麻豆传媒app

LOS ANGELES (麻豆传媒app) 鈥� Chip Kelly tracked down Caleb Williams after the game and gave a warm hug to the quarterback who stands side-by-side with Andrew Luck in the UCLA coach鈥檚 personal rankings of the best college players he has ever faced.

Both men realized Williams might have just played his final snaps of college football in a blowout loss that increased the chances of Kelly coaching more games for the Bruins in the future.

T.J. Harden rushed for a career-high 142 yards and scored two touchdowns, Ethan Garbers threw three TD passes and UCLA trounced spiraling USC 38-20 on Saturday in the 93rd edition of their crosstown showdown.

Alex Johnson returned a fumble 11 yards for a key second-half touchdown for the Bruins (7-4, 4-4 Pac-12), who likely improved Kelly鈥檚 questionable job security by reclaiming the Victory Bell in impressive fashion.

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鈥淚 think anybody that鈥檚 been in this game (knows it鈥檚) unique,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been at other schools in other (rivalry) games, and it鈥檚 not like this. I think the proximity of the schools, playing for the Bell, there鈥檚 so much that goes into it. It鈥檚 cool to see the smiles on our kids鈥� faces when we get to bring the Bell back to our school.鈥�

Hudson Habermehl caught two of the three TD passes by Garbers, while UCLA鈥檚 defense forced three turnovers and drastically limited Williams鈥� playmaking chances, leading to a celebratory afternoon.

鈥淭oday was probably one of the better days of my life, for sure,鈥� said Garbers, an Orange County native. 鈥淚鈥檝e had some dreams about this as a little kid. Great to get the W and go home.鈥�

Williams passed for 384 yards with a touchdown and an interception on his 22nd birthday in the final game of a calamitous regular season for the Trojans (7-5, 5-4), who lost five of six after being ranked No. 5 entering the year and starting out 6-0.

鈥淰ery, very disappointing,鈥� Lincoln Riley said. 鈥淚 mean, there鈥檚 no other way to put it. I told the guys in the locker room I鈥檝e clearly not done a good enough job in the second half of the season getting this team ready to go. ... We just didn鈥檛 play good enough in any way.鈥�

Riley has lost three straight games for the first time in his seven years as a head coach at Oklahoma and USC. Williams and Riley won their first 11 games together at the Coliseum before losing the last three.

The Trojans鈥� Heisman Trophy winner hasn鈥檛 announced his plans for next year or the upcoming bowl game. He refused to speak to the media afterward.

鈥淗e came here and took a chance on this place, and took a chance on being a part of restarting this program and getting it going,鈥� Riley said of Williams. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been a good player for us, a really good leader for us. He鈥檚 a special player, special competitor, and obviously we鈥檒l see where it goes from here.鈥�

Not even a lively home crowd that included pop star and USC student Olivia Rodrigo could spark the Trojans to a competitive performance. Among the lowlights were 3 yards rushing.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 finish well, there鈥檚 no other way to put it,鈥� pass rusher Jamil Muhammad said of USC鈥檚 second-half swoon. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 do enough things well to win. We鈥檒l come back better, starting in the bowl game, and then next season it鈥檒l be a nice turnaround for us.鈥�

After scoring just 45 points in their previous three games combined, the Bruins lit up the scoreboard against USC鈥檚 dismal defense. UCLA hadn鈥檛 won back-to-back games at USC鈥檚 101-year-old stadium since 1997, but the Bruins never trailed in this matchup after blowing out the Trojans 62-33 two years ago.

UCLA鈥檚 offense managed just seven points last week in an embarrassing loss to Arizona State, but the Bruins drove 48 yards for Harden鈥檚 TD run on their opening drive.

鈥淭his entire performance was for (Kelly),鈥� Garbers said. 鈥淚t shows a lot about our team and this culture that we can come from last week to this week and do this.鈥�

USC had its best offensive moment in the second quarter when Williams capped a 99-yard drive with a beautiful throw to Brenden Rice, who went 74 yards for a score.

THE TAKEAWAY

UCLA: Kelly is facing calls for his firing after a six-season tenure that hasn鈥檛 produced anything near the high-level success expected, but he鈥檚 not done yet. His Bruins rebounded from back-to-back losses with his third victory over USC 鈥� the first over a Trojans team with a winning record. Kelly improved his record to 34-33.

鈥淣ot an issue for me,鈥� Kelly said of the speculation. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been governed by the fear of what other people say.鈥�

USC: Riley鈥檚 team hasn鈥檛 exactly quit on him, but it looked considerably less passionate than the Bruins. Some serious work will be needed with this roster beyond a complete teardown of the defense. Riley said that process will start in practice for the Trojans鈥� bowl game before they head to the Big Ten in 2024.

UP NEXT

UCLA: Host California on Nov. 25.

USC: A mid-tier bowl game and a search for a new defensive coordinator.

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