Washington blew a double-digit second-half lead to No. 18 Southern California last night, falling 25-21 after Jahkeem Stewart’s 48-yard fumble return touchdown sealed the go-ahead score. Man, what a gut punch that was for everyone watching.
The Collapse: How a Lead Disappeared
Seriously, the Dawgs were up big, but USC just kept coming, racking up the game’s final 15 points. This loss stings even more because it’s USC’s first win against the Huskies since 2016. That’s a decade of dominance gone, just like that. Demond Williams Jr. was out there fighting, though, leading a late drive all the way from their own 5-yard line to the USC 12. He converted two fourth downs and even a third-and-11 along the way! You thought, “Okay, *this* is it. They’re gonna pull it off.” But then Kameryn Crawford sacked Williams on third down, and his final pass into double coverage in the end zone? Incomplete. Ballgame. Ugh.
Remember those early moments? Washington went up 14-10 right before halftime thanks to Kade Eldridge’s TD dive. Receiver Dezmen Roebuck even tossed a touchdown pass to Baron Naone for the first points. And Decker DeGraaf got loose for a 42-yard score when multiple Trojans failed to push him out of bounds. It felt like they had it locked up, didn’t it?
Defensive Shift and Lingering Frustration
But USC’s defense? Yeah, they sharpened up big time after getting hammered by Oregon last week. People were literally chanting “Fire Lincoln!” when USC was down 21-10 in the second half, but coordinator Gary Patterson’s squad locked it down and didn’t let the depleted Huskies score another single point. That’s where the game flipped. Jahkeem Stewart, the big 295-pound defensive tackle they call “Thanos,” scooped up Williams’ fumble in a collapsing pocket and rumbled 48 yards for his first score. That was the go-ahead touchdown, folks. Can you believe it?
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for 245 yards, and he hit Tanook Hines for a second-half score. Hines even ripped a 10-yard TD pass away from a Washington defensive back. USC just kept finding ways to convert. This is now two heartbreaking losses for the Dawgs, both by a combined seven points. That really puts the brakes on any AP Top 25 dreams, doesn’t it? Coach Jedd Fisch is definitely getting some decent effort out of a roster that’s dealing with injury problems, but the results just aren’t there when it counts. USC’s defense, man, they held the Huskies to a measly 123 yards in the first half and then made the big plays when it mattered. It’s tough to watch.
So what’s next? Washington hosts Iowa on Friday night. The good news is, October’s schedule looks a bit friendlier. If this defense can get back on track, maybe a resurgence is possible. But after blowing a lead like that, this one’s gonna sting for a while for all of us in the Emerald City. We gotta bounce back, Dawgs. Go get ’em, Huskies!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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