Huskies Come Up Short Against USC 24-14

Another Washington lost defined by an inability to take care of the football, as four turnovers cost the Huskies dearly in a game that was reasonably close all the way to the end. I personally expected UW to step up and perform well after such a disheartening lost to Oregon last week, but there was no Stanford-game magic on Saturday.

The Trojans raced ahead to to a 10-0 lead early in the 1st quarter, which was cut to three points by a touchdown pass to Kasen Williams. However, a number of sloppy mistakes, including a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, led to a 24-7 USC lead at the half. The third quarter largely belonged to Washington, however, as the defense suddenly stiffened and Austin Seferian-Jenkins made several big receptions, including a touchdown with six minutes left in the 3rd.

Oct 13, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; USC Trojans running back Silas Redd (25) carries the ball while Washington Huskies safety Sean Parker (1) dives to tackle during the 1st half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Despite USC’s inability to score even once in the second half, the comeback never quite materialized, and the brief magic of the 3rd quarter score wavered and eventually failed as a Keith Price interception sealed the deal for the Trojans with four minutes left in the game. Price turned over the ball four times during the game, two times via fumble, so the struggles of his 2012 season clearly continue.

While Price, the offensive line, and the run defense struggled, there are a few bright spots in the loss. For one, Desmond Trufant mostly shut down star wide receiver Marqise Lee, a big part of Matt Barkley’s 10/20 passing for only 167 yards to go along with a touchdown pass and a pick. Trufant’s fellow starting cornerback, Marcus Peters, also managed to snag a Barkley pass. Austin Seferian-Jenkins’ five catches for 83 yards is also encouraging.

Obviously a disappointing game, but a 3-3 record is pretty much where most realistic Husky fans expected this team to be after such a brutal stretch. A successful season for this team is still very much within reach. Thanks for reading. I will analyze the loss further tomorrow morning.