Utah takes last-second thriller against USC
Utah quarterback Travis Wilson rolled right and tossed a one-yard touchdown to a tumbling Kaelin Clay with eight seconds left on the clock Saturday night. The score gave the No. 19 Utes an exciting come-from-behind victory over No. 20 USC, 24-21.
Earlier that quarter, USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor caught a clutch third-down pass, but he couldn't convert on a fourth-down run just a few minutes later.
The loss of possession meant Utah would get the ball back with 2:08 left, down by four. They made good on it.
Wilson methodically led his squad up the field, most notably connecting with running back Devontae Booker for a 17-yard pass that set the Utes up at USC's 36-yard-line.
"To beat a team like USC on our home field, a top-25 team, it's big for our guys," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said after the game.
After Clay caught the game winner, Trojans quarterback Cody Kessler had one chance to heave the ball up, but he was sacked by Nate Orchard.
Things didn't look good at all for USC just seconds into the game, when senior Utes defensive back Davion Orphey scooped up a live ball that Trojans wide receiver Darreus Rogers mistook for an incompletion. Orphey took the recovered fumble and took it 53 yards to the house.
USC would recover on its ensuing drive, taking the ball 75 yards on 10 plays. Kessler found receiver Juju Smith from 10 yards out to tie the game.
Both teams traded fumbles and punts for much of the rest of the first half until Utah's Andy Phillips hit a 24-yard field goal to take the 10-7 lead.
Trojans freshman cornerback Adoree' Jackson took the resulting kick-off 100 yards to the end zone, nearly untouched down the right sideline.
GIF: USC's 100 yd kickoff return TD was way too easy, basically untouched http://t.co/SZ9vdyLBNx
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) October 26, 2014
Kessler found Rogers early in the fourth quarter for a four-yard scoring strike to put the Trojans up 21-17. That came after Utah's Booker scored on a 24-yard run for Utah late in the third quarter. He finished the day with 102 yards on 26 carries.
Agholor, USC's leading receiver, caught a career-high 10 balls on the evening, finishing the day off with 110 yards.
His quarterback Cody Kessler played well, missing just eight of his 32 pass attempts for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw one interception.
Wilson threw for just 193 yards on 18 completions on the day. His only touchdown was the one that mattered.