Many of USC’s players had pledged this week that they wouldn’t watch Utah and Oregon play on Saturday, that they were focused on their game with the Bruins. But even they must have known that would be futile.
There was too much at stake. If USC defeated UCLA on Saturday, after either Utah or Colorado lost, the Trojans’ Pac-12 South title hopes would remain alive for another week.
“They’re a lot stronger men than me,” Coach Clay Helton said with a laugh during the week.