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October 13th – Los Angeles USC 31, No. 19 Colorado 20
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USC freshman quarterback J.T. Daniels passed for 272 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Trojans to a 31-20 victory over No. 19 Colorado. Daniels hit wide receiver Michael Pittman for two of those scores late in the second quarter, taking a 7-7 game and making it a 21-7 halftime lead for the Trojans.
CU all-everything wide receiver Laviska Shenault led the Buffs in both rushing and receiving. Shenault had nine receptions for 72 yards, but was held without a receiving touchdown for the first time all season. Shenault also had two carries for 46 yards, including a 49-yard scamper for a touchdown early in the second quarter, giving the Buffs a 7-0 advantage, the only CU lead of the game.
Steven Montez hit on 25-of-46 passes, well below his season average of over 75% completions. Montez had 168 yards passing, adding a 19-yard touchdown run late in the contest. Montez also threw a pick-six early in the third quarter, making it a 28-7 USC advantage.
… Coming Sunday morning … Locker room quotes and Game Notes …
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Game Story … For a program looking for its first-ever win over a rival, Colorado opened its road game against USC in fine fashion. On the first play from scrimmage, Buff linebacker Drew Lewis intercepted Trojan quarterback J.T. Daniels, setting up the CU offense at the USC 40-yard line.
Three plays later, however, the ball was back on the CU side of the field, with Buff quarterback Steven Montez sacked on third down, forcing a punt from the Colorado 48-yard line.
The two offenses traded three-and-out possessions before USC picked up the first first down of the game on its third possession. The Trojans were able to push the ball onto the Colorado side of the field, but progressed only as far as the Buff 45-yard line before punting.
On the Buffs’ third possession, the CU offense finally picked up a pair of first downs, but couldn’t penetrate the USC side of the field, punting the ball away for the third time in the first eight minutes of the contest.
The Buff offense was back on the field three plays later, after senior safety Evan Worthington picked off J.T. Daniels at the CU 36-yard line. Unfortunately, the Buff offense did with the second interception what it did with the first … went backwards. Three plays lost two yards, with Davis Price called upon for his fourth punt of the first quarter.
After forcing another punt out of the Trojan offense, the Buffs became the first team to dent the scoreboard. A 27-yard punt return by Ronnie Blackmon gave the Buffs good field position at the CU 40 yard line. On a third-and-one at the USC 49-yard line, Laviska Shenault more than doubled CU’s first quarter output (21 yards, including one yard rushing on nine carries), racing 49 yards for a CU touchdown at the 11:58 mark of the second quarter.
Less than two minutes later, the game was tied once again.
The Trojan drive started with a 27-yard pass from J.T. Daniels to Tyler Vaughn, and ended five plays later with a 28-yard pass from J.T. Daniels to Tyler Vaughn – this time for a touchdown. Colorado 7, USC 7, with still over ten minutes left in the first half.
After three more three-and-outs by the two offenses – two of those from the Buffs – the Trojans took the lead for the first time. With 3:33 before halftime, J.T. Daniels connected with Michael Pittman for a 65-yard touchdown and a 14-7 USC lead.
The Buff offense responded to its first deficit of the game … with its fifth three-and-out of the first half.
Four plays later, it was a two-score game. A 39-yard completion from Daniels to Pittman set up the Trojans at the CU nine yard line. On second down, Daniels hit Pittman for a nine-yard touchdown, making it a 21-7 game with less than two minutes to go before the break.
Halftime score: USC 21, Colorado 7
The first half stats reflected the score, as the Trojans out-gained the Buffs, 255 total yards to 111. USC had zero yards rushing, but the 255 to 60 advantage in passing gave USC the two-score advantage. Had it not been for the two turnovers … it could have been worse, as the Buffs had seven punts in their nine first half possessions.
Any realistic chance at a comeback by the Buffs ended midway through the third quarter. The Colorado offense took the second half kickoff and, while not going three-and-out, did punt the ball away after a six-play, 11-yard drive.
USC used its first possession of the second half to flex its offensive line muscles, running the ball on eight consecutive plays before a holding call stalled the drive.
On the Buffs’ next possession, the CU offense didn’t go three-and-out … it went three-and-in.
A loss on a running play, followed by a sack of Steven Montez, left the Buffs with a third-and-22 at their eight yard line. There, Steven Montez was intercepted for the first time in three games, with the pick-six by Ajene Harris making it a 28-7 game with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
On the Buffs’ next drive, completions of 24 yards to Laviska Shenault and 15 yards to Tony Brown helped pad the stats sheet, but the drive ended with an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-three at the USC 35-yard line.
