USC is eliminated from Pac-12 championship contention after lackluster loss to Cal

Once again, the Trojans took a multi-score lead into the half. Once again, USC forfeited it in the remaining 30 minutes.

In a 15-14 loss to Cal on Saturday at the Coliseum, the tables turned after the Trojans allowed a safety following a high snap by senior center Toa Lobendahn at the 22-yard line. With the momentum in its favor, Cal went on to post 15 unanswered points to knock the Trojans out of Pac-12 championship contention.

The loss snapped the Trojans’ 14-game winning streak over the Bears, a streak that dated back to 2003.

Following the safety, Cal posted a three play, 50 yard, touchdown drive in a minute, capped off by a 29-yard touchdown pass to redshirt wide receiver Vic Wharton to shorten the Trojans lead to 5, minutes after the Bears were trailing by 14.

But Cal’s momentum didn’t stop there. On USC’s ensuing possession the Bears’ defense came up with an 8-yard sack, which paved the way for an interception to once again grant Cal possession.

The Bears spent the next nine plays fighting for 40 yards to earn their third touchdown of the night and steal the lead from the Trojans, 15-14.

With three minutes remaining, what appeared to be a defensive stop on third down by USC wound up a Cal first down after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on senior cornerback Iman Marshall.

USC’s first half performance was reminiscent of that against Oregon State.

The Trojans drew first blood to close the first quarter following a 44-yard rush from senior running back Aca’Cedric Ware. It would take the Trojans three plays to score on a pass to redshirt sophomore Tyler Vaughns from point-blank position.

Halfway through the second quarter, USC edged out a 14-0 lead. Cal redshirt freshman quarterback Chase Garbers kept the ball for 23 yards, but redshirt senior cornerback Ajene Harris negated the gain with a strip that put the ball back in the Trojans’ hands. The fumble recovery set the Trojans up to overcome a fourth-and-6 situation to ultimately have freshman quarterback JT Daniels find Vaughns for his second touchdown of the night.

The Trojans took the two-score-lead into the half, but that was the last they would see of it.

The Trojans’ loss eliminated the team from Pac-12 championship contention and drops their record to 5-5. USC will travel to Westwood to face crosstown rival UCLA next week, in the Trojans’ final Pac-12 matchup of the season.

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