The Trojans led by 14 points in the third quarter and 10 midway through the fourth but fall to 1-3 with the loss in Salt Lake City.
Utah comes from behind to stun USC in final seconds, 31-27
What a stunner in Salt Lake City.
USC changed its quarterback, but the result remained the same.
With less than 20 seconds to play, Utah’s Troy Williams stood in the pocket and threw an 18-yard strike to Tim Patrick in the end zone as Trojans cornerback Adoree’ Jackson slipped on the wet Rice-Eccles Stadium turf, and the Utes came from behind to defeat USC, 31-27, on Friday night.
The Trojans fall to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12 Conference, as the Utes improve to 4-0 and 1-0.
Redshirt freshman Sam Darnold made his first start for USC and looked impressive after a fumble in the first quarter. Darnold completed 18 of 26 passes for 253 yards and also rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown in nine carries.
But Darnold’s performance wasn’t enough to make up for the Trojans’ turnovers, penalties and shortcomings on defense.
The Trojans were flagged seven times for 49 yards, including two 15-yard penalties in the fourth quarter, and their first three offensive series ended with fumbles.
USC held a 14-point lead, 24-10, in the third quarter before Utah scored touchdowns on three consecutive drives.
Williams completed 21 of 34 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown in seven carries. Patrick caught six passes for 100 yards and the winning touchdown.
USC is scheduled to host Arizona State next Saturday.
Utah takes 31-27 lead late in fourth quarter
What a stunner.
Troy Williams completed an 18-yard pass to Tim Patrick for a Utah touchdown.
The Utes take the lead, 31-27, with 18 seconds left in the game.
The scoring drive covered 93 yards in 15 plays and took 5:21.
USC was on the verge of forcing a three and out before Iman Marshall was called for pass interference.
From there, Utah converted twice on fourth-and-one runs while Williams completed several passes during the series.
USC punts late in the fourth quarter
Coach Clay Helton elected to punt from inside Utah’s 40-yard line and the Trojans must play defense.
Offensive lineman Damien Mama was called as an illegal man down field on a play where Sam Darnold completed a 35-yard pass to Darreus Rogers. The penalty killed the drive.
Darnold has looked fantastic in the second half.
Under pressure, he completed a 22-yard pass to Tyler Petite before the long completion to Rogers. It should have been a scoring drive, if not for the penalty.
USC leads Utah, 27-24, in the fourth quarter
What a ballgame in Salt Lake City.
Utah’s Troy Williams completed a 10-yard pass to Rae Singleton for a touchdown to cut USC’s lead to three points, 27-24, in the fourth quarter.
The scoring drive covered 75 yards in 11 plays and took 5:10.
Coach Kyle Whittingham elected to go for it on fourth and one, instead of kicking a field goal, to set up the touchdown.
Williams completed a 21-yard pass to Cory Butler-Byrd, a nine-yard pass to Demari Simpkins and an 11-yard pass to Tim Patrick during the series.
Butler-Byrd also ran a reverse for a 15-yard gain.
The Utes are two for two on fourth down.
USC leads Utah, 27-17, in the fourth quarter
Matt Boermeester kicked a 43-yard field goal and USC leads Utah, 27-17, early in the fourth quarter.
The scoring drive covered 48 yards in 11 plays and took 4:51.
Aca’Cedric Ware did the bulk of the work to start the drive. He rushed for 26 yards in four consecutive carries.
Sam Darnold completed a third-down pass to Darreus Rogers and then found Rogers again a few plays later for a 10-yard completion, which put the Trojans in field-goal range.
Rogers has caught five passes for 58 yards.
Slideshow: Photos from USC’s game against Utah
USC leads Utah, 24-17, in the third quarter
Armand Sykes fumbled the ball across the goal line but teammate Isaac Asiata recovered it for a Utah touchdown.
USC leads the Utah, 24-17, with 4:51 left in the third quarter.
The scoring drive covered 85 yards in 10 plays and took 4:51.
With the rain pouring down in Salt Lake City, it was surprising to see the Utes mostly throw the ball in the series.
Troy Williams completed a 28-yard pass to Harrison Handley on a trick play and then later completed an eight-yard pass to Cory Butler-Byrd and an 18-yard pass to Rae Singleton, which set up the touchdown carry.
Jonathan Lockett was called for pass interference, a 15-yard penalty, in the series.
