Huskies Unleash Tight Ends on Troy, But Lose

In 97-degree heat, the UW was trailing 3-0 when wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck took a pitch and ran to his right before stopping and lobbing the ball to the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Naone, who was uncovered, for a 5-yard touchdown play.

With 1:50 left in the first half and the UW at the Trojans 1, the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Eldridge -- who played for USC in 2023 and 2024 -- slyly moved to where quarterback Demond Williams Jr. stands behind center, accepted the snap and followed center Kolt Dieterich in for a go-ahead touchdown to make it 14-10.

After the break, the 6-foot-4, 250-pound DeGraaf caught a ball up the right sideline, had a pair of Trojans try to shove him down and fail badly, and he raced in for the UW's final score of the night on his team's second play of the second half.

Oh, it seemed like there was so much that was coming.

At least all of this Fisch creativity seem to help loosen up the offense some, especially a previously dormant running game some, with freshman Brian Bonner Jr., a Southern California native, rushing 19 times for a career-best 89 yards.

However on this night, the Huskies let USC off the hook, with Williams making another serious mistake in the pocket.

Following DeGraaf's touchdown, USC receiver Tanook Hines caught an 11-yard scoring pass by wrestling the ball away from Husky corner Dylan Robinson in the end zone to make it 21-16, with a 2-point conversation failing.

On the next series, Williams was double-pumping the football in the pocket when he took a hit from the side and lost possession.

The free ball was scooped up by USC's 6-foot-5, 295-pound Jahkeem Stewart who rumbled 48 yards for what turned out to be a game-winning touchdown and a 22-21 lead, with Husky tackle John Mills giving a futile pursuit.

Stewart had left the game in the first half with a sprained ankle. He looked like he was feeling much better when he reached the end zone with 4:40 remaining in the quarter. The Trojans then missed another 2-point extra point.

USC kicker Caden Chittenden closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter when he added his second field of the evening, a 39-yarder with 9:36 left to play, for a 25-21 advantage.

With 5:16 left to play, the Huskies tried to mount a comeback by going 95 yards for a touchdown. Twice, they completed fourth-down passes. One was a 43-yarder to Chris Lawson, putting the UW on the Trojans 30, but there was no miracle finish.

Yet the outcome might have quelled some of the growing disenchantment surrounding a football team that hadn't been impressive at all in beating three overmatched opponents and losing to Minnesota last week.

The Huskies return home and next Friday will face 14th-ranked Iowa (4-1, 1-1), which lost for the first time on Saturday, 31-14 to Ohio State.