LOS ANGELES — If USC rallies to beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl and no one is there to see it, does it make any noise in the rivalry?
Sure it does. A ringing of the Victory Bell that can be heard all the way from Pasadena to Figueroa Street.
With a breathtaking second half that served as vindication for USC coach Clay Helton and a staggering setback for UCLA counterpart Chip Kelly, the No. 15 Trojans kept coming back Saturday evening during a 43-38 victory in front of an empty stadium.
That’s not to say things were quiet.
The Trojans (5-0) provided their own jubilant soundtrack after knocking away UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s desperation pass into the end zone on the final play. USC wiped out 28-10, 35-23 and 38-36 deficits while denying Kelly what would have been the most meaningful victory of his three seasons with the Bruins. UCLA (3-3) could still secure bowl eligibility with a victory next weekend in its final regular-season game, though it will have to heavily regroup after such a crushing defeat.
USC capped one of its most improbable rivalry triumphs after wide receiver Amon-ra St. Brown caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Kedon Slovis in the corner of the end zone with 16 seconds left. The score, Slovis’ fifth touchdown pass of the game, was set up by Gary Bryant’s 56-yard kickoff return and Tyler Vaughns’ stunning 35-yard catch in double coverage.
Only moments earlier, UCLA freshman kicker Nicholas Barr-Mira looked like he might be the hero after making a 43-yard field goal to give the Bruins a 36-35 lead with 56 seconds left.
Much of the next few days could be spent in regret mode for Kelly after he put the ball in freshman running back Keegan Jones’ hands on fourth and one at the USC 37-yard line and Jones was stuffed for no gain, leading to a turnover on downs with 4:18 left.
It was such a compelling comeback that the Trojans took the lead three times in the fourth quarter.
USC safety Talanoa Hufanga momentarily appeared to put his team ahead when he stepped in front of Thompson-Robinson’s pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown, but a block in the back on the Trojans wiped out the score and gave them the ball at the UCLA 30.
The Bruins looked like they might hold the Trojans to a field goal when they forced a third and 10, but back-to-back offsides penalties on Caleb Johnson and Carl Jones set up a first and goal at the nine. On the next play, Slovis found Drake London in the middle of the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown that gave USC a 36-35 lead with 8:09 left.
USC will play Washington in the Pac-12 championship game Friday at the Coliseum, assuming the Huskies have enough players available after their game against Oregon this weekend was declared a no contest because of positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the Washington program.
USC had all the momentum late in the third quarter and looked like it was on the verge of staging an epic comeback when back-to-back plays served as potential backbreakers.
On the first play, a Slovis pass went through St. Brown’s hands before being snagged by UCLA safety Stephan Blaylock’s right hand just inches above the ground for an interception.
On the next play, Thompson-Robinson found tight end Greg Dulcich over the middle for a 69-yard touchdown pass that gave the Bruins a 35-23 lead.
The Trojans rallied once more, making it 35-30 after running back Vavae Malepeai capped a 75-yard drive with a hard-charging 10-yard touchdown run on third and five.
They were just getting started.
