Utah’s curse at the Coliseum continues.
In a primetime game and wanting to make a statement, the 10th-ranked Utes fell flat on their face in a 30-23 loss to USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The loss was a big one for Utah as they look to repeat as Pac-12 South champs.
Check out (GoUtahUtes.com) to find all of the latest news about the Utes!
USC QB Matt Fink, a junior and who nearly transferred last spring, threw for 351 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Trojans to an important Pac-12 victory. Fink, a third-string QB, filled in for freshman Kedon Slovis who left the game with an undisclosed injury on the second play of the game.
Yet Utah’s defense couldn’t do much of anything to slow him down as his favorite target — Michael Pittman Jr. — caught 10 passes for a career-high 232 yards and a touchdown.
Down to the 3rd-string QB and they STILL got it done. ?✌️
Catch the highlights of USC's big win vs Utah in our 60' in 60" ⬇️pic.twitter.com/ptLarTOkuP
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) September 21, 2019
Utah QB Tyler Huntley threw for 210 yards and touchdown and added 60 yards on the ground for the Utes, but while the offense outgained USC 457-381, Utah settled for field goals while USC scored touchdowns. It didn’t help either that Utah was flagged 16 times, the second most in program history (21).
With the loss, Utah falls to 3-1 on the year and 0-1 in Pac-12 play. USC, which never trailed, improvs to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in Pac-12 play. If the Utes want a shot at the Pac-12 Championship Game and for a spot in the Rose Bowl, they are going to need a lot of help with USC needing to lose at least two games in conference play.
USC was coming off a loss at BYU last week, which made the loss even worse for Ute fans. Here’s how fans, the media, and players reacted after the loss:
Ah yes, the “I just lost to Clay Helton?!” pic.twitter.com/xmr6hmYQno
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 21, 2019
Horrible game plan. Why was Utah keying on the run all night when the pass is SC's strength? BYU gave them the formula the week before. Utah's D coordinator is at fault tonight.
— Hands Olsen (@975Hands) September 21, 2019
654 penalties
OLine can’t block a three year old
Coliseum is apparently kryptonite— UteDaddy (@utedaddy) September 21, 2019
12 flags against Utah so far. Many of those on the offensive line.
This Oline needs to come together and go back to fundamentals. They're leaning on pass blocks, leaving early on combos and making mental errors.— Hans Olsen (@975Hans) September 21, 2019
Huge win for #USC – and to everyone calling for staff changes can we please look at the changes Clay made, the future with that shift & that they just beat one of the most physical teams in CFB with a 3rd string QB. #USCvsUTAH
— Yogi Roth (@YogiRoth) September 21, 2019
A recap of O-Line and Secondary pic.twitter.com/FJjnRt04XN
— UtahGuy (@gwapojas) September 21, 2019
Utah gets near the goal line and then all of a sudden everything looks awkward offensively.
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) September 21, 2019
Bye @CollegeGameDay ???
— MUSSEMERITUS (@MUSSemeritus) September 21, 2019
If we lose that will be reason why. Inside the 10 execution
— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) September 21, 2019
Well. Damn.
— Jamal Anderson (@jamthedirtybird) September 21, 2019
I’ve already lost 15 pounds tonight pic.twitter.com/uM9VxUtskx
— #10 THE REALU 2019 PAC 12 CHAMPS (@therealutahutes) September 21, 2019
10 catches, 232 yards for Pittman. Good call on the press man coverage all night long, Scalley.
— Utebuntu (@Utebuntu) September 21, 2019
Utah determined to play man tonight. And every time they got burned came on tight man press coverage with a safety that took terrible angles all night long.
— Utebuntu (@Utebuntu) September 21, 2019
I refuse to come back to The Coliseum until Utah has won here. They just stink the place up here & I can’t do it. Pathetic, sloppy excuse for a team tonight. Horrible effort. Completely unprepared.
— Wrigleyville Ute (@jhallito) September 21, 2019
Ahem…. https://t.co/qZOIGLcTHy
— Ute Believer (@UteBeliever) September 21, 2019
— UteDaddy (@utedaddy) September 21, 2019
All things considered – This is THE worst loss since joining PAC12.
This team was completely unprepared (again) vs a VERY mediocre USC.
Exposed & embarrassed over & over & over.
I couldn't care less how they do from here on out. Because Whitt will ALWAYS come up short.
— J. Walter Weatherman (@ReddRightHand) September 21, 2019
This has been a rough, rough night for a Utah secondary where both corners (Blackmon and Johnson) were first team preseason All-Pac-12.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 21, 2019
Tareke Lewis with possibly the worst technique and play ever here. pic.twitter.com/OpEnYoB3pQ
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 21, 2019
Follow Fan Insider on Facebook and on Twitter.
BYU Fans, Coaches And Players React In Loss To No. 22 Washington