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TUCSON, Arizona – Southern California had too many penalties, struggled in the red zone and found itself in a hole late for the second week in a row.
The Trojans rallied to win a week ago, and they did it again with another pair of overdue records.
So far, resilience has been the theme of USC in this season cut short by a pandemic.
Vavae Malepeai pushed his way through several tackles for an 8-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left, and the 20th USC beat Arizona 34-30 on Saturday.
“We have things we need to improve on, but we’re 2-0,” Trojans coach Clay Helton said. “There are many teams who would like to take on this role.”
USC were beaten by Arizona State last week before scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes of a 28-27 victory.
The Trojans rallied again late to win a match in which they were outclassed for most of Saturday afternoon.
In fact, USC has won both of its games after dragging in the final two minutes. Entering their winning drive last week, Trojans had a 22% chance of winning. Entering the winning race this week, they had a 15% chance of winning. Together, there was only a 3% chance that they would win both matches, according to ESPN’s probability of winning model.
None of those numbers seemed to matter to the Trojans on Saturday.
Kedon Slovis hit Erik Krommenhoek on a 6-yard touchdown, but Arizona (0-1) walked quickly down the field for a 6-yard touchdown pass from Grant Gunnell to Stanley Berryhill III with 1:35 left.
Slovis, off target early, made four straight passes for 68 yards, and Malepeai capped the 75-yard drive by carrying several Arizona defensemen with him into the end zone.
“In the end our kids did what they did last week,” Helton said. “When it mattered most, they never panicked, they showed great composure.”
Slovis threw for 325 yards and one touchdown on 30 of 43 passes. He was 11 of 12 for 158 yards on USC’s last two records.
Gunnell threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns for Arizona, which played its first game in nearly a year after last week’s opener against Utah was called off due to the coronavirus.
“There is definitely some disappointment, especially when it’s so close and everyone is saying you’re the underdog – literally everyone,” Gunnell said. “But we are optimistic and motivated. This is the 20th team in the country and our first game of the year.”
The sophomore entered the 2020 season as a starter after sharing time with Khalil Tate last year and had a 92 consecutive pass streak without an interception. The streak almost ended with his first pass against USC and then the second, when he knocked down a receiver in Talanoa Hufanga’s arms.
This set up Markese Stepp’s one-yard TD run.
Gunnell was much better on the next haul, hitting Jamarye Joiner on a short pass that turned into a 34-yard touchdown.
Arizona continued to rack up yards – 231 at halftime – but had to settle for three field goal attempts. Lucas Havrisik made two and USC led 17-13 at halftime after Stephen Carr scored on a 3-yard rush with 2½ minutes remaining.
Arizona tied it at 20 as Gunnell hit Tayvian Cunningham in stride for a 75-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
USC struggled in the red zone early in the second half.
Amon-Ra St. John had a spectacular 48-yard strike, but the Trojans stalled and settled for Parker Lewis’s 28-yard field goal. Stepp pulled off a 49-yard rush the next leg, and USC marched to the Arizona 1-yard line. Back-to-back penalties backed up the Trojans and Lewis pushed a 28 yard field goal to the right.
Another reader in the red zone, another journey without points. This time, Arizona stopped the Trojans in the fourth and 1v4 of the Wildcats.
Havrisik gave Arizona their first lead at 23-20 with a 51-yard field goal halfway through the fourth.
“You win or lose, but we had experienced guys who we expected to play well and obviously a few newcomers, whether they were transfers or young players who played well, but not well enough to win,” Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin said. “It’s the bottom line.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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