The teams then traded three-and-outs again – this time with the Trojans going three-and-out twice to the Buffs’ once – before the CU offense trotted onto the field, taking over at its 35- yard line.
The Buffs then embarked on their longest drive of the night. The odyssey included an 18-yard completion from Steven Montez to K.D. Nixon on third-and-18 from the CU 40, a 15-yard run by Steven Montez on fourth-and-14 at the USC 46, and pass interference penalty against the Trojans on fourth-and-12 at the USC 22.
In all, the drive took 18 plays, covered 65 yards, and took 6:57 off of the fourth quarter clock before Kyle Evans scored on a two-yard run to make it a 28-14 game with 6:42 to play.
CU’s first onside kick attempt of the season did not succeed, setting up the USC offense at the CU 48-yard line. Six plays later, with the aid of a pass interference penalty giving the Ball to the Trojans at the CU 20-yard line, USC settled for a 38-yard field goal by Michael Brown, making it a three-score game, at 31-14, with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
The next Buff drive was only seemingly meaningful in that it marked the first appearance of red-shirt freshman wide receiver Jaylon Jackson who had been sidelined with injuries the first part of the season. Completions to Jackson of five and 14 yards (along with a personal foul call against the Trojans) set up the Buffs at the USC 39-yard line.
On fourth-and-ten three plays later, the drive was kept alive on a pass interference call against USC. Shortly thereafter, on fourth-and-five at the USC 19-yard line, quarterback Steven Montez ran the ball in for a touchdown to bring some consolation to the Buff Nation.
The touchdown made it a 31-20 game, with CU’s two-point conversion attempt (which would only have made it a nine-point game in any case) failed.
The Buffs were successful on onside kick attempt No. 2 of the game, giving the ball back to the offense with 3:19 to play.
There would be no miracle ending, however, as the Buffs turned the ball over on downs a few plays later, having gained zero yards on four plays … a fitting way to end the game.
Final score: USC 31, Colorado 20
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Coming Sunday morning … Locker room quotes and Game Notes …
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Stuart
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October 13th – Los Angeles USC 31, No. 19 Colorado 20
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USC freshman quarterback J.T. Daniels passed for 272 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Trojans to a 31-20 victory over No. 19 Colorado. Daniels hit wide receiver Michael Pittman for two of those scores late in the second quarter, taking a 7-7 game and making it a 21-7 halftime lead for the Trojans.
CU all-everything wide receiver Laviska Shenault led the Buffs in both rushing and receiving. Shenault had nine receptions for 72 yards, but was held without a receiving touchdown for the first time all season. Shenault also had two carries for 46 yards, including a 49-yard scamper for a touchdown early in the second quarter, giving the Buffs a 7-0 advantage, the only CU lead of the game.
Steven Montez hit on 25-of-46 passes, well below his season average of over 75% completions. Montez had 168 yards passing, adding a 19-yard touchdown run late in the contest. Montez also threw a pick-six early in the third quarter, making it a 28-7 USC advantage.
… Coming Sunday morning … Locker room quotes and Game Notes …
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Game Story … For a program looking for its first-ever win over a rival, Colorado opened its road game against USC in fine fashion. On the first play from scrimmage, Buff linebacker Drew Lewis intercepted Trojan quarterback J.T. Daniels, setting up the CU offense at the USC 40-yard line.
Three plays later, however, the ball was back on the CU side of the field, with Buff quarterback Steven Montez sacked on third down, forcing a punt from the Colorado 48-yard line.
The two offenses traded three-and-out possessions before USC picked up the first first down of the game on its third possession. The Trojans were able to push the ball onto the Colorado side of the field, but progressed only as far as the Buff 45-yard line before punting.
On the Buffs’ third possession, the CU offense finally picked up a pair of first downs, but couldn’t penetrate the USC side of the field, punting the ball away for the third time in the first eight minutes of the contest.
The Buff offense was back on the field three plays later, after senior safety Evan Worthington picked off J.T. Daniels at the CU 36-yard line. Unfortunately, the Buff offense did with the second interception what it did with the first … went backwards. Three plays lost two yards, with Davis Price called upon for his fourth punt of the first quarter.
