USC Upsets No. 10 Utah as QB Matt Fink Shines in Relief of Injured Kedon Slovis
September 21, 2019
The USC Trojans won their second game against a Top 25 opponent this year after shocking No. 10 Utah 30-23 on Friday in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
USC quarterback Matt Fink, who began 2019 as the third-stringer on the Trojans' depth chart, led his team to victory after Kedon Slovis suffered an undisclosed first-quarter injury and did not return.
The Trojans, who moved to 3-1, have somehow persevered since starting quarterback JT Daniels suffered a season-ending torn ACL and meniscus against Fresno State in Week 1.
Outside of a 30-27 loss to BYU, the Trojans racked up a 31-23 victory versus Fresno State and a 45-20 win over No. 23 Stanford.
As for the 3-1 Utes, the result is undoubtedly disappointing given their strong start to the season and their status as the preseason favorite to win the Pac-12. The season is certainly not over with at least eight games remaining, however.
Notable Performers
- USC QB Matt Fink: 21-of-30 for 351 yards, three touchdowns and one interception
- USC WR Michael Pittman Jr.: 10 catches, 232 yards and one touchdown
- USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown: 5 catches, 68 yards and one touchdown
- USC WR Tyler Vaughns: 4 catches, 49 yards and one touchdown
- Utah QB Tyler Huntley: 22-of-30 for 210 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions; 18 carries, 60 rushing yards
- Utah RB Devonta'e Henry-Cole: 4 carries, 31 rushing yards; 1 catch, 8 receiving yards and one touchdown
- Utah TE Cole Fotheringham: 3 catches, 23 yards and one touchdown
Matt Fink Finds a Way
Fink was thrust into the spotlight after Slovis landed hard following a first-quarter hit from Utah defensive tackle Leki Fotu.
Remarkably, Fink had no trouble dissecting the Utah defense with explosive plays, tossing touchdown passes of 29, 31 and 77 yards, the latter of which went to a phenomenal Michael Pittman Jr.
Fink's chemistry with Pittman showcased itself all night. Ryan Young of Rivals referenced their on-field success and off-field friendship:
USC almost didn't have the luxury of turning to Fink, as he entered the NCAA transfer portal and nearly left for Illinois in May before changing his mind in June.
A few months makes a world of difference, as Ryan Abraham of USCFootball.com pointed out:
Others were left quite impressed with Fink's work:
Fink may have gotten a little lucky at times, as a few long-ball prayers in contested coverage were answered. Of note, the signal-caller was picked once on an underthrown pass.
However, Fink just led the Trojans to 30 points against the nation's No. 10 team, which had allowed just 29 points in its first three games. If Fink is the starter next week, that bodes well for USC as it looks to continue its momentum.
Utah's Vaunted Defense Comes Up Small
As good as Fink was Friday, Utah's pass defense was particularly puzzling.
Utah finished with the No. 17 scoring defense in Division I FBS last year and entered Friday with the No. 6 scoring defense this year. The Utes' pass defense also entered the season with high expectations, as Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel tweeted:
However, the Utes gave up more than 300 passing yards after Fink found Pittman for a 77-yard score just 5:06 into the third quarter.
Fink and Slovis combined to complete 71.9 percent of their passes for 11.5 yards per attempt. Explosive plays significantly hindered the Utah defense, as it allowed completions of 29 or more yards to three different USC receivers.
Numerous analysts noted Utah's pass defense issues:
Perhaps Friday evening was an anomaly, but Utah will need to shore up the back end if it is to contend for the Pac-12 crown this season.
What's Next?
The Trojans will look to knock off another ranked conference opponent next Saturday when they travel to face No. 22 Washington in Seattle. A road date with No. 7 Notre Dame then looms on Oct. 12 after a bye week.
The Utes will continue their Pac-12 schedule by welcoming No. 19 Washington State to Salt Lake City next Saturday.