Trace McSorley leaned forward in a folding chair next to the locker room entrance and tried to make sense of what happened.
How did Penn State go from 4½ jaw-dropping minutes where it scored three touchdowns in three plays against USC in the third quarter to making crucial mistakes in the final seconds of Monday’s Rose Bowl?
How can a game when McSorley, the redshirt sophomore quarterback with a small stature and big arm, throws for four touchdowns and sophomore Saquon Barkley, the highlight-a-minute running back, rushes for 194 yards end in a 52-49 loss?
“For us to climb back like we did and not finish like we know we can, it hurts,” McSorley said.
He rubbed his hands together and kept repeating those words: “It hurts.”
How the game started made the finish all the more difficult to bear in the locker room. Penn State trailed by as many as 13 points, hampered by interceptions on McSorley’s first two passes of the game. A receiver ran the wrong route on one and tipped the pass in the air the other.
But Barkley, who watched college highlights of former USC running back Reggie Bush during the last month, took a handoff on Penn State’s first play of the third quarter, ping-ponged off half a dozen tacklers and raced 79 yards for a touchdown to put the Nittany Lions ahead, 28-27.
“The O-line blocked it perfectly,” he said.
McSorley found Chris Godwin down the sideline for a 72-yard touchdown on a circus catch that left the junior receiver, who caught nine passes for 187 yards, unsure of how he corralled the football. Set up by an interception less than a minute later, McSorley plowed into the end zone on a three-yard run. Before the stands had filled up after halftime, Penn State led, 42-27, and couldn’t seem to do anything wrong.
That only worsened the sting of the game’s final two minutes.
As USC’s high-powered offense rallied in the fourth quarter, Penn State tried to run down the clock. Barkley lost seven yards on a third-down run, his worst of the game. On the next series, defensive back Leon McQuay III dropped an underthrown pass from McSorley. That summoned another third down, where the quarterback lofted another underthrown ball to the same side of the field in front of the USC sideline. He saw Godwin get behind a cornerback and thought he could make the play. Instead, McQuay had an easy interception with 27 seconds remaining.
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USC Trojans guard Damien Mama celebrates the Trojans’ win over the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans defensive back Adoree’ Jackson celebrates after the Trojans’ beat the Penn State Nittany Lions.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 3/61
USC head coach Clay Helton holds aloft the Leishman Trophy after the Trojans beat Penn State 52-49 in the Rose Bowl.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4/61
USC kicker Matt Boermeester, 39, celebrates with holder Wyatt Schmidt after making a game-winning 46-yard field goal as time expired to beat Penn State 52-49 in the Rose Bowl Game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC placekicker Matt Boermeester, 39, celebrates with teammates after making a game-winning 46-yard field goal as time expired to beat Penn State 52-49. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans place kicker Matt Boermeester celebrates with teammates after kicking the game winning field goal/ (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s kicker Matt Boermeester kick the winning field goal against Penn State.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 8/61
Penn State’s Jordan Smith is called for pass interference on USC receiver Deontay Burnett late in the 4th quarter/
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 9/61
USC quarterback Sam Darnold wiggles away from Penn State linebacker Jason Kabinda during fourth quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 10/61
USC defensive back Leon McQuay steps in front of Penn State receiver Chris Goodwin for an interception in the last minute of the game, setting up a winning drive.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 11/61
USC’s Leon McQuay intercepts the ball in front of Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin late in the 4th quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 12/61
USC strong safety Leon McQuay ntercepts a pass intended for Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13/61
USC strong safety Leon McQuay III returns an interception of a pass intended for Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin in the fourth quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s Deontay Burnett catches a touchdown pass late in the 4th quarter as Penn St.’s Marcus Allen looks on at the Rose Bowl Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 15/61
USC receiver Deontay Burnett hauls in a touchdown pass over Penn State safety Marcus Allen for the game tying score late in the fourth quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 16/61
USC wide receiver Deontay Burnett makes a touchdown catch against Penn State in the fourth quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Deontay Burnett, left, and quarterback Sam Darnold celebrate the game-tying touchdown against Penn St. late in the 4th qaurter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 18/61
USC head coach Clay Helton cheers his team on against Penn State in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 19/61
The USC defense celebrates as Penn State’s running back Saquon Barkley is stopped on 3rd down late in the 4th quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 20/61
USC Trojans tight end Taylor McNamara (48) is congratulated by Teammates after catching a two-point conversion from USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold in the second half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 21/61
USC wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster celebrates with teammates after making a touchdown catch against Penn State in the third quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times )
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USC Trojans wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster catches a touchdown pass from USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold in the third quarter/
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 23/61
Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin takes the ball away from USC defensive back Iman Marshall en route to a touchdown in the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 24/61
USC quarterback Sam Darnold throws downfield against Penn State in the third quarter of the Rose Bowl game on Jan. 2. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Adoree Jackson writhes in pain as he is tackled by Penn State cornerback Christian Campbell during fourth quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 26/61
Injured USC defensive back Adoree Jackson is helped off the firld in the third quarter as coach Clay Helton looks on.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 27/61
USC quarterback Sam Darnold loses control of the ball as he is sacked by Penn State defensive end Garrett Sickels during third quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 28/61
USC linebacker Uchenna Nwosu tries to fire up the crowd in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 29/61
USC running back Chris Hawkins scores a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, leading to a 49-49 tie with Penn State.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 30/61
USC’s Ronald Jones is lifted into the air after scoring a touchdown against Penn St. at the Rose Bowl Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 31/61
USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster hauls in a long pass over Penn State cornerback John Reid during a fourth quarter drive. The play was originally called incomplete, but replay showed Schuster made the catch in bounds.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 32/61
Penn State cornerback Christian Campbell breaks up a pass intended for USC wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster in the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 33/61
Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin makes a catch in front of USC’s Leon McQuay in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 34/61
USC Trojans defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu (96) tackles Penn State Nittany Lions running back Mark Allen (8) in the second half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 35/61
Penn State safety Malik Golden upends USC receiver Adoree Jackson in the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 36/61
USC’s Sam Darnold celebrates his touchdown throw to Deontay Burnett against Penn St. in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 37/61
Penn St. tight end Mike Gesicki catches a touchdown pass in front of USC’s Adoree Jackson, left, and Leon McQuay in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 38/61
USC Trojans running back Justin Davis dives for a first down before being tackled by Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Brandon Bell in first half action.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 39/61
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley scores a touchdown while pursued by USC Trojans linebacker Cameron Smith (35) in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 40/61
Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Mike Gesicki celebrates after catching a touchdown pass in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 41/61
Penn State receiver Chris Godwin flips out of the endzone after catching a touchdown pass over USC defensive back Adoree Jackson during second quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 42/61
USC receiver Darreus Rogers makes a diving catch in front of Penn State defensive back Grant Haley during a second quarter drive.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 43/61
USC quarterback Sam Darnold scrambles for big yards late in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 44/61
USC’s Stevie Tu’ikolowafu grabs the face mask of Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley for a penalty during the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold eludes Penn State’s cornerback John Reid (29) in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 46/61
Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin makes a diving catch in front of USC’s Adoree Jackson in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 47/61
Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin makes a catch in front of USC’s Leon McQuay in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 48/61
USC quarterback Sam Darnold scrambles for big yards late in the 2nd quarter against Penn St.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 49/61
USC wide receiver Adoree Jackson makes his way inside the Penn State five-yard-line after a catch in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 50/61
Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin makes a one-handed catch against USC strong safety Leon McQuay in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 51/61
USC head coach Clay Helton reacts angrily after officials mistakenly nullified a touchdopwn catch by Trojans wide receiver Deontay Burnett in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 52/61
Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley eludes the tackle of USC end Porter Gustin in first quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold throws a touchdown pass to USC Trojans wide receiver Deontay Burnett against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 54/61
USC receiver Darreus Rogers catches a touchdown pass in front of Penn St.’s Grant Haley in the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 55/61
USC defensive back Adoree Jackson celebrates with teammate Iman Marshall after intercepting a Penn State pass in the first quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 56/61
The Nittany Lion waits the tunnel before the start of the 2017 Rose Bowl Game.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 57/61
Bryce Rogers, left, and Norma Lopez, of Montrose, CA, attends her first Rose Bowl Game.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 58/61
Penn State students Sophie Randall, Audrey Zavada, and Kait Yoniske, have their photo taken as they enter the stadium.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 59/61
The “Spirit of Troy,” USC Marching Band arrives at the Rose Bowl, hours before the Trojans and the Penn State Nittany Lions play in the Rose Bowl game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 60/61
USC football fans cheer for their Trojans team before the start of the 103rd Rose Bowl game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in Pasadena on Monday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 61/61
Penn State football fans cheer for the Nittany Lions before the start of the 103rd Rose Bowl game against the USC Trojans in Pasadena on Monday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead said Penn State has run the final play repeatedly with good results. The gamble just didn’t work out.
“I tried too much to force it to Chris,” said McSorley, who passed for 254 yards but threw more interceptions than he did during all of this season’s nine-game winning streak by Penn State. “I need to not try to predetermine where I’m going because of how a guy has been playing, but let the coverage determine where the ball goes.”
A few feet away from the quarterback’s locker, a teammate glared at the television cameras and recorders and uttered a profanity as questions about the final turnover continued.
“These guys are ... brutal,” the teammate said.
Eyeblack smudged and cleats off, McSorley stared straight ahead as the questions continued.
“They did everything they needed to do to win this game and we didn’t,” the quarterback said. “A lot of that falls on me.”
He didn’t flinch.
Koa Farmer returns
Koa Farmer grew up in Lake View Terrace, an 18-minute drive from the Rose Bowl. More than 50 family members and friends attended the game to support the Penn State redshirt sophomore — an equal number tailgated outside the stadium — and the attention left Farmer “super nervous.”
Farmer, who started at outside linebacker in place of the suspended Manny Bowen, said the nerves disappeared after his first collision on special teams.
After the last-second loss, Farmer wondered about what could’ve been.
“If we could’ve just made one more play, not even two plays or three plays, just one more play, it could’ve kept us on top,” he said.
Quick hits
Including Penn State’s loss, Big Ten Conference schools were 3-7 in bowl games. That’s the worst record among the Power Five conferences. ... Penn State supporters delivered a rousing cheer when the Rose Bowl’s video board showed a large picture of former coach Joe Paterno early in the third quarter. … A banner hung from an overpass on the 134 Freeway in Glendale before Monday’s game that read: “Shame. JoePa knew.” It referred to the child sex-abuse scandal involving former Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky. … Junior linebacker Jason Cabinda, born in Buena Park, led Penn State with 11 tackles. … Brandon Bell, a senior linebacker, left the game early in the fourth quarter because of an undisclosed injury after his 24-yard interception return.
nathan.fenno@latimes.com
Twitter: @nathanfenno
