The University of Arizona football team lost 45-37 to USC on Saturday night. Here are some key plays from the loss that drops Arizona to 3-5 on the year.
Dorian Singer 73-Yard Reception leads to Field Goal
The Wildcats came out of halftime trailing the Trojans 17-13 and set to receive the opening kickoff of the half. A touchdown would take the lead over USC and would allow Arizona to begin the half playing from ahead rather than trailing. Quarterback Jayden de Laura lost ten yards on a sack on the first play of the second half but then was able to hit junior wide receiver Jacob Cowing for 13 yards on the next play. On third down and seven, de Laura found sophomore wide receiver Dorian Singer open down the right sideline for a gain of 73 yards, setting up first and goal from the USC 10-yard line. Arizona would have to settle for a field goal, however, after incomplete passes to freshman wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and redshirt junior tight end Tanner McLachlan, failing to take the lead but trailing USC 17-16.
70-Yard Reception by Kyle Ford
On the first play of the ensuing drive for USC, quarterback Caleb Williams dialed up a deep ball and found junior wide receiver Kyle Ford for a 70-yard reception down the middle of the field, and finally knocked out of bounds at the Arizona 5-yard line. Three plays later, Williams found junior wideout Tahj Washington for the touchdown to increase the lead to 24-16 USC. The Trojans routinely fired back every time Arizona scored, never allowing them enough momentum to tie or take the lead.
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Jayden de Laura’s INT leads to USC Touchdown
After a missed field goal by USC and a massive 34-yard scramble by Jayden de Laura down the left sideline, the momentum looked like it could be in Arizona’s favor with the offense on USC’s side of the field and only down eight points. On the next play, de Laura was intercepted by junior safety Bryson Shaw as he was looking for his tight end, McLachlan. USC quickly converted the turnover into points on a 47-yard touchdown pass to Tahj Washington, making the score 31-16 USC and putting the game further out of reach. These were the opportunities the Wildcats needed to convert and failed, which could have swung the tide against a heavy favorite in USC.
Singer and Wiley make it 31-29
The Wildcats refused to go away, quickly responding with a four-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard touchdown catch from Dorian Singer, his second of the day, to make it 31-23. The Arizona defense came up big and forced USC into their only punt of the day on their next drive. Jayden de Laura and the offense began their drive just short of midfield, and a 37-yard completion to Jacob Cowing advanced the ‘Cats to the USC 20-yard line.
Junior running back Michael Wiley took over from there, setting up first and goal with a 10-yard reception from de Laura and then rushing the remaining 10 yards into the endzone for the touchdown to make it 31-29 USC, the closest the game had been since 17-16. Arizona would try for the two-point conversion but could not convert. Dorian Singer would catch his third touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter, giving Arizona a last chance with the score 45-37, but USC would hold on for the win.
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