USC vs. Washington State Score Updates and Live Game Blog

USC vs. Washington State

Martin Stadium | Pullman, WA1:30 PM Pacific | Pac-12 NetworksAll-time Series: USC leads 58-9-4)Last meeting: WSU 10, USC 7 in 2013, at LA ColiseumGame Preview & Starting lineupsScore PredictionsLive Stream

Follow today’s Trojans and Cougars game with USC vs. Washington State score updates and live blog from the Reign of Troy staff.

Fourth Quarter:

5:01 p.m. Time runs out and USC wins the football game 44-17.

4:35 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN WASHINGTON STATE. It took eight plays, but the Cougars finally got in the zone. Washington State receiver Vince Mayle dropped a touchdown pass on third and goal, before the Cougs couldn’t convert on fourth down. After a Buck Allen fumble, WSU took it all the way to fourth down again, but scored on a pass to Isiah Meyers.

USC leads 44-17 with five minutes left.

4:35 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN USC. After a Scott Felix fumble recovery on a botched snap, the Trojans drove down 70 yards on five plays to score their third straight touchdown. This time it was Steven Mitchell with the Cody Kessler touchdown reception.

USC leads 44-10 with six minutes left in the 3rd.

4:23 p.m.

The dings just keep on coming today. Adoree’ Jackson and Leon McQuay went up to defend a pass and collided awkwardly. McQuay attempted to intercept the ball, hitting Jackson in the process. Both players were on the ground for a while before getting up. Su’a Cravens and Connor Halliday have already left the game with injuries.

Third Quarter:

4:15 p.m. TOUCHDOWN USC. After finally establishing a run game, the Trojans open up the playbook on 4th down at the Washington State 27 yard line and pick up 20 to Nelson Agholor. That would set up JuJu Smith’s third touchdown reception of the day, this one for seven yards. Heidari missed the extra point. USC leads 37-10 with six minutes left in the 3rd.

4:09 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN USC. Nelson Agholor is having the best game of his career. It’s proven, after his second touchdown of the day, this time in the form of an 87-yard touchdown catch from Cody Kessler. Agholor has seven catches for a career-high 199 yards.

USC leads 31-10 with six minutes left in the 3rd.

3:59 p.m.

FIELD GOAL WASHINGTON STATE. A couple of strong plays from Adoree’ Jackson in the red zone forced the Cougars to settle for a field goal. It’s now just a two possession game and the Trojans will have to find a way to get the offense going again. They have not had a drive of eight or more plays so far today.

USC leads 24-10 with six minutes left in the 3rd.

3:55 p.m.

After trading unsuccessful drives, Washington State’s second drive of the third quarter might be their best of the day. The Cougars are on the move, hitting the 11 play mark for the second time today, as they’re deep in the red zone and knocking on the door with 6:19 left in the quarter.

3:42 p.m.

According to a USC spokesman, Su’a Cravens has a sprained knee and will not return. Knee sprains have been popular at USC, with Marqise Lee having one last year and J.R. Tavai suffering one last week.

Team halftime stats:

Total yards: USC 241 yards, WSU 194 yardsTotal plays: USC 33, WSU 46Yards per play: USC 7.3, WSU 4.2Passing: USC 216 yards, WSU 162 yardsRushing: USC 25 yards, WSU 32 yardsFirst downs: USC 9, WSU 9Third down conversions: USC 4 of 11, WSU 2 of 8Penalties: USC 4 for 35 yards, WSU 3 for 28 yards

USC halftime stats (individual):

Passing: Cody Kessler 13-for-22, 216 yards, 2 TD, 0 INTReceiving: Nelson Agholor 4 for rec. 86 yards, JuJu Smith 4 rec. for 52 yards and 2 TDs, George Farmer 3 rec. for 61 yardsRushing: Buck Allen 7 carries for 34 yards, Justin Davis 2 carries for 6 yardsDefense: Hayes Pullard 6 tackles and 1 INT, Kevon Seymour 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup

Second Quarter:

3:18 p.m. Leon McQuay intercepts Luke Falk’s Hail Mary attempt and the Trojans go to halftime up 24-7.

