USC and Utah’s football teams met on Saturday. It was the first meeting between the two teams since the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game, when the Utes scored a decisive 47-24 win to dash the Trojans’ hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff. And anyone at USC hoping that Saturday’s game would bring a measure of revenge came away disappointed.
Utah led 28-17 going into the fourth quarter. The Trojans, though, got back into the game. And when Caleb Williams scored on an 11-yard run, USC went ahead with only 1:46 remaining. The ensuing two-point conversion try, however, was no good, when Williams’ pass for Michael Jackson III fell incomplete. That left the Trojans lead at only one point, which loomed large.
The Utes drove down the field, converting one fourth down play. With three seconds remaining, Utah sent Cole Becker onto the field for a 38-yard field goal attempt to win the game.
Becker’s kick split the uprights, giving Utah a 34-32 win.
UTES WIN IT‼️🙌#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/WkUOXltn8N
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 22, 2023
The loss was USC’s fourth straight against Utah and moved Lincoln Riley’s record against the Utes to 0-3 in less than two full seasons since he became the Trojans head coach.
USC's record vs. Utah during the Lincoln Riley-Caleb Williams era 👀
L 43 – 42 (2022)
L 47 – 24 (2022)
L 34-32 (2023) pic.twitter.com/Npuemu33XL— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 22, 2023
It also marked USC’s second consecutive loss. And if the blowout loss to Notre Dame didn’t bring an end to the Trojans’ hopes of making it to the College Football Playoff, this certainly did.
In the loss to the Fighting Irish, the Trojans weren’t given much of a chance defensively. Notre Dame scored a touchdown on special teams, another on defense and three of its four offensive touchdowns came directly off of turnovers, with scoring drives totaling only 64 yards. Saturday against Utah was a much different story. The Utes outgained the Trojans (482-401), picked up more first downs (23-18) and won the time of possession battle (34:42-25:18).
But while USC’s two losses followed different formulas, one thing was common in both. Riley was ripped after the team’s loss.
Look, Kyle Whittingham is just a much better coach than Lincoln Riley and it's really just that simple.
— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) October 22, 2023
Lincoln Riley: “Can we stop Utah?”
USC defense: pic.twitter.com/PdTavR1ug2
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) October 22, 2023
Oklahoma fans sitting at home at 7-0 watching Lincoln Riley lose back-to-back games to Utah's backup QB: pic.twitter.com/NK6DDBi6fC
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) October 22, 2023
Lincoln Riley and USC are 0-3 against Utah.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma is 7-0.
— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) October 22, 2023
Lincoln Riley fumbles through excuses and sounds like a man trying to stay off the hot seat. pic.twitter.com/PXM8JDAL3G
— Jaben4Real (@Jaben4Real) October 22, 2023
Lincoln Riley's teams just aren't well coached. Great scheme in a lot of ways, but his refusal to prioritize sound play is why his teams consistently lose against well coached teams, even those with inferior talent (Utah, Tulane).
— Bryan Driskell (@CoachD178) October 22, 2023
Lincoln Riley said USC doesn’t “come in every week talking about winning a national championship … I don’t know where that narrative starts.”
In July ’22, @BillPlaschke asked him about expectations:
Riley: “To win the championship. … We didn’t come here to play for second.”
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) October 22, 2023
This disappointing season is on Lincoln Riley. Take accountability and make changes and improve
Otherwise take the easy way out and go to the NFL.
— LA (@LASportsFanatic) October 22, 2023
