USC’s defense had its good moments on Saturday against Utah, but they were only moments. A little here, a little there, but nothing sustained. The Trojans had some really good defensive possessions. They came up with a pick-six to keep the team in the game. They made a late defensive stop to set up Zachariah Branch’s electric punt return which led to a touchdown and a 32-31 USC lead. The defense had its moments, but when it really counted, the Trojans weren’t tough enough.
The game was tied at halftime. In the third quarter, Utah took a 28-14 lead and overpowered USC’s defense. The game was up for grabs in the final minute, and USC allowed a 25-yard run to Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes in the final 20 seconds when the Trojans had a chance to nail down the win. If Barnes runs for five or six yards, Utah would have faced a very, very long field goal — over 55 yards — to win. Barnes’ long run enabled Utah to set up for a 38-yarder and win, 34-32.
The Trojans were tough at times, but the full body of work — the full performance — wasn’t tough enough.
Given the centrality of the need for toughness in major college football, Lincoln Riley has to look at this insufficiently tough display against Utah and fire strength and conditioning coach Bennie Wylie.
Reactions during the Utah game help to paint the larger picture, but we also have a few points to make as well.
Let’s dive into the reactions and then our closing analysis: