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Why No.15 Is A Common Theme For USC Football

USC football mounted an epic comeback against crosstown rivals UCLA on Saturday night, and there's one number to thank, No.15.

Austin Grad

Saturday night’s crosstown rivalry between No.15 USC and unranked UCLA lived up to all of the hype. In an empty Rose Bowl stadium, the Trojans came back from being down 18 points in the second half to complete the regular season undefeated at 5-0. 

There is one number that Trojan fans should know following this game, and thats the No.15. So let’s dive into why No.15 helped USC stay unbeaten.

No.15 WR Drake London

USC struggled on offense in the first half, and through 22 minutes, had zero points, until No.15 on offense, Drake London, went beast mode. The standout wide receiver caught a deep pass from QB Kedon Slovis midway through the 2nd quarter, then broke six tackles on his way into the end zone for a 65-yard touchdown to get USC on the board.

The sophomore wideout finished his night with five receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns, with the second TD being the most critical. London found the end zone from nine yards out midway through the 4th quarter to give the Trojans their first lead of the game 36-35. This followed a turnover created by USC's defense, and none other than London’s jersey No.15 twin, Talanoa Hufanga.

No.15 Safety Talanoa Hufanga

The junior safety read UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s eyes from the snap and jumped in front of the receiver for the huge interception. Hufanga returned the pick for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a penalty, which resulted in the London TD.

On top of the stellar instincts on the interception, Hufanga also forced a fumble on 4th down on a punt attempt from the Bruins, to go along with 17 tackles and two tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The safety’s defensive intensity earned him Trojan of the Game honors by USC Athletics, as well as NCAA Defensive Player of the Week.

[Read: Talanoa Hufanga Wins NCAA Defensive Player of the Week]

Without him, USC would not have mounted the comeback and would’ve fallen below No.15 in the rankings. Now the Trojans are trying to trend upwards in the College Football Playoff Committee's coveted standings.

USC Ranked No.15

Going into the game, the Trojans were slotted as the 15th best team in the country in the committee’s eyes. Although USC has been in three games that came down to the wire, the Trojans expect to move up in the rankings from No.15, as the team has shown great resilience and dominance throughout its five games.

USC will be eagerly waiting to see where they will rise in the rankings prior to Friday night’s PAC-12 Championship game against the Oregon Ducks. The College Football Playoff rankings are scheduled to be released on Tuesday night.

[Read: Malepeai Questionable for PAC-12 Championship]

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Austin Grad
AUSTIN GRAD

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