By Tim Peterson
(Los Angeles) – UCLA racked up 609 yards of total offense including 260 on the ground on the way to a 62-33 rout of USC Saturday before 68,152 at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
The Bruins scored early and often including twice in the final six minutes and the Trojans had no answer. Every time USC got within striking distance the Bruins would immediately respond and pull away.
Dorian Thompson-Robinsons completed 16 of 22 for 349 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions early. Thompson-Robinson also ran for 46 yards and a score to lead the Bruins offense.
Kazmeir Allena had a huge day for UCLA with 115 yards and 2 touchdowns receiving and also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
USC racked up 484 yards of total offense of its own but it wasn’t nearly enough.
USC actually scored first on its opening possession on a 29-yard field goal by Alex Stadthaus.
The teams then exchanged interceptions on the next two possessions. Thompson-Robinson was picked by Xavion Alford and Jaxson Dart was intercepted by Quentin Lake.
Thompson-Robinson was intercepted again on the next possession by Chris Steele but the Trojans couldn’t take advantage.
UCLA drove 94 yards on 8 plays. Thompson-Robinson hit a wide open Allen on a 45-yard touchdown pass to give the Bruins a 7-3 lead with 4:32 left in the first quarter.
USC countered with a 10-play, 65 yard drive as Vavae Malepeai finished it with a 7-yard touchdown run. The Trojans took a 10-7 lead after one.
UCLA opened the second quarter with a 6-play, 58-yard drive. Kyle Phillips hauled in a 23-yard strike from Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins were back on top 14-10.
Allen struck again later in the quarter hauling in a 58-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson. Allen just outran the Trojans secondary for a 21-10 lead with 6:31 left in the second quarter.
After a Trojan punt the Bruins got busy again. UCLA marched 69 yards on just 5 plays. Thompson-Robinson scooted four yards for the touchdown to up the advantage to 28-10.
USC responded quickly with an 8-play, 67 yard drive. Malepeai got his second touchdown of the day to cut the UCLA lead to 28-17 with just 23 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Bruins took the 11 point lead into the half.
UCLA’s offense continued to roll in the third quarter. On the first possession the Bruins drove 78 yards on 8 plays. Thompson-Robinson and Phillips hooked up again, this time on an 11-yard touchdown pass to make it 35-17.
Stadthaus booted a 23-yard field goal to cut the Bruins lead to 35-20 with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.
The Trojans trying desperately to get back in it came up with a big play as Dart hit Gary Bryant Jr. on a 44-yard touchdown pass to get within nine points at 35-26. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
On the ensuing kickoff former High School State track champion Allen raced 100 yards for a touchdown. For Allen it was his third score of the day.
The Bruins delivered the dagger early in the fourth quarter. They drove the length of the field – 98 yards on 11 plays – with Zach Charbonnet hitting paydirt from four yards out. The Bruins were up 48-26 and everything was decided except the final stats.
A 24-yard pass to Bryant Jr. set up a 1 yard TD run for Malepeai with 6:48 left to make it 48-33.
That touchdown only made the Bruins mad as they scored twice more in the fourth quarter including Thompson- Robinson’s 15-yard run in which he hurdled a defender on his way to the endzone.
Charbonnet had 28 carries or 167 yards for UCLA to spark the running attack. Phillips was another big target for Thompson-Robinson catching 6 passes for 80 yards and 2 scores.
Dart threw for 325 yards and a touchdown and Bryant Jr. had 9 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown on what wasn’t a bad day of offense for USC.
But on this day it was the Bruins offense that was the story. The day belonged to UCLA.
The Bruins improved to 7-4 overall and will receive a bowl bid following next week’s finale. USC fell to 4-6 and barring something special in the last two games, the Trojans will not go bowling this year.
Chip Kelly might actually get to keep his job as the Bruins’ head coach. A win this Saturday over Cal and a bowl-game victory would give UCLA a 9-4 finish.
That would be a good season, especially by the Bruins’ recent standards, but they have to win those two games first. UCLA’s offense is on a roll right now, and it might be good enough to overcome the lapses on defense.
Go Bruins! We run this town!
The recruiting talents of Clay Helton keep paying dividends. Even with a great coaching hire, it’s going to take several years to restore the Trojan football brand.
Puro Pinche Bruins!!!