The game lived up to the hype.
Utah kicker Cole Becker made a 38-yard field goal as time expired to give No. 14 Utah a thrilling 34-32 victory on the road over No. 18 USC.
The game took an unexpected turn as Utah had an 11-point lead entering the fourth quarter, only to witness a remarkable comeback by the Trojans. Caleb Williams, USC’s star quarterback, orchestrated a late touchdown drive, culminating in an 11-yard rushing touchdown with just under 2 minutes to go.
But that left Utah with one last drive as Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes led the Utes down the field to set up the game-winning field goal. With under 15 seconds left and near midfield, Barnes scrambled 25 yards to set up Becker’s game-winning kick.
Two-way star Sione Vaki had another impressive night as he recorded two touchdown catches and racked up 217 all-purpose yards. With the win, Utah handed Williams his first loss inside the Coliseum, and the Utes also earned their fourth consecutive win over the Trojans.
Barnes finished the night with a career-high 235 passing yards and three touchdowns while also adding another score on the ground.
In contrast, Williams had a challenging night, passing for just 256 yards and failing to record a touchdown for the second consecutive game. The Heisman Trophy winner’s struggles, combined with the back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Utah, have all but eliminated USC’s national title hopes.
With the win, Utah stays alive in the Pac-12 title chase as it looks to defend its crown once again. Up next for the Utes is a showdown against Oregon at home at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
