USC 14, Arizona State 9 (final)

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USC won another bounce-back game.

So much for the good news, Trojans fans.

After being crushed at Oregon last week, USC survived tonight at Arizona State, coming away with an ugly and uninspiring 14-9 win.

Ugly? Really?

Hideous.

USC was penalized nine times for 98 yards.

Quarterback Matt Barkley completed only seven of 22 passes for 112 yards and had one intercepted.

Blake Ayles dropped another woulda-shoulda-coulda-been-a-touchdown pass.

The Trojans defense gave up 349 yards, including 266 passing by a couple of not-ready-for-prime-time quarterbacks, but managed to account for as many points as the USC offense because safety Will Harris returned an interception for a touchdown.

USC was able to scrape by because Arizona State turned the ball over four times, was penalized nine times for 75 yards, and had a freshman quarterback seeing his first extended amount of playing time.

That quarterback, Brock Osweiler, played the second half in place of starter Danny Sullivan and threw a third-quarter touchdown pass to pull the Sun Devils close. But he was largely ineffective thereafter.

After his touchdown pass, Osweiler completed only five of 15 and his desperation heave into the end zone on the game’s last play was intercepted by either Harris or Taylor Mays. They may still be wrestling for it.

The fact that Arizona State was still hanging around to have a Hail Mary’s chance at the end should tell Trojans fans all they need to know.

One kinda-sorta bright spot: Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford combined for 145 yards rushing, gaining an average of 5.0 yards a carry.

USC 14, Arizona State 9 (less than 3 minutes left in game)

Arizona State fans, be careful what you ask for.

Brock Osweiler got a huge ovation from Sun Devils fans when he started the second half at quarterback, replacing Danny Sullivan.

And he threw a 23-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter.

But since that pass, he is one for nine, and USC has been able to survive one of the most bizarre plays of the season -- a Matt Barkley pass that was tipped by Arizona State linebacker Mike Nixon, bobbled ... and bobbled ... and bobbled again by receiver Brice Butler, then batted high in the air when Ryan McCoy hit Butler, and then grabbed by Clint Floyd and returned to USC’s 36 yard line.

However, in keeping with the theme of the night, Arizona State lost 10 yards to a holding call on its next play.

Better to be lucky than good.

USC 14, Arizona State 9 (less than 10 minutes left in game)

Arizona State came in with more yards lost to penalties than any team in major college football.

But USC is giving the Sun Devils a run for their money.

USC has been penalized nine times for 98 yards.

On their last possession, USC blew a third-down conversion on a Matt Barkley pass because of a holding penalty.

Then, given life because of a ridiculous late hit on running back Joe McKnight by Arizona State lineman Lawrence Guy, USC couldn’t take advantage because of a(nother) dropped pass by tight end Blake Ayles and penalties for holding and delay of game.

Bad football. Just bad football.

--Mike Hiserman

USC 14, Arizona State 9 (end of third quarter)

To the delight of the crowd, Brock Osweiler replaced Danny Sullivan at quarterback to start the second half and by the end of the third quarter he had the Sun Devils within five points.

Osweiler’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Chris McGaha with 36 seconds left in the quarter gave the Sun Devils reason for hope.

USC safety Josh Pinkard blocked Thomas Weber’s extra-point attempt.

USC 14, Arizona State 3 (third quarter)
Receiver Damian Williams is nursing a sore hamstring and glute, but it didn’t look like it when he caught a short pass from Matt Barkley and turned it into a 75-yard touchdown.

Williams caught the ball along the right sideline, in front of the Arizona State bench, then cut back across the middle and to the opposite sideline. Williams dived for the pylon and was initially ruled short of the end zone.

But upon review, he was awarded the touchdown, his fifth of the season.

It was the longest USC pass play since Carson Palmer connected with Kareem Kelly for 93 yards against Oregon in 2001.

USC 7, Arizona State 3 (halftime)

USC forced three turnovers and scored only seven points.

Not exactly a formula for success.

Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley struggled in the second half at Oregon and he is not exactly lighting it up in Tempe.

Barkley has completed four of 11 passes for 24 yards. He was twice hit from behind while throwing the ball and was fortunate that neither resulted in an interception. One was negated by a pass interference penalty against Arizona State, the other was dropped.

Of course, it could be worse.

Arizona State fans are booing Sun Devils quarterback Danny Sullivan, who is 12 of 23 for 113 yards with two interceptions.

Allen Bradford has gained 32 yards in four carries and Joe McKnight has 21 yards in six carries for the Trojans.

The Trojans have been outgained, 166 yards to 76. They also have been penalized six times for 73 yards.

USC 7, Arizona State 3 (second quarter)

USC got its third turnover of the frst half and finally converted it into points.

Senior safety Will Harris intercepted a pass by Arizona State quarterback Danny Sullivan and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown that gave the Trojans a 7-3 lead with 1:17 to go in the second quarter.

Surprise! Harris was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for high-stepping the final 10 yards to the end zone.

Arizona State 3, USC 0 (second quarter)

About those penalties...

Trojans safety Taylor Mays was called for a horse-collar tackle and cornerback Josh Pinkard was flagged for a face-mask penalty, which kept alive Arizona State’s scoring drive.

The Sun Devils went 58 yards in 13 plays, with Thomas Weber kicking a 21-yard field goal to put Arizona State ahead with 4:46 left in the first half.

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USC 0, Arizona State 0 (second quarter)

Matt Barkley is struggling a bit.

USC’s freshman quarterback just missed having a pass intercepted. Arizona State defensive end Dexter Davis hit Barkley as he released the ball, sending it fluttering into the secondary.

Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict was positioned to haul it in, but linebacker Mike Nixon inadvertently knocked it from his grasp.

USC was forced to punt.

USC 0, Arizona State 0 (end of first quarter) Talk about scintillating.

After the non-stop pace of last week’s game at Oregon, USC and Arizona State trudged through the first 15 minutes scoreless.

Arizona State is the most penalized team in the Pacific 10 Conference, but it was the Trojans who hurt themselves with penalties.

USC forced a fumble on the Sun Devils’ first possession and seemed to gain some momentum.

The Trojans were fortunate when a pass interference penalty against Arizona State negated an interception, but USC failed to capitalize when they were penalized for offensive pass interference penalty.

Middle linebacker Chris Galippo just intercepted a pass on the first play of the second quarter so we’ll see if the Trojans can take advantage.

Nope.

Jordan Congdon’s 47-yard field goal attempt was short.

-- Gary Klein