Arizona State vs. USC: Game Grades, Analysis for the Trojans

The USC Trojans had the game locked up Saturday. The score was 34-25 with 3:02 left in the game. 

But the football gods punished Steve Sarkisian for his "play not to lose" style, and Arizona State quarterback Mike Bercovici found his favorite target in the world, Jaelen Strong, for the game-winning 38-34 score.

Here's the full box score of the game from NCAA.com. 

With that, let's check out the game grades and analysis of each positional unit for the Trojans, who are surely hurting after that heartbreaking loss. 

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Game Grade
Pass Offense	B	B
Rush Offense	B+	A-
Pass Defense	C-	F
Rush Defense	A+	A+
Special Teams	B+	C-
Coaching	C+	D-

Pass Offense: Cody Kessler actually had a decent game, and nothing should be taken from him. He completed 28 of 45 passes for 273 yards and didn't have any turnovers. He didn't throw for any touchdowns either, but when Buck Allen is having a great game, you don't have to. Thirteen of the team's 31 first downs also came through the air. 

Rush Offense: Like Kessler, the Trojans running backs had a stellar game as well. They were led by Allen, who racked up 143 yards and two touchdowns on just 29 carries. Justin Davis complemented him with 67 yards on 14 touches. The only criticism was that USC didn't convert the first down in the final minute of the game, which gave the Sun Devils the ball back. 

Pass Defense: When you give up the game-winning Hail Mary, your secondary failed for the game, regardless of what happened before that. When your secondary gives up 510 yards and five touchdowns to Bercovici—Taylor Kelly's backup, at home of all places—you definitely fail the game. Bercovici found his stride all game, and it was his heave to Strong that gave the Sun Devils the impromptu, shocking win over the Trojans. 

Rush Defense: As awful as the Trojans pass defense was, the rush defense was lights out. The Sun Devils totaled just 30 yards on the ground on 22 attempts. They forced Bercovici, a backup replacing the injured Kelly, to loft the ball in what should have been a winning game plan for the Trojans. But the poor effort by the secondary allowed Bercovici to get comfortable and pick apart the Trojans. 

Special Teams: Nobody likes Kessler punting, and Sarkisian needs to seriously consider giving up that method. It was Kessler's poor punt in the last minute that traveled just 16 yards which gave the Sun Devils breathing room to operate on the final, fateful drive that ended in the Hail Mary. Still, Andre Heidari connected on both field goals to salvage drives that had fizzled out. 

Coaching: When you coach not to lose instead of to win, Hail Marys happen. That's what Sarkisian did at the end by not giving Kessler a chance to pick up the first down through the air with his team clinging to a two-point lead and instead willingly giving the ball back to Arizona State. His choice to have Kessler punting on squib punts instead of just having the regular punter do what he's best at is also suspect.