yards to hold off a winless Arizona team that had 466 yards of its own. The Trojans never trailed in the game and led 35-14 at halftime but the Wildcats would never say die. They cut the lead to seven twice including late in the fourth quarter before USC finally held on.
USC got started right away taking the opening kick off and driving 75 yards on 8 plays. Ingram capped it with a 3-yard touchdown run.
Arizona quickly answered with a 73-yard touchdown pass from Jamarye Joiner to Tayvian Cunningham to tie it at 7.
Not to be outdone Kedon Slovis hit a streaking Gary Bryant Jr. over the middle and he outran the secondary for a 62-yard score to put the Trojans up 14-7 with 9:53 left in the first quarter.
Jaxson Dart replaced Slovis at quarterback in the second quarter and led the Trojans on a 15-play, 96-yard drive. Dart connected with Drake London for a 2-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-7 with 7:59 left in the first half.
After the USC defense forced an Arizona fumble by B.J. Casteel on the next series the Trojans offense went to work again. They marched 62 yards on six plays with Dart again finding London for a 6-yard score with 4:19 left in the half. London had his ankle rolled up by a defender on the touchdown and had to be carted off the field. However the Trojans were cruising 28-7.
Arizona drove 75 yards on 6 plays on the next possession. Michael Wiley scored on a 1-yard run to cut the USC lead to 28-14.
On the next series for the Trojans Slovis was back behind center. Slovis promptly engineered a 8-play, 75 yard march that culminated with a 15-yard scoring strike to Bryant Jr. with 32 seconds left in the half. The Trojans took the 3 touchdown lead into halftime.
Early in the third quarter the Wildcats got right back in the hunt when Anthony Pandy stepped in front of a Slovis pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. The pick six got Arizona within 14 points at 35-21.
Alex Stadthaus booted a 23-yard field goal with 6:48 left in the third quarter to push the lead to 17.
Will Plummer capped a 60-yard drive with a 16 yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown to make it 38-28 early in the fourth quarter. Plummer had been rotating with Joiner all night for Arizona in the two quarterback system.
USC, now up by ten, brought Dart back at quarterback. After forcing a Trojan punt Arizona got close as Tyler Loop kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 38-31.
Stadthaus booted a 40-yarder with 3:19 left which to put the Trojans back up by 10 which proved to be enough.
Arizona was stopped at the Trojan 22 late in the game and Loop kicked a 40 -yard field goal to make it 41-34. But the Trojans recovered the onside kick to secure the win.
For the victorious Trojans Slovis completed 15 of 21 for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns to balance out Ingram’s big game leading the running attack. Dart threw for 109 yards and two scores. Bryant Jr. caught 3 passes for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns and Tahj Washington had 8 receptions for 87 yards. London had 9 receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an ankle injury.
For the Wildcats Plummer was 20 of 34 for 264 yards and Joiner completed 2 of 5 for 75 yards and a touchdown. Cunningham had 116 yards and a touchdown on just 3 catches.
Arizona is still seeking its first victory as it dropped to 0-8 overall and 0-5 in the Pac 12. USC is 4-4 and 3-3.
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