Down 28-17 with 9 min left in the first half, things were going badly for USC. They'd given up 4 TD in 20 minutes
Then a wild second half. Let's look at the drives.
USC 25-8:58-one first down then Punt
Cal 26-6:20-11 plays, STOPPED ON DOWNS
USC 34-2:14-11 plays, half ends, kind of. After halftime, USC misses FG
3rd Q:
Cal-25-15:00-5 plays, STOPPED ON DOWNS. Key play: replay overrules mark giving Cal first down, 4th and 1 = stop
USC-CAL45-13:09-4 plays, 45 yards, TD CW 6 yd run, 2 pt PAT failed 28-23 Cal
Cal 25-11:59-3/out PUNT
USC-CAL47-10:15-3/out Key play 4th/6 play didn't happen due to false start Mason Murphy (RT) Punt
Cal-11-8:29-2 plays/INT Gentry at 22
USC-CAL22-8:20-1 play, 22 yd td pass to Rice, 2 pt PAT failed. 29-28 USC.
Cal-25-8:12-12 plays, 75 yd, TD, 2pt PAT good. 36-29 Cal
USC-25-4:42-3/out Punt
Cal-47-3:13-3/out PUNT. Note: Ott ran 3 times
USC-10-1:06-3/out Punt
4th Q
Cal-46-:26-5 plays, 54 yds, TD midway through appears to be last time we see OTT-43-29 Cal
USC-25-14:06-5 plays, 75 yds, TD. Key play: short mid pass to Lloyd for 53 yds 43-36 Cal
Cal-25-11:16-6 plays, 17 yards PUNT
USC-7-9:09-4/out Punt is FUMBLE by Cal, caused, recovered by T Curtis.
USC CAL18-7:30-3 plays, TD 43-43 Tie
Cal-35-6:05-2 plays, FUMBLE caused by Gentry, recovered Muhammed
USC CAL47-5:40-Fumble Caleb Williams
Cal-USC41-5:35-4 plays. STOPPED ON DOWNS
USC-37-4:25-2 plays, 63 yds, TD, Key play Lloyd 56 yd run 50-43 USC
Cal-21-3:28-10 plays, 79 yds, TD, Key Play, Gentry Unsportsmanlike penalty making 3rd/8 at 23into 1st/10 at 38
2 pt PAT STOPPED by USC pass break up. 50-49 final USC
Note that USC was given the ball by their Defense in CAL TERRITORY an incredible 5 times. Note in this time frame, the USC D stopped Cal on downs (turnover, no points nor yards lost on punt) 3 times.
Note in an 18 minute span of playing time, the USC defense gave the USC offense 2 fumbles, 1 INT and one STOPPED ON DOWNS. On the Cal 22, Cal 18, Cal 47, USC 41. An incredible 4 turnovers in 18 minutes.
In addition, the USC defense had 2 more stopped on downs to end the 2nd quarter and begin the 3rd or the game could have gotten out of hand.
So for the last half of the 2Q and the second half we had the USC defense
Stop Cal on downs 3 times and give ball to USC O
Execute 2 fumbles and an INT
Force 3 punts
hand the ball to the USC offense in Cal territory an incredible 5 times
Give up 3 TD's on drives of 75, 54 and 79 yards.
You can see what the USC O did
Punt, Missed FG, 45yd TD drive, Punt, 22 yd TD drive, Punt, Punt, 75 yd TD drive, Punt, 18 yd TD drive, Fumble, 63 yd TD drive.
Every USC TD above is set up by a STOPPED ON DOWNS or a turnover.
The USC offense is pathetic and 50 points today was a mirage. You can see those 5 TD's to turn around the game were not only set up by the D, they were given to the O on a silver platter. Problem is, they gave the offense stellar chances 9 times. 5 times actually in Cal territory. I am not sure how much more they could do.
At some point the USC offense needs to be accountable for themselves. Step up. Quit living on press clippings and big numbers against Group of 5 teams, and look in the mirror. They aren't very good and if a team doesn't just hand USc the ball and the game, the USC offense is not good enough to force the issue and do anything about it.
Utah game was competitive because Bullock got a pick 6 and Branch took one within 10 yards of the house. Other than that, USC offense sucked against Utah too. Sucked in the 4Q versus Colorado and didn't impress anyone versus AZ or ASU.
But Kudos to the USC who showed up and showed out today, albeit against a Cal team that hasn't shown much offensively the last couple years.
One can argue the fine points, however in the end Cal scored 49 points against our defense including a number of long runs on the outside.
The defense did npretty well in the end, but the Cal defense was better than ours.
When your offense punts 7 times and turns it over once the other team will get yards.
Do you think stopping a team 3 times on downs is good? Stopping a Pat to win the game? How about 4 turnovers? I would say it is.
Great summary. Eye opening.
These overall stats line up. Of course they usually do.
Look at total first downs. 20 is anemic.
Look at YPC for rushing for USC. 3.2?
We actually won TOP. That rarely happens. If we didnt we wouldve lost.
TO margin. As you highlighted.
First double digit penalty performence I can remember for a CLR team. The Hugs/Sark/Kiff specialty.
The D actually improved in the 2nd half which is the first time you can say that about a 208 coached unit.
Cal turns the ball over 4 times, yet manages to score 49 points. Cal, a 3 & 5 team, 527 yards. Some D, and one of those TO was caused by special team play.