Recap and highlights: No. 16 USC jumps out early, cruises past Washington State, 38-13
Kedon Slovis threw five touchdown passes, four to Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the No. 16 USC Trojans raced past the Washington State Cougars, 38-13, Sunday evening in Los Angeles.
Slovis and Brown connected for touchdowns on the Trojans’ first four drives, as USC jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter.
The USC defense hounded WSU quarterback Jayden de Laura into two interceptions and a fumble. The two-straight, first-quarter interceptions by the freshman set USC up with great field position as it stretched the lead from 14-0 to 28-0 in under two minutes.
The USC offense needed to go just 34 yards or less for three of its first quarter touchdowns.
De Laura finished 18-of-29 passing for 134 yards in his first game in Memorial Coliseum. He was sacked three times and ran for minus-17 yards. The fumble came on a missed exchange with running back Deon McIntosh.
Slovis went 25-of-32 passing for 287 yards.
St. Brown finished with seven receptions and 65 yards. His four scores tied Robert Woods’ USC record for TD receptions in a game.
Drake London led the Trojans with 92 yards receiving. Tyler Vaughns had the Trojans’ other TD catch.
USC finished with just five yards rushing.
Renard Bell had 76 yards receiving and one touchdown on 11 catches to lead WSU. Travell Harris finished with 74 yards on seven receptions.
Harris found the end zone at the end of the first half, as a running back on a direct snap, to cut the USC lead to 35-6 at halftime.
Bell scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Gunner Cruz with just over a minute to play.
Cruz and fellow backup QB Cammon Cooper played in the fourth quarter for the Cougs. Cruz went 5-of-7 passing for 34 yards and Cooper went 3 of 3 for 22.
McIntosh led the Cougars running attack, again missing Max Borghi, with 65 yards on 10 carries. Fullback Clay Markoff got four carries in the fourth quarter, running for 12 yards.
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First quarter
8:46 – USC 7, WSU 0: The Trojans march down the field on their first possession and take the lead on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Kedon Slovis to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
USC started its drive at its own 35 after the Cougs turned the ball over on downs.
WSU quarterback Jayden de Laura couldn’t connect on an out route with receiver Travell Harris and the Cougs’ 40-yard drive came to an end. WSU was hurt by two false start penalties.
Slovis is 5-of-6 passing for 63 yards. Drake London 53 yards on three receptions for USC.
5:11 – USC 14, WSU 0: Amon-Ra St. Brown hauls in his second touchdown catch of the game and the Trojans are in command.
USC forced WSU into a three-and-out and a punt from its own 14.
The Trojans took over at the Cougs’ 34 after a 15-yard punt return and needed just five plays to find the end zone on a Kedon Slovis 35-yard pass to St. Brown.
Slovis has 99 yards passing. St. Brown has two catches, both touchdowns, for 29 yards.
WSU quarterback Jayden de Laura is 3-of-8 passing for 31 yards.
2:33 – USC 21, WSU 0: Amon-Ra St. Brown scores his third touchdown of the quarter, this time on a shovel pass around the left end.
The Trojans offense was again set-up by their defense.
WSU quarterback Jayden de Laura was intercepted at the WSU 41 by Talanoa Hufanga, who returned it to the 4.
St. Brown scored on the next play.
0:44 – USC 28, WSU 0: Amon-Ra St. Brown gets his fourth touchdown reception of the quarter after the Trojans forced their second interception of the game.
WSU QB Jayden de Laura was picked for the second consecutive drive. This one came on the first play for the Cougs and set USC up at the WSU 31.
Four plays later, Kedon Slovis hit St. Brown with a 1-yard TD pass.
Brown has tied Robert Woods’ USC record for TD receptions in a game.
De Laura is 4-of-11 passing for 37 yards.
Second quarter
7:11 – USC 35, WSU 0: Kedon Slovis throws his fifth touchdown pass of the game and the Trojans continue to run right past the Cougars.
Slovis went over the top on 3rd-and-1 and found Tyler Vaughns open on one-on-one coverage. Vaughns hauled in the 35-yard pass for the score as USC has found the end zone on all five of its drives.
Slovis is 17-of-18 passing for 209 yards after leading that 80-yard drive.
The Cougars worked their way into Trojans’ territory the prior possession, but two consecutive sacks led to a punt that went into the end zone for a touchback.
WSU QB Jayden de Laura is 7-of-15 passing for 62 yards and two interceptions.
0:28 – USC 35, WSU 6: The Cougars get on the board on a direct snap to Travell Harris, who powers into the end zone on a 5-yard run.
Blake Mazza missed the extra point.
The Cougs put together their best drive of the half to close it out, using 11 plays to go 75 yards in 6:43.
Jayden de Laura completed all seven of his pass attempts on the drive, throwing for 56 yards on the drive.
Halftime
USC 35, WSU 6: Kedon Slovis has thrown five touchdown passes, four of them to Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the Trojans are in firm control after 30 minutes in Los Angeles.
Slovis and Brown hooked up for scores on the Trojans first four drives, as USC jumped out to a 28-0 lead after the first quarter.
The Trojans defense and special teams has been setting them up with great field position all game. The offense needed to go just 34 yards or less for three touchdowns. A good punt return and two interceptions set up the short drives.
Slovis is 17-of-18 passing for 209 yards and the five scores. St. Brown has 35 yards receiving, with all of his catches going for touchdowns.
Drake London leads USC with 81 yards receiving on four receptions. Tyler Vaughns has the Trojans’ other TD catch.
WSU QB Jayden de Laura is 14-of-22 passing for 118 yards and two interceptions.
Travell Harris has 59 yards receiving on five catches, while Renard Bell has six receptions for 51 yards.
Harris scored the Cougars touchdown on a 5-yard run off a direct snap.
WSU running back Deon McIntosh has 53 yards rushing on eight carries.
Third quarter
USC 38, WSU 6: Low scoring third as the Trojans add 3 points to their lead.
USC kicker Parker Lewis made a 48-yard field goal on the opening drive of the half, but the offenses sputtered out after that.
WSU fumbled on its first play from scrimmage, as quarterback Jayden de Laura and running back Deon McIntosh botched the exchange.
The WSU defense stepped up from there, allowing just 8 yards before Lewis missed a 31-yard attempt.
Fourth quarter
1:37 – USC 38, WSU 13: The Cougars use a combination of backup quarterbacks to go 93 yards and find the end zone for the second time.
Gunner Cruz, who replaced starting QB Jayden de Laura, at the start of the quarter, started the 16-play drive and moved the Cougs to midfield.
Cammon Cooper took over and picked up a 3rd-and-1 on a QB draw. He then completed two passes to move WSU into USC territory.
Cruz then moved WSU to the USC 11 before Cooper ran another play to get down to the 6.
Cruz took back over and hit Renard Bell in the flat for a 6-yard TD pass.
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