USC
4-1 , 2-1
Washington State
5-0 , 2-0
Team Stats
USC 0, WSU 3
WSU - Powell, Erik 44 yd field goal 8 plays, 55 yards, TOP 3:20
USC 7, WSU 3
USC - Darnold, Sam 4 yd run (McGrath, Chase kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:50
USC 7, WSU 10
WSU - Martin Jr., Tav 28 yd pass from Falk, Luke (Powell, Erik kick) 4 plays, 89 yards, TOP 0:48
USC 14, WSU 10
USC - Jones, Ronald 86 yd run (McGrath, Chase kick), 3 plays, 92 yards, TOP 1:40
USC 17, WSU 10
USC - McGrath, Chase 20 yd field goal 4 plays, 1 yards, TOP 1:27
USC 17, WSU 17
WSU - Morrow, Jamal 1 yd run (Powell, Erik kick), 12 plays, 94 yards, TOP 4:43
USC 17, WSU 20
WSU - Powell, Erik 33 yd field goal 11 plays, 53 yards, TOP 4:34
USC 20, WSU 20
USC - McGrath, Chase 29 yd field goal 5 plays, 16 yards, TOP 2:00
USC 20, WSU 27
WSU - Morrow, Jamal 23 yd pass from Falk, Luke (Powell, Erik kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:02
USC 27, WSU 27
USC - Darnold, Sam 2 yd run (McGrath, Chase kick), 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 5:13
USC 27, WSU 30
WSU - Powell, Erik 32 yd field goal 8 plays, 60 yards, TOP 3:21
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
No. 5 USC Falls To No. 16 Washington State, 30-27
September 29, 2017 | Football, Features
PULLMAN, Wash. — Luke Falk threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns, Erik Powell kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:40 left and No. 16 Washington State beat No. 5 USC 30-27 on a wild Friday night.
With the national stage to themselves, the Cougars showed they were legitimate, stopping USC star quarterback Sam Darnold and pulling off their first regular-season win over a top-five opponent in a quarter-century. The last time a top five team was handed a loss by Washington State was 1992 when the Drew Bledsoe-led Cougars rolled rival Washington in a driving snowstorm.
This was its first win over the Trojans since 2002 — that game also finished in a 30-27 Cougars victory.
Falk was excellent against the pressure from USCÂ (4-1, 2-1) most of the time, but it was a key 35-yard run from Jamal Morrow that set up Powell's winning field goal.
Falk finished 34-of-51 passing, while Morrow added 91 yards rushing on six carries. The duo combined to give the Cougars the lead early in the fourth quarter, with Falk finding Morrow for a 23-yard TD on a shovel pass and run. The drive included a key third-and-6 conversion early in the possession and a fourth-and-3 on Falk's pass to Kyle Sweet for 12 yards.
Darnold was 15-of-29 passing for 164 yards and an interception. He has thrown eight interceptions in five games after throwing nine interceptions all of last season.
Darnold ran for a pair of touchdowns, including a 2-yarder with 5:01 remaining that tied it at 27. But he couldn't pull off a final rally, fumbling when he was sacked deep in Washington State territory with 1:27 left.
"We knew what they were going to run, it was just a matter of executing it," Darnold said. "They made more plays than we did."
Darnold had one drive in the fourth quarter that showed why he's coveted by the NFL. He stayed in a collapsing pocket on fourth-and-13 and Tyler Vaughns made a leaping catch across the middle in traffic for 15 yards to the Washington State 27. Darnold hit Vaughns for 26 yards on the next snap and two plays later Darnold ran for a score.
Playing without three of his starting offensive linemen, Darnold was flustered and at times appeared rattled by the pressure from Washington State's defensive line. He was sacked only twice but was forced to move in the pocket regularly, disrupting the timing of the pass game.
USC was already without starting left tackle Toa Lobendahn before starting right tackle Chuma Edoga limped off late in the first quarter after a wayward flea flicker that ended up being an intentional grounding penalty and a 14-yard loss.
It got worse for the Trojans when Viane Talamaivao was shaken up early in the second quarter and also did not return.
"Got a bunch of hurt kids right now in that locker room," USC coach Clay Helton said.
USC's Ronald Jones II had 128 yards rushing and an 86-yard touchdown, but was mostly a non-factor outside of the long run.
THE TAKEAWAY
USC: The Trojans could not overcome injuries to a number of their starters. Along with being down three offensive linemen for most of the game, the Trojans played without starting outside linebacker Porter Gustin and starting wide receiver Steven Mitchell due to injuries. While USC has supreme talent, its depth is being tested.
TURNING POINT
The biggest plays may have come from Washington State's defense. Late in the first half after Falk was intercepted at his own 3-yard line, the Cougars defense held USC out of the end zone and forced a short field goal to take a 17-10 lead. The Cougars were able to pull even at halftime on Morrow's 1-yard run with 13 seconds left in the half.
UP NEXT
USC: The Trojans return home for two straight games beginning with Oregon State next Saturday.
