“It’s not like we’re getting our asses kicked:” Washington drops USC to 4-5, another 1-point loss for the Trojans

USC's first season in the Big Ten was not a success.

The Trojans fell to 2-5 in the conference and 4-5 overall with a 26-21 loss at Washington on Saturday night. All five of USC's losses this season have come by a single possession, and Lincoln Riley alluded to that in his postgame press conference when asked by a reporter what his team needed to do to get back on track.

On Saturday, USC had plenty of opportunities to beat a Washington team whose roster was markedly different from the squad that appeared in the national title game a year ago. USC's second drive began in Washington territory but ended on the first play when Miller Moss threw an interception. A missed field goal immediately followed.

The Huskies had a lead of 13 at halftime, although USC scored two straight touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 21-20 lead. However, USC's offense was unable to assert itself when it needed to on its final three drives. Another Moss interception set up Washington in USC territory for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter before the Huskies lined up on the goal line at the 1-yard line, ending a 15-play drive for the Trojans.

USC's final drive went 52 yards in just six plays, but ended with four straight incompletions from the Washington 14-yard line as Moss' final pass was incomplete with 11 seconds left.

The win is actually only Washington's third straight home victory. The Huskies lost 24-19 at home to rival Washington State earlier in the season.

But Riley's comments about USC's inability to make plays at the end of games have been a constant theme for the Trojans this season.

USC failed to gain a first down with less than five minutes left and led Michigan by four. USC surrendered a 12-play TD drive against Minnesota when the Gophers scored the game-winning TD with less than a minute left. The team's overtime loss to Penn State extended beyond the fourth quarter as USC was unable to score in a tied game despite taking possession of the ball with less than three minutes left. And the Trojans gave up 15 straight points to Maryland in a 29-28 loss to the Terrapins.

You have the idea.

To simply get to a bowl game, USC needs two wins against Nebraska, UCLA and Notre Dame. The Bruins beat the Huskers on the road Saturday while Notre Dame is 7-1.