LOS ANGELES _ If this is the end, after months of constant questions and looming doubt and endless, inescapable speculation, then Clay Helton will have at least finished with fireworks.
Four unsteady seasons atop USC football had led the embattled coach here, to a crossroads meeting with crosstown counterpart UCLA. Both teams had taken rocky roads to arrive here this season, battling rampant inconsistency, fighting unforced errors, struggling to establish any sort of foothold. Both teams, for different reasons, were desperate for a statement-making win Saturday, if only to point to some evidence of progress.
But as the Trojans' offense put on a show, and the Bruins stumbled, ending any remaining hope of a bowl appearance, it was unclear how much fireworks mattered as a potential end neared. As Helton met UCLA's Chip Kelly at midfield to shake hands in the aftermath of a 52-35 victory, the two coaches headed in separate directions, one back to the drawing board, the other with no guarantee he'd get that chance.
For Helton, a decision is expected in the coming days, but Saturday his Trojans would not let their coach go quietly. USC's 52 points were a season high. So were its 643 yards.
Kedon Slovis, the former three-star recruit Helton helped unearth at quarterback, set a school passing record with 515 yards and four touchdowns, surpassing another former freshman USC starter, Matt Barkley. For Slovis, it was the fourth time in five weeks that he'd passed for at least 400 yards and four touchdowns. This time, he'd gotten just about everyone involved as four Trojan wideouts had more than 100 yards receiving.
As USC finished with five wins in its final six weeks, finishing a mediocre season on somewhat of a high note, slim hopes of extending the season remain. Just a half-game back in the Pac-12 South division, the Trojans can now only wait and cross their fingers that Utah falls in one of its two last games.
UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns, but was outdueled by Slovis. Meanwhile, Bruins running back Josh Kelley, who ran for 289 yards a year ago, could only manage 45 this time.