After forcing another punt out of the Trojan offense, the Buffs became the first team to dent the scoreboard. A 27-yard punt return by Ronnie Blackmon gave the Buffs good field position at the CU 40 yard line. On a third-and-one at the USC 49-yard line, Laviska Shenault more than doubled CU’s first quarter output (21 yards, including one yard rushing on nine carries), racing 49 yards for a CU touchdown at the 11:58 mark of the second quarter.
Less than two minutes later, the game was tied once again.
The Trojan drive started with a 27-yard pass from J.T. Daniels to Tyler Vaughn, and ended five plays later with a 28-yard pass from J.T. Daniels to Tyler Vaughn – this time for a touchdown. Colorado 7, USC 7, with still over ten minutes left in the first half.
After three more three-and-outs by the two offenses – two of those from the Buffs – the Trojans took the lead for the first time. With 3:33 before halftime, J.T. Daniels connected with Michael Pittman for a 65-yard touchdown and a 14-7 USC lead.
The Buff offense responded to its first deficit of the game … with its fifth three-and-out of the first half.
Four plays later, it was a two-score game. A 39-yard completion from Daniels to Pittman set up the Trojans at the CU nine yard line. On second down, Daniels hit Pittman for a nine-yard touchdown, making it a 21-7 game with less than two minutes to go before the break.
Halftime score: USC 21, Colorado 7
The first half stats reflected the score, as the Trojans out-gained the Buffs, 255 total yards to 111. USC had zero yards rushing, but the 255 to 60 advantage in passing gave USC the two-score advantage. Had it not been for the two turnovers … it could have been worse, as the Buffs had seven punts in their nine first half possessions.
Any realistic chance at a comeback by the Buffs ended midway through the third quarter. The Colorado offense took the second half kickoff and, while not going three-and-out, did punt the ball away after a six-play, 11-yard drive.
USC used its first possession of the second half to flex its offensive line muscles, running the ball on eight consecutive plays before a holding call stalled the drive.
On the Buffs’ next possession, the CU offense didn’t go three-and-out … it went three-and-in.
A loss on a running play, followed by a sack of Steven Montez, left the Buffs with a third-and-22 at their eight yard line. There, Steven Montez was intercepted for the first time in three games, with the pick-six by Ajene Harris making it a 28-7 game with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
On the Buffs’ next drive, completions of 24 yards to Laviska Shenault and 15 yards to Tony Brown helped pad the stats sheet, but the drive ended with an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-three at the USC 35-yard line.
The teams then traded three-and-outs again – this time with the Trojans going three-and-out twice to the Buffs’ once – before the CU offense trotted onto the field, taking over at its 35- yard line.
The Buffs then embarked on their longest drive of the night. The odyssey included an 18-yard completion from Steven Montez to K.D. Nixon on third-and-18 from the CU 40, a 15-yard run by Steven Montez on fourth-and-14 at the USC 46, and pass interference penalty against the Trojans on fourth-and-12 at the USC 22.
In all, the drive took 18 plays, covered 65 yards, and took 6:57 off of the fourth quarter clock before Kyle Evans scored on a two-yard run to make it a 28-14 game with 6:42 to play.
CU’s first onside kick attempt of the season did not succeed, setting up the USC offense at the CU 48-yard line. Six plays later, with the aid of a pass interference penalty giving the Ball to the Trojans at the CU 20-yard line, USC settled for a 38-yard field goal by Michael Brown, making it a three-score game, at 31-14, with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
The next Buff drive was only seemingly meaningful in that it marked the first appearance of red-shirt freshman wide receiver Jaylon Jackson who had been sidelined with injuries the first part of the season. Completions to Jackson of five and 14 yards (along with a personal foul call against the Trojans) set up the Buffs at the USC 39-yard line.
On fourth-and-ten three plays later, the drive was kept alive on a pass interference call against USC. Shortly thereafter, on fourth-and-five at the USC 19-yard line, quarterback Steven Montez ran the ball in for a touchdown to bring some consolation to the Buff Nation.
The touchdown made it a 31-20 game, with CU’s two-point conversion attempt (which would only have made it a nine-point game in any case) failed.
The Buffs were successful on onside kick attempt No. 2 of the game, giving the ball back to the offense with 3:19 to play.
There would be no miracle ending, however, as the Buffs turned the ball over on downs a few plays later, having gained zero yards on four plays … a fitting way to end the game.
Final score: USC 31, Colorado 20
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Coming Sunday morning … Locker room quotes and Game Notes …
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—–
Stuart
Continue reading...