Washington Huskies Offense Grinds to Halt in Second Half Against No. 18 USC Trojans

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The Washington Huskies football team, for the second week in a row, came within one possession of earning a win against a Big Ten rival.

Instead, the Huskies fell 25-21 to the No. 18 USC Trojans and fell to 3-2 on the season (0-2 in Big Ten play).

The deciding score came in the third quarter after the Trojans returned a fumble from third-year quarterback Demond Williams Jr. 48 yards for a touchdown. That defensive score gave USC a 22-21 lead. The Trojans hit a 39-yard field goal for the eventual final of 25-21 with nine minutes, 36 seconds left in the game.

The field goal put Washington in the position needing a touchdown to walk out of the Memorial Coliseum with a win. They were held scoreless for the final quarter, and didn't manage a sustained drive until the final minutes of the game.

The Huskies' best drive of the game was their last. On third-and-11 backed up at his own 4-yard line, Williams converted a 15-yard pass to second-year wide receiver Chris Lawson.

On the same drive, Williams and Washington faced fourth-and-2 at its own 27. The third-year quarterback stepped up in the pocket with pressure in his face and completed a 43-yard pass to Lawson.

Alas, the Huskies weren't able to muster another miracle. On fourth-and-10 at USC's 18-yard line, Williams attempted a pass in the back corner of the end zone to second-year wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck, who was unable to come down with the ball over two defenders.

Washington held the lead for a significant portion of the game despite the Trojans having the advantage in possession. USC's offense had the ball 34:58 and the Huskies had the ball 25:02.

Second-year tight end Baron Naone found the end zone first for Washington on a 5-yard reception from Roebuck on a trick play with 1:46 left in the first quarter. All three touchdowns scored by the Huskies involved tight ends.

Fourth-year tight end Kade Eldridge, lined up as a running back, received a handoff and took it one yard to the house with 1:50 left in the first half. That touchdown run gave Washington a 14-10 lead, which it carried into halftime.

Third-year tight end Decker DeGraaf accounted for the third and final touchdown for UW with a 42-yard catch-and-run with 13:30 left in the third quarter.

The Trojans had one more touchdown between DeGraaf's and the scoop-and-score: a 10-yard reception by Tanook Hines with 6:30 left in the third.

Williams finished the game 15-for-26 for 198 yards and a touchdown and ran 13 times for 26 yards.

First-year running back Brian Bonner rushed 19 times for 89 yards and Lawson pulled in five receptions for 82 yards.

The Huskies will next be in action against the No. 14 Iowa Hawkeyes at 6 p.m. PT on Oct. 9 at Husky Stadium in Seattle.

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