USC leads Utah, 24-10, in the third quarter
Sam Darnold rushed eight yards for a USC touchdown and the Trojans lead Utah, 24-10, in the third quarter.
The scoring drive covered 91 yards in eight plays and took 3:40.
Darnold, in his first start, looked terrific on the drive. He completed a 21-yard pass to tight end Taylor McNamara and a 35-yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Darnold also rushed for 22 yards in two carries in the series.
It’s easy to see how Darnold pushed the quarterback competition into the fall. But now it’s somewhat puzzling why he wasn’t named the starter before the season opener.
Adoree’ Jackson is shining on defense
Adoree’ Jackson made another standout defensive play and Utah punted.
Jackson broke up Troy Williams’ third-and-long attempt to Tim Patrick.
Williams started the half with an 11-yard pass to Cory Butler-Byrd before USC’s defense hunkered down.
Utah defensive lineman Lowell Lotulelei did not return to the game in the second half because of an injury.
USC leads Utah, 17-10, at halftime
USC settled for a 32-yard field goal after Sam Darnold put together an impressive series.
The scoring drive covered 71 yards in 12 plays and took 1:55.
Darnold moved the ball well and completed a 16-yard pass to Darreus Rogers, seven-yard passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster and Rogers and a 22-yard pass to Steven Mitchell Jr.
The drive stalled inside the red zone when Rogers false started - USC’s first false start of the game after committing six against Stanford - and two of Darnold’s passes fell incomplete.
Darnold has completed 10 of 17 passes for 130 yards.
USC’s defense makes another third-down stop
What a homecoming for Stevie Tu’ikolovatu.
Tu’ikolovatu sacked Troy Williams on third down and Utah punted.
Zack Moss rushed for 16 yards, four yards and three yards in consecutive carries before the drive stalled.
USC leads Utah, 14-10, in the second quarter
Justin Davis did most of the work himself as USC took a 14-10 lead over Utah in the second quarter.
Davis rushed for 50 yards and four plays later a 14-yard scoring run.
The scoring drive covered 75 yards in six plays and took 1:50.
Sam Darnold was sacked on the first play of the drive. The play was reviewed because it appeared Darnold’s arm was moving in a forward motion, but officials confirmed their original call.
Davis has rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown in six carries.
Utah leads USC, 10-7, in the second quarter
Utah kicked a 37-yard field goal and the Utes lead USC, 10-7, in the second quarter.
Josh Fatu, Adoree’ Jackson and Uchenna Nwosu each made big plays on defense.
Fatu made a tackle for a loss, Jackson allowed a 40-yard completion to Tim Patrick but later broke up a pass in the end zone and Uchenna Nwosu sacked Troy Williams, his former teammate at Narbonne High, on third down to stop the drive.
Utah really has not been able to capitalize on USC’s mistakes - three fumbles - and the Utes haven’t taken advantage of their lopsided control of the clock.
Utah has 17:52 in the time of possession and USC only has had the ball for 5:29.
USC fumbles for a third time
Three offensive possessions and three fumbles for USC.
Justin Davis, Sam Darnold and now Ronald Jones.
The Trojans are lucky Adoree’ Jackson returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
Jones rushed for 14 yards in four carries before he fumbled.
Darnold, other than his fumble in the previous series, has looked sharp. He has completed four of seven passes for 65 yards, including two passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster, who has been largely absent through the first three games.
Utah has the ball on its 43-yard line.
USC’s defense makes a third-down stop
USC managed to get off the field on third down, forcing Troy Williams to throw an incomplete pass.
The Utes punted and pinned USC at its three-yard line.
Armand Shyne rushed for 23 yards in three consecutive carries before the drive stalled.
Utah has 129 yards of total offense, USC has 90. The Utes have controlled time of possession, 13:24 to USC’s 2:33.
Sam Darnold fumbles, Utah recovers
USC’s offensive drive was off to a fast start - Justin Davis rushed for 19 yards in consecutive carries and Sam Darnold completed a 23-yard pass to Steven Mitchell Jr.
However, Darnold scrambled down field on the next play and fumbled. Utah recovered the ball. Officials initially ruled Darnold down, but the call was overturned upon review.
That’s the third fumble of the first quarter between the two teams.
It isn’t even raining in Salt Lake City, though the ground appears wet.
