Collapse Recalls ’96 Loss to UCLA

USC doesn’t keep records for biggest collapses, but the 21-point, third-quarter lead the Trojans blew against California looks like a contender.

The only loss in recent memory that rivals it is the 1996 UCLA game, a 17-point Bruin comeback that didn’t match Saturday’s point swing, but probably had an even more devastating emotional impact: The Trojans led the Bruins by 17 with seven minutes left before UCLA came back to win in overtime, 48-41.

That same season, the Trojans led Arizona State by 14 early in the game, but lost in overtime, 48-35. In 1992, UCLA came from 14 behind in the fourth quarter to win, 38-37, after a USC two-point conversion failed with less than a minute left.

In 1996, USC led Stanford by 13 at halftime, then lost, 24-20. And in 1986, Notre Dame came from 11 points behind at halftime to beat USC.

As for the biggest comeback victory in USC history, there’s no disputing that one.

It was the 1974 Notre Dame game, when USC came from 24 points behind in the first half to win 55-24, scoring 55 points in less than 17 minutes.

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USC was regrouping Sunday, trying to prepare for Saturday’s game at Washington State.

Asked to talk about the Cal loss, Coach Paul Hackett hesitated a moment.

“The answer really is I can’t talk about it,” he said. “It was heartbreaking . . . an extremely difficult loss to take.”

Hackett said his team “self-destructed” with penalties and fumbles after going ahead by 21 on R. Jay Soward’s 80-yard punt return.

“As I look back, I think we may have eased up after R. Jay scored,” Hackett said. “That was deadly to us.”

Receiver Billy Miller admitted as much after the game.

“I think we felt, ‘Hey, this game is over,’ and we’d done enough,” Miller said. “It really wasn’t. We should have put 31 more points on the board.”

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After playing two games without starting tailback Chad Morton, Hackett said Morton “hopefully” will return Saturday. . . . USC’s much-lauded defense allowed 424 yards total offense to a team that was averaging about 256, fourth worst in the nation. . . . USC has allowed 424, 403 and 404 yards the last three games after giving up an average of 265 yards the first three games.