USC Sunday is looking forward to a championship game against Stanford, while the UCLA Bruins can only say: “Wait until next year.”
USC capitalized on two third-quarter turnovers by UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen en route to a 40-21 victory Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and a berth in next Saturday’s Pac-12 Football Championship Game.
In a game with six lead changes, the Trojans took the lead for good when Rasheem Green recovered Rosen’s fumble and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown.
Rosen’s pass on the fifth play of the ensuing drive was intercepted by Iman Marshall at the USC 40-yard line and returned eight yards.
Cody Kessler threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Darreus Rogers eight plays later.
The victory gives USC (8-4, 6-3 in conference play) the conference’s South Division championship for the first time. The Trojans will face North Division champion Stanford in the conference championship game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
USC lost to Stanford, 41-31, on Sept. 19.
The Trojans finished first in the standings in 2011, but were ineligible for the division championship because of a penalty by the NCAA for violating various rules.
The conference went to the two-division format in 2011 with the additions of Colorado and Utah to the conference.
The Trojans held the Bruins (8-4, 5-4) scoreless after Paul Perkins’ 1- yard run gave UCLA a 21-20 lead with 8:38 left in the third quarter.
In their final five possessions, Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 47-yard field goal for the Bruins, they punted once and Rosen had a second pass intercepted in addition to the fumble and earlier interception.
Kessler completed 15 of 26 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran one yard in the second quarter for USC’s first touchdown.
Rosen completed 19 of 37 passes for 227 yards, including a 19-yard second-quarter touchdown pass to Thomas Duarte.
The Trojans outgained UCLA, 410 yards to 367, led 24-23 in first downs and 40:01-19:59 in time of possession before a crowd announced at 83,602.
The victory ended the Bruins’ three-game winning streak over USC and marked the first time UCLA coach Jim Mora has lost to the Trojans.
The victory increased USC’s on-field lead in the series to 47-31-7, although its victories in 2004 and 2005 were later vacated due to the NCAA penalty.
USC regains possession of the Victory Bell with the victory.
The 295-pound bell that was originally hung atop a Southern Pacific freight locomotive was given to the UCLA Alumni Association in 1939. In 1941, it was taken by a group of USC students.
A year later, the student body presidents of both schools signed an agreement providing that the winner of the game would keep possession for the next year, a tradition that has continued.
A South Division championship and a berth in the conference championship game seemed unlikely for the Trojans after their 17-12 loss to Washington on Oct. 8 dropped them to 1-2 in conference play and a tie for fourth in the six- team division, 1 1/2 games behind division-leading Utah.
Coach Steve Sarkisian was placed on indefinite leave on Oct. 11 amid rumors of continuing troubles with alcohol and fired a day later, with offensive coordinator Clay Helton appointed as interim coach.
USC lost a nonconference game to Notre Dame in its first game following Sarkisian’s firing, but were 42-24 winners over previously undefeated Utah in their next game.
The Trojans also won each of their next three conference games, allowing them to remain in contention for a division championship even with last Saturday’s 48-28 loss at Oregon.
— City News Service