USC defense clamps down in win over Washington State

PULLMAN, Wash. — Early successful Saturday’s crippled betwixt USC and Washington State, it looked the Trojan defence had nary reply for the Cougar attack.

Washington State was attacking brushed spots successful the USC zone, which had been truthful effectual successful past season’s triumph implicit the Cougars. Washington State was capable to commencement with a 12-play, 89-yard touchdown drive, and past scored again with 6:13 near successful the 2nd 4th to springiness itself a 14-point lead.

But it was astatine this constituent that the USC defence said, nary more. And the Trojans did not let Washington State to people again, rattling disconnected 45 consecutive points for a 45-15 win.

Following the Cougars’ 2nd touchdown, USC held Washington State to zero nett yards connected its consequent 7 drives. It took different 2 possessions for Washington State to summation its archetypal first down of the 2nd half, coming with 4:59 near successful the game.

The Cougars’ erstwhile archetypal down came astatine the 7:47 people of the 2nd quarter, truthful USC went 32:48 of crippled clip without letting Washington State determination the chains.

And aft failing to make immoderate turnovers successful Week 2, and without a sack the archetypal 2 games, USC came up with 4 takeaways and 3 sacks. The defence adjacent combined the 2 connected 1 play erstwhile extracurricular linebacker Drake Jackson crushed Washington State backmost Victor Gabalis from down successful the extremity portion and Tuli Tuipulotu recovered the consequent fumble for a touchdown.

Jackson explained the alteration successful the defence arsenic the squad pressing excessively hard aboriginal successful the crippled and past recovering its focus.

“We truly don’t privation to springiness up immoderate points truthful the 14 points that we did springiness up, we were benignant of aggravated astir that,” Jackson said. “And came retired successful the 2nd fractional and truly showed that, however bully our defence truly is.”

There were hints of it during the 2nd thrust of the game. Washington State had driven down to the USC 1 for a first-and-goal opportunity.

But the Cougars would get nary farther. Running backmost Max Borghi was stopped connected archetypal down by Jackson and information Isaiah Pola-Mao for nary gain. After an incomplete walk connected second, backmost Jayden de Laura was tackled for a one-yard nonaccomplishment by linebacker Kana’i Mauga.

Then aft a timeout, de Lauara was stood up astatine the 1 by Tuipulotu for the turnover connected downs.

“We pridefulness ourselves connected that arsenic a defense,” cornerback Chris Steele said. “We made 2 captious errors. We talked about, and we agreed that we weren’t going to fto it hap again.”

BRIEFLY

WR Drake London was shaken up aft his past drawback of the game, but interim caput manager Donte Williams said USC pulled him from the crippled conscionable arsenic precaution and the inferior receiver is expected to signifier this week.