The crowd at Autzen Stadium, 59,094 strong, made it hard on the Trojans’ offense and defense.
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It would follow then that OR should be near the bottom of defensive statistics every season, especially considering the offensive potency of the Pac-12 from top to bottom and the fatigue of the players on the field. There was a lack of discipline, with penalties and missed assignments at the worst possible moments. With a tiebreaker advantage over Utah, all USC needs to do to play in the Pac 12 championship game is to defeat OR and regain the victory bell against UCLA.
“I got to take care of the ball”, Adams said. “Next week it’s Oregon State, but yeah, I think we’re playing really well right now and I don’t think our kids would be afraid of anyone”. The Cardinal defeated the Golden Bears 35-22 in the Big Game to clinch the North and earn a spot in the Pac-12 championship game.
You know what else is insane? Maybe it’s a sign of maturity, able to shrug off a tough loss. “We were rooting on the team across town to do what they had to do”.
“It was not a good day and that is my responsibility as a head coach”, USC interim coach Clay Helton said. “Obviously not one of our best performances today”.
Meanwhile, wide receivers Steven Mitchell (seven) and De’Quan Hampton (six) had career-highs for receptions in a game.
“We’re going to play whoever our next opponent is”, Frost said. We have got a few guys.
The biggest difference, without question, between the 3-3 Ducks and the 8-3 Ducks is a healthy Vernon Adams. I haven’t done anything spectacular in my eyes. He also extended his consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 34 games. Naturally, defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox drew the ire of fans on social media.
“Receiver Steven Mitchell Jr. attended elementary school with him, played against him in youth football leagues, and eventually followed his good friend, known as “Skeeter,” to Alemany. Asked why Marshall struggled, Heyward said, “I’m wondering why, too. It is what it is”. Kessler dropped a snap and, while scrambling, Arrion Springs knocked the ball loose and DeForest Buckner recovered the fumble at the USC 26.
USC (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) also is without promising freshman safety Marvell Tell and reserve Matt Lopes because of injuries. So expect a high scoring game with the Oregon Ducks winning 56-42. USC faced first-and-10 at its 32-yard line.
But the defense does not get all the blame. OR and USC have both experienced their fair share of bumps and bruises this season, but have both responded resiliently. But Wheeler shoved an OR player after the whistle and received a personal foul penalty to make it fourth-and-16.
“It just shouldn’t have ever happened”, Wheeler said of his penalty.
The Cardinal (20-6, 14-4 Pac-12) recorded a three-set sweep for the first time in almost two weeks and improved to 12-1 all-time against the Utes.
The same could apply to senior quarterback Cody Kessler.
To put it lightly, the Pac-12 burst into a thousand bits of fiery ember last week. USC forced a 14-14 tie, but Oregon’s 17-point run just before halftime sealed the visitors’ fate.
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“We had the opportunity to get Vernon down a couple times and just didn’t get him on the ground”, Helton said “There’s only so long you can stay in man coverage and stay on those types of athletes for that long”.
