Southern California quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) celebrates a touchdown against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Arizona State running back Rachaad White (3) gets wrapped up by Southern California’s Calen Bullock and Chase Williams (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels throws a pass against Southern California during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Southern California’s Greg Bryant Jr. (1) returns the opening kickoff against Arizona State’s Ezra Dotson-Oyetade (52) and D.J. Taylor during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Southern California running back Keaontay Ingram (28) has nowhere to run against Arizona State’s defensive line during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Southern California running back Keaontay Ingram (28) is brought down by Arizona State defensive lineman D.J Davison (98) and Michael Matus (91) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
A fox makes its way out of the end zone at Sun Devil Stadium during the first half of an NCAA college football game between Arizona State and Southern California on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Southern California quarterback Kedon Slovis looks to throw a pass against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Arizona State running back Rachaad White (3) dives for extra yardage against Southern California’s Calen Bullock (27) and Ralen Goforth (10) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Arizona State running back DeaMonte Trayanum (1) celebrates his touchdown against Southern California with offensive lineman Henry Hattis (70) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Arizona State running back DeaMonte Trayanum (1) bulls his way into the end zone against Southern California’s Greg Johnson (1) and Chris Steele (8) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Arizona State running back DeaMonte Trayanum (1) breaks away from Southern California linebacker Kana’i Mauga (26) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
TEMPE, Ariz. — USC played with uncharacteristic discipline for over three quarters against Arizona State on Saturday. But the Trojans regressed at the worst possible moment.
Trailing by one in the fourth quarter, USC looked as if it had gotten the Sun Devils off the field as quarterback Jayden Daniels was pushed out of bounds on third down. But a yellow flag lay on the opposite side of the field from where Daniels had run the ball.
Cornerback Chris Steele was caught holding his man, gifting Arizona State a first down. Two plays later, running back Rachaad White weaved through Trojans like traffic cones for a 50-yard touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Trojans’ two-quarterback system stumbled as the USC (4-5, 3-4 in Pac-12 play) fell to the Sun Devils 31-16.
Neither Kedon Slovis nor Jaxson Dart getting a rhythm and the two combining for three straight three-and-outs in the second half. The two combined for 220 passing yards; Slovis went 16-for-28 for 131 yards, while Dart was 8-for-17 for 89. Neither threw for a touchdown, but both threw interception.
In the first half, Slovis — elevated to captain without the injured Drake London — started and took the second, fifth and sixth series. Dart came in for Drives 3 and 4.
Neither quarterback was particularly effective. Whether because of the on-again, off-again strategy or because of the absence of the nation’s top receiver, Slovis completed 11 of 21 passes for 89 yards and interception while Dart went 3-6 for 24.
Both of Dart’s first-half drives ended in points, both aided by Arizona State penalties on third down to move the chains. One of those mistakes took a Dart interception into the end zone off the board, resulting in the freshman QB running into the end zone from nine yards out, flipping it up like a finger roll in celebration.
It gave USC a 10-7 lead, but any momentum gained was quickly erased by the defense as Arizona State went on a three-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Running back Rachaad White caught a second-down pass at the line of scrimmage and was immediately hit, yet still took the ball 26 yards in a real indictment of USC’s tackling.
The next play was a handoff to White, and he went 47 yards, dragging safety Calen Bullock into the end zone for a 14-10 lead that Arizona State would take into halftime.
White finished the game with 202 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Slovis started the second half for USC. He completed three passes as USC marched for a field goal, then promptly was replaced by Dart.
The freshman, in his second game since meniscus surgery, still showed signs of his rust. His down-field throws were typically off-target and he went 2-for-5 in three third-quarter drives.
So Slovis got the nod as the hot-hand in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. But the two-quarterback system meant that he went nearly an entire quarter without game snaps and he showed it, finishing the fourth quarter 2-for-4.
