Huskies Put Record 52 Points on USC, Win Unmitigated Point Fest

After each misfired on a drive, with USC's Duce Robinson figuring in both outcomes. The wide receiver dropped a sure first-down pass to force his team to punt and came flying through on the ensuing UW possession to block Jack McCallister's low-moving punt. McCallister had to reach for a low snap, but chances are Robinson would have swatted down his kick anyway.

The Trojans took possession on the UW 8 and needed just two plays to score, with Williams keeping and scoring around the left side with Bralen Trice jumping on his back but unable to prevent the TD. It was 14-7 with 35 seconds left in the first quarter.

With everyone barely able to catch their breath, the Huskies came back with a 10-play, 79-yard scoring drive into the second quarter that ended with Penix heroics. The quarterback escaped what looked like a sure sack and lobbed a ball 22 yards into a crowd in the end zone— where tight end Devin Culp somehow made the grab and came down with it in bounds. At the 11:37 mark of the second quarters, the teams were at a 14-all standoff.

Defense was still non-existent for each of these teams.

A kickoff return mistake put the Trojans on their 5 to begin the next drive. No problem. Five plays later, they were up 21-14 when Darwin Barlow scored from 1 yard out. Austin Jones snapped off a 31-yard run and Barlow a 43-yarder on consecutive carries to get the ball to the 1. With 9:31 left in the half USC led 21-14.

Huskies, your serve.

The response came quick with Johnson taking a handoff over the right side and sprinting yards for a tying score with 6:44 left to the break. The drive took five plays.

USC, your serve.

Needing just five plays of their, the Trojans resorted to trickery to go back in front. Williams handed the ball off to a back going left, who reversed and pitched to the quarterback, who drilled a 41-yard TD pass to an uncovered Tahj Washington. No Husky defender was within 20 yards of him. With 4:04 left in the half, USC led 28-21. 

Just enough time for another touchdown or two.

The Huskies hurried up the field covering 70 yards in eight plays to tie the game at 28 on a 4-yard pass to Ja'Lynn Polk. 

Just 1:14 remained until intermission. Time for at least one more score.

At this point, the Huskies provided a novel concept for this wild, free-wheeling game — someone made a defensive play.

UW edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui collapsed the pocket on the first play of the next series and separated Williams from the football, which Trice recovered on the USC 12.  

The Huskies needed three carries for Johnson to find the end zone, diving in from 1 yard out. With 20 seconds left before the halftime show, the UW led for the first time at 35-28 in this exhaustive display of offensive football.

The second half opened with, get this, more defense, followed by a lot more points. The Huskies drove down to the USC 21 where Penix tried to go for it all on first down, but his pass to Jack Westover in the end zone was tipped into the air and intercepted by cornerback Christian Roland-Wallace. 

The Trojans turned it into tying points by moving 75 yards in eight plays for a 25-yard to Brenden Rice, who beat Jabbar Muhammad to the ball. At the 8-minute mark, the game was tied at 35.

Everyone was just getting warmed up. Again.

The Huskies reclaimed the lead at 42-35 in just seven. plays, going 75 yards for a Penix score, who backed into the end zone from the 1. With 4:21 left in the third quarter, the UW held a 42-35 advantage.

USC responded with an 83-yard drive in nine plays that ended with receiver Mario Willams catching a 20-yard pass and just getting a toe down. With 1:41 left in the quarter, the teams were knotted at 42.

Then something strange happened. No, points were forthcoming early in the fourth quarter. Yet this time, the Huskies settled for a 44-yard field goal from Grady Gross after Penix was sacked on third down from the USC 19. With 12:25 left to go, the Huskies had a 45-42 edge.

After the Huskies forced a punt following Voi Tunuufi's sack of Williams, Johnson provided a cushion with a 1-yard TD run, his fourth of the night.