LOS ANGELES _ The scene felt so painfully familiar: USC's quarterback pasted to the turf, unable to get up, an anxious crowd collectively holding its breath, a lingering sense of dread settling over the Coliseum.
Just three weeks earlier, JT Daniels lay crumpled just a few yards away from this spot, his season over in an instant. And now, at a critical juncture in USC's season, here was the captivating freshman backup who had taken his place, Kedon Slovis, lying on his back, his head spinning after it slammed to the turf.
So, in a high-stakes Pac-12 showdown bursting with subplots from the fickle job security of Clay Helton to the return of banished Trojan legend Reggie Bush to the looming presence of Urban Meyer, it was Matt Fink, once the Trojans' third-string quarterback, who was forced onto the field and into the spotlight.
Then, like USC's other backup before him, Fink proceeded to steal the show, launching deep ball after deep ball down the field and leading the Trojans to an improbable 30-23 victory over No. 10 Utah.
As Helton's job and USC's season hung in the balance, it was Fink, who finished with 351 yards and three touchdowns, and a few key defensive plays which unexpectedly thrust them back into the thick of the Pac-12 race.
Months earlier, the redshirt junior quarterback had all but given up on a future at USC. He entered the transfer portal after the spring and appeared to settle on transferring to Illinois. But ultimately, Fink asked to return for a final year in L.A., and Helton welcomed him back. Now, the USC coach is surely glad he did.
As Utah's punishing defense completely stifled USC's rushing attack, allowing only 13 net yards from the Trojans' trio of backs, it was left to Fink and his fleet of receivers to move the offense.
So they took to the air. After missing his first pass, Fink completed his next eight, including two deep, first-quarter touchdowns_first, to Tyler Vaughns, then to Amon-ra St. Brown, both dropped perfectly between Utah defensive backs.
He'd thrown just 18 total passes before this season, but on Friday night, up against the nation's No. 6 scoring defense, Fink threw downfield with the utmost confidence. And so, USC kept dialing up deep balls.
But as USC extended an early lead on big plays from its third-string quarterback, Utah slowly grinded its defense down. Even as star running back Zack Moss left with an apparent shoulder injury, the Utes continued to run over the Trojans' front, racking up 247 yards on the ground and tiring them out by dominating time of possession, a battle they won by more than a full quarter.
USC's defense would continue to bend most of the night, but a few key stops kept it from breaking. With a chance to take the lead just before the half, Utah running back Devin Brumfield lost a fumble at the goal line. It was the fourth of five straight Utah drives ending in USC territory, but all five would yield just a single field goal.
Still, USC would need more to put away the Pac-12 preseason favorite. Facing a third down on its first drive after the half, Fink uncorked his prettiest deep pass of the night, finding Michael Pittman Jr., who brushed off a Utah defensive back on his way to a highlight-reel, 77-yard touchdown. It was hardly their only connection in Friday's victory, as Pittman finished with 10 catches for 232 yards and a score.
Fink's fearless deep balls would pay dividends most of the night, but on the ensuing possession, Utah made him pay with a pick. Three plays later, the Utes scored, cutting the lead to a single score.
But USC's much-maligned defense stood strong from there, putting the finish touches on the Trojans' most impressive victory of the young season.
Standing at its own goal line, with Utah threatening to score from the 1, USC sent safety Isaiah Pola-Mao on a blitz up the middle, stopping scrambling Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley in his tracks.
When he tried to scramble again, one drive later, USC's suddenly stout front stopped him cold again, this time forcing an errant throw in the endzone, which resulted in a safety.
From there, there was no need for Fink to play hero. By then, with USC now standing atop the Pac-12 South and the program suddenly back on stable ground, the one-time third-string quarterback and near-transfer had done quite enough for one night.
