USC Soccer is again.
I do know, they opened their season towards Rice, who hasn’t had a successful season since 2014. And I do know, they entered the sport as 32.5 level favorites. They have been anticipated to do what they did.
However on the similar time, have been they?
Because the 2017 Rose Bowl, USC soccer hasn’t been superb. Beneath Clay Helton, this crew by no means lived as much as their potential. They performed all the way down to inferior opponents, and struggled towards the higher ones.
However on Saturday, within the inaugural sport of one of the thrilling eras of USC soccer, they delivered one of many greatest beatdowns in this system historical past — and did so in extraordinarily thrilling style. Their 66 factors was probably the most that Trojans have scored in a sport since 2008. Their three interceptions-returned-for-touchdowns tied a franchise report for many in a sport.
USC solely failed to attain on one offensive drive — the primary of the sport by their backups during which two penalties derailed the drive. And head coach Lincoln Riley was teaching simply as onerous after that drive as he was earlier than the opening one.
It was an all-around dominant effort for the Trojans, one which USC followers have been really not accustomed to seeing. After the sport, redshirt senior and crew captain Justin Dedich summed it up completely:
“Often followers would go away the sport as a result of we acquired blown out so dangerous. [Today] they left as a result of we gained so nicely. That was new to me.”
Temperature at kickoff was 98 levels. With an absence of clouds within the sunny, blue LA skies, followers have been cooking within the beaming, scorching solar for your complete three and a half hours of sport time.
UCLA, who opened their season towards Bowling Inexperienced in Pasadena only a few hours prior, had a record-low attendance of simply 27,143. For a crew anticipated to compete within the Pac-12, it was very clear the warmth was an element.
Not for USC although, as 60,113 sturdy crammed the Coliseum. Followers piled in early, the thrill buzzing all morning.
And people 60,113 who weathered the warmth, nicely they have been rewarded.
USC soccer was lastly enjoyable once more. From the near-perfect sport from their star quarterback to the thrilling run-game of their four-headed monster within the backfield to their cornucopia of riches on the vast receiver place, the offense by no means stalled. And on the defensive finish, after a gradual begin permitting Rice to march down the sector for an opening-drive landing, they delivered in a record-breaking manner.
“We’re going to maintain working till individuals can’t even stand the considered not coming to a USC soccer sport,” Riley mentioned after the sport.
In the event that they hold enjoying like they did on Saturday, that job gained’t be all too troublesome.
