Pac-12 Football: USC Rallies to Win But ASU Will Be a Serious Test For Cal Next Week

Even in Defeat, Sun Devils Appear to be a Formidable Foe For Golden Bears

Photo by Kirby Lee, USA Today

No 20 USC staged an impressive rally, scoring two touchdowns in a span of 92 seconds late in the game, to overtake Arizona State 28-27 at the L.A. Coliseum in a long-awaited Pac-12 opener on Saturday.

But the game should grab the attention of Cal fans because the Sun Devils looked quite formidable for much of the morning (!) into the lunch hour.

Assuming Cal is cleared to play next week, the Bears will open their season at Tempe against an ASU team that introduced us to a pair of impressive newcomers in the backfield.

Freshman running back DeaMonte “Chip” Trayamun, a 5-foot-11, 230-pounder from Akron, Ohio, averaged 7.0 yards per rush, totaled 84 yards and scored two touchowns. And Rachaad White, a transfer from Mt. San Antonio College in southern California, rushed for 76 yards and caught three passes for 70 yards, including a 55-yard TD reception.

That’s 230 yards rushing and receiving from two running backs who were not part of things a year ago when the Sun Devils beat Cal 24-17 in Berkeley.

ASU’s chief offensive weapon is sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels, who ran for 111 yards against the Trojans. He had two runs of more than 30 yards.

But ASU played much of the game without top receiving target Frank Darby, who left the game with a rib injury he sustained in the first quarter and did not return. Without Darby, Daniels was just 11 for 23 for 134 yards and a touchdown, and he passed for just 21 yards in the second half.

Darby’s availability against Cal will be important. Then again, Cal’s availability is also in limbo.

"The thing I've learned about college football, they can score at any moment," ASU coach Herm Edwards said. "We had an opportunity defensively to get off the field a couple of times, and we didn't do it. We gave their offense life, and they were able to make the plays. I just think we're going to grow from this, put it behind us and get ready to play next week."

On Saturday, USC looked talented but dysfunctional for much of the game. The Trojans had four turnovers, twice failed to convert fourth-and-1 plays and scored no points off ASU’s two first-half giveaways.

But sophomore Kedon Slovis made huge plays at the finish to pull out the victory for USC. His 21-yard touchdown pass to Drake London with 1:20 left capped the comeback that was made possible when the Trojans executed a successful onside kick with just under 3 minutes left.

Bru McCoy caught a deflected 26-yard TD pass from Slovis with 2:52 left to cut ASU’s lead to 27-21 and set up the onside kick try.

"Well, it reminds you of 2020, doesn't it?" USC coach Clay Helton said. "A year of adversity and finding a way to overcome hard situations. I'm proud of our football team. We made it."

Slovis was 40-for-55 for 381 yards and London, a 6-5 sophomore wideout, caught 8 passes for 125 yards. 

OREGON 35, STANFORD 14: The Pac-12 favorite Ducks opened their season with a victory at home but the headline was the Cardinal played without three players — including starting quarterback Davis Mills — sidelined by COVID-19 protocols.

It was not known whether Mills had tested positive or was merely in contact tracing. Defensive end Trey LaBounty and wide receiver Connor Wedington also were unavailable.

Wedington wrote on Twitter: “I got contact traced, I tested negative for COVID.”

Who knows if Stanford could have made it a better game with Mills at quarterback instead of Jack West, but the 12th-ranked Ducks engineered a methodical victory. The Ducks turned the ball over twice but ran up 496 yards of offense and led by three touchdowns entering the fourth quarter.

Tyler Shough / Photo by Chris Pietsch, Eugene Register-Guard

Tyler Shough, who has replaced Justin Herbert as Oregon’s quarterback, passed for 227 yards and a touchdown and the Ducks’ all-new offensive line paved the way for 269 rushing yards. CJ Verdell ran for 104 yards and four different Oregon players scored rushing touchdowns.

West was 13-for-19 for 154 yards with a touchdown for Stanford and sophomore running back Austin Jones, the former Bishop O’Dowd High star, ran for 100 yards and scored two touchdowns.

COLORADO 48, UCLA 42: The Buffaloes roared to a 35-7 lead midway through the second quarter to make coach Karl Dorrell a winner in his debut with CU against his alma mater. Jarek Broussard ran for 187 yards and three touchdowns and Sam Noyer passed for 257 yards and a TD.

UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson passed for 303 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 109 yards and a fifth TD.

WASHINGTON STATE 38, OREGON STATE 28: Jayden de Laura passed for 227 yds and two touchdowns and Deon McIntosh ran for 147 yards and a TD in place of injured star Max Borghi, helping coach Nick Rolovich a victory in his debut with the program.

Borghi, who was voted to the preseason All-Pac-12 first team this week, sat out the game with a back injury.

Travell Harris caught seven passes for 107 yards and two scores.

Tristan Gebbia threw for 329 yards and a touchdown and Jermar Jefferson rushed for 120 yards and three TDs for the Beavers, who trailed 28-7 late in the third quarter. It was the 11th career game of at least 100 rushing yards for Jefferson.

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Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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