USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Defends USC After Washington Loss: Close to 'Unbelievable'

USC Trojans Washington lost to the Huskies, losing their fifth game of the season and remaining winless away this season. This is the second season the Trojans have lost five straight games under coach Lincoln Riley. To put it into perspective, Riley didn’t lose his fifth game at Oklahoma until his junior year.

“Have we had a chance to win every game, the answer to all of those is undoubtedly yes,” Riley said. “But at the end of the day, you either leave or it comes to an end. We hope to win and we didn’t do enough of that.”

The offense found some momentum in the second quarter. A 12-play, 76-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Woody Marks got the Trojans on the board, but two touchdowns by Washington running back Jonah Coleman helped the Huskies take a 20-7 lead into halftime.

“I’ve told you before, it’s like – how many weeks do we have to say this?” I understand, but this season you change five or six games and then everyone is like, ‘Oh my God, they’re incredible,'” Riley said after the defeat.

USC neglected the running game in the first half, calling 29 passing plays against only nine runs. Moss finished the night with 50 pass attempts, marking the third time this season that the redshirt junior had 50 or more pass attempts in a game. 2022 Heisman Trophy winner caleb williams In his two seasons at centre, there was only one game in which he attempted 50 or more passes. Cardinal and Gold.

As we started the second half, the Trojans started turning to the running game and the offense completely changed. Three big runs by running back Woody Marks, all of at least 13 yards, brought the Trojans into Washington territory on the first possession of the second half. The driver stalled, but on fourth and ninth, Moss found: Makai LemonHe got behind the defense and kicked a 37-yard field goal, making the score 20-14. Lemon ended the night with eight receptions for 80 yards. Marks carried the ball 23 times for 123 yards. Marks reached the 100-yard mark for the fifth time this season.

On the ensuing Washington possession, a fourth down gave the ball right back to USC. After a huge 42-yard completion by Zachariah Branch put them in the red zone, two plays later Moss connected with Ford for a 9-yard field goal to give the Trojans their first lead of the night. Branch was spectacular, reeling in six receptions for 102 yards. First 100-yard game of his career.

Suddenly the momentum shifted toward USC until Moss was intercepted by Washington linebacker Carson Bruener; Moss’ third interception of the night. Washington would cut the lead to 26-21 on a four-yard field goal by Keith Reynolds after a failed two-point conversion.

USC’s offense responded with an effort of its own. Marks converted three third-down plays, helping the Trojans get to the one-yard line. On fourth-and-goal, Marks was trapped in the backfield for a three-yard loss.

“It’s an over-the-top assignment at the wrong time,” Riley said.

USC got the ball back in regulation with 1:36 left and no timeout. Moss marched the Trojans to Washington’s 14-yard line, but three straight incompletions from second down ended the comeback attempt. Moss finished the night completing 30 of 50 passes for 293 yards, two touchdowns and a career-high three interceptions.

When the Trojans signed Riley away from Oklahoma on a lucrative 10-year, $110 million deal in November 2021, the expectation was that the Trojans would be competing for the conference championship and college football playoffs by the third year. Instead, the Trojans are fighting for bowl rights with three games remaining on the schedule.

USC will have a bye next week before hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Nov. 16 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

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