Adoree’ Jackson recovers a fumble for Trojans
Utah’s offense felt little resistance from USC’s defense until Cameron Smith forced Zack Moss to fumble and Adoree’ Jackson recovered.
The Utes were on USC’s 28-yard line after Troy Williams completed two passes and the Utes rushed six times.
Sam Darnold will take the field a second time for the Trojans.
USC and Utah tied, 7-7, in the first quarter
Adoree’ Jackson has always been a game-changer.
Jackson fielded the kickoff and rushed 100 yards for a USC touchdown.
The Trojans and Utes are tied, 7-7, with 7:07 left in the first quarter.
That play should provide the Trojans some life after a deflating drive in which the Utes ran 12 plays -- all rushing -- for a touchdown.
Utah leads USC, 7-0, in the first quarter
Utah forced its ninth turnover of the season and quarterback Troy Williams converted it into a touchdown when he rushed for 10 yards across the goal line.
The Utes lead the Trojans, 7-0, in the first quarter.
The scoring drive covered 59 yards in 12 plays -- all rushing -- and took 6:23.
Zack Moss had eight carries, Williams had three carries and Troy McCormick rushed once.
The Utes converted twice on third down and once on fourth down inside the USC 20.
USC fumbles, Utah recovers in first series
Justin Davis rushed for a first down, but the ball was knocked loose before Davis was down.
Officials reviewed the play and overturned their original call.
Utah took over on its 41-yard line.
Darnold, making his first start, completed one pass for 15 yards to JuJu Smith-Schuster in the series.
Utah won the toss and deferred to the second half.
USC announces starting lineup
USC has announced its starting lineups.
Offense: Quarterback Sam Darnold, running back Justin Davis, fullback Reuben Peters, tight end Taylor McNamara, receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Darreus Rogers and Steven Mitchell and linemen Zach Banner, Viane Talamaivao, Nico Falah, Damien Mama and Chad Wheeler.
Defense: Linemen Malik Dorton, Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and Rasheem Green, linebackers Porter Gustin, Michael Hutchings, Cameron Smith and Uchenna Nwosu, cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Iman Marshall and safeties Leon McQuay III and Marvel Tell III.
USC and Utah kick off in less than an hour
Can USC bounce back from a 27-10 loss to Stanford last week?
That’s the looming question as the Trojans warm up to face Utah at a soggy Rice-Eccles Stadium tonight.
The Trojans are off to a 1-2 start, which was largely expected with Alabama and Stanford early on the schedule, but what came as a surprise was that the Trojans’ quarterbacks have already been shuffled.
Fourth-year junior Max Browne is out and redshirt freshman Sam Darnold is in, Coach Clay Helton announced this week.
Darnold has appeared in three games and has completed 14 of 22 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception.
USC will be without defensive lineman Noah Jefferson, who did not travel with the team because of a personal issue he was dealing with in his hometown of Las Vegas, Helton said.
Live from the press box at Rice-Eccles Stadium
Times’ columnist Dylan Hernandez and beat reporter Zach Helfand discuss tonight’s game from the press box at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
His dream is now about beating the Trojans
Long before he became a premier dual-threat quarterback at Harbor City Narbonne High and a two-time Los Angeles City Section Division I player of the year, long before Carson native Troy Williams began to draw attention from a dozen schools around the country, he had eyes only for USC.
As it turned out, the interest wasn’t mutual.
“Of course, growing up an L.A. kid, I was a huge SC fan. I watched them every weekend,” he said. “It was every kid’s dream in L.A. to go to SC or UCLA. It was a dream of mine, but I wasn’t recruited by them and it kind of puts a little extra fire in me. But I try not to pay attention to it too much. I guess I just wasn’t their type of player.”
Williams went to Washington after being recruited by Steve Sarkisian and getting an offer when he was a sophomore, but Sarkisian’s departure to become USC’s coach left Williams feeling stranded. He made only one start in five appearances in 2014 before he transferred to Santa Monica College.
What to expect when USC and Utah line up
USC’s schedule has been brutal, and its record is indicative.
Clay Helton has a record of 1-4 since becoming full-time head coach, his lone win against Utah State.
If Helton and USC are to make a stand, this is the game.
They have a track record: last season, after losing three of four and firing Steve Sarkisian, USC played No. 3 Utah and won convincingly, 42-24.