3:11 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN WSU. The Cougars put together a good drive just before the half, going 11 plays for 81 yards and scoring on a 9-yard pass from Falk to Robert Lewis. However, USC strongside linebacker and do-everything defender Su’a Cravens was injured on the touchdown, clutching his knee. Needless to say, the Trojans can’t afford to lose him.

Trojans lead 24-7.

2:55 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN USC. Kessler throws his second 22-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith, as the Trojans take a 24-0 lead over Washington State. Smith ran a seem route down the left sideline and was in man coverage for a jump ball reception. On the previous play, Nelson Agholor scored a 36-yard touchdown on a screen pass, but it was called back after Agholor had… well…stepped out of bounds.

Trojans lead 24-0.

2:47 p.m.

The Cougars are struggling mightily without Connor Halliday, having not converted a first down in the three and a half drives since Luke Falk came into the game. Falk is 4-for-9 for 22 to start.

2:35 p.m.

USC FIELD GOAL. Cody Kessler completed a 49-yard pass to Nelson Agholor before the drive fizzled out. The Trojans then attempted their first field attempt in four games, as Andre Heidari nailed a 37-yarder.

Trojans lead 17-0.

2:29 p.m.

The inconsistent USC offense is back. The Trojans have punted on three of their first four offensive drives and two-straight since taking a 14-0 lead. Penalties on the offensive line have been a major issue thus far, with USC being called for holding, false state and a chop block. They’re an illegal hands to the face short of the O-Line Grand Slam.

First Quarter:

2:24 p.m. End of the quarter, with USC leading 14-0. The Trojans are out-gaining the Cougars 104 to 69. With WSU not getting into the end zone, the Trojans have now gone nine games to start the season without surrendering a touchdown on defense. They’ve out-scored teams 108-20 so far.

2:19 p.m.

Both teams trading a couple of unsuccessful drives. Penalties are slowing down the Trojans’ offense. They have four penalties for 35 yards thus far.

2:08 p.m.

Connor Halliday was tackled as he threw a pass to complete a third down conversion, and appears to have had his legs pinned underneath Leonard Williams, suffering a gruesome injury. After being carted off the field, Luke Falk takes over at quarterback. Halliday’s day is surely done and he could be gone for much longer. Our thoughts are with he and his family.

1:57 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN USC. After a couple of bad penalties gave the Trojans a 1st and goal from outside of the red zone, Kessler found JuJu Smith for a 22 yard TD pass. He now has 22 touchdowns on the season and just 2 interceptions.

1:53 p.m.

INTERCEPTION. Connor Halliday threw into triple coverage and Hayes Pullard intercepted the pass. The Trojans take over deep in WSU territory, looking to score again.

1:51 p.m.

With the touchdown return, Agholor now holds the school record for career punt returns. He passed Mike Battle, Jim Sears, R. Jay Soward and Reggie Bush.

1:46 p.m.

TOUCHDOWN USC. Nelson Agholor gets his second punt return touchdown of the season, returning one 65 yards to open the scoring. USC leads 7-0 with 12:13 left in the first quarter.

1:43 p.m.

Trojans’ first drive started out well with a couple of first down pick ups on the first two plays with passes to George Farmer. Then it imploded, leading to a Cody Kessler pooch punt to pin the Cougars in their own end. Washington State then went three and out on their first drive.

1:36 p.m.

USC has won the toss and elected to receive the ball. They’ll start out on offense.

Pregame:

1:26 p.m. Connor Halliday’s No. 1 target, River Cracraft was held out of 11v11 warm up drills. His status is uncertain.

12:50 p.m.

Looks as though Trojans will have redshirt junior wide receiver George Farmer this afternoon, as he’s been taking drills in warm ups. Farmer missed the last two games with a nagging hamstring injury, and could be a big boost to receiver depth with Ajene Harris out. Through six games, he has 13 catches for 103 yards, and has spent time as the Trojans No. 2 receiver at times.

12:40 p.m.

Today has all of the makings of Fog Bowl II, as low clouds have rolled into Pullman in full force. This could affect the vertical passing game, but reports are that punt returners haven’t had trouble in warm ups. Back in 2004, the Trojans beat Corvallis in the Fog Bowl, and perhaps two biggest plays of that game were a long touchdown pass to Dominique Byrd and a punt return by Reggie Bush. Neither were hampered by the fog. So it could be more of a nuisance for spectators than anything else.