We all love epic college football games — when such epics occur in rivalry games, a truly special place exists in college football lore.
What better place to host an epic rivalry game than the Rose Bowl? To those fanatics on the Paul Finebaum show (and Finebaum himself), they may never understand that the Rose Bowl will always reign supreme as the gold standard for college football venues. As humanity has sadly learned over and again, no cure exists for ignorance.
To say that USC’s 48-45 survival was one of the very best in USC-UCLA history was undoubtedly true. However, in the NOW of 2022 and the transfer portal, traditional history was on a collision course with the seismic changes in the college game.
Were the USC Trojans a collection of student-athletes or a modern-day mercenary army including 26 players from the transfer portal?? The crown jewel of the Trojans’ unprecedented transfer portal haul was Sooner refugee, Kaleb Williams. That Williams threw for 470 yards and kept a spirited Bruin squad at bay in the 2nd half tells only part of the story. Like his counterpart at UCLA, Dorian-Thompson Robinson, Williams possessed Houdini-like escapability.
When USC had the ball in the waning minutes, nursing its 48-45 cushion, a shroud of despair must have enveloped Bruin faithful. How do you stop the unstoppable? But just as the seas miraculously parted for Moses, two highly improbable events transpired. UCLA actually sacked Williams on a key third-day play. One shocking development begat another: a USC punt! The Odyssey, in rapt attendance, had to rub their eyes at such shocking events.
With 2 minutes left, UCLA’s anti-transfer portal QB, 5th-year starter, Thompson-Robinson, had has chance to make history. Beating the hating Trojans, winning the Pac12, getting UCLA to play in the Rose Bowl on January 1 for the first time in the 21st century were all in as clear a view as the nearby San Gabriel mountains. Literally one drive and two minutes separated DTR from being atop the Mount Rushmore of the LA rivalry. To DTR’s credit, perhaps his 2021 performance in leading to UCLA’s offense romping to 66 points in their demolition of the Trojans had already qualified him for rivalry immortality.
Nobody could question Thompson-Robinson’s toughness. Playing hurt in the 2nd half, he led UCLA to 513 yards of offense that would have slayed teams with a lesser QB than Williams. When UCLA had the ball at their own 10 with 2 minutes to go, the Bruins did not absolutely have to drive the length of the field to reach their zenith. A game-tying field goal was also in the equation.
UCLA’s last-ditch play calling was curious. Pass after pass after pass. One first down was generated. Alas, for the Westwoodites, USC snagged a dagger, the Trojans’ 3rd pick of the game. While USC had done a better job of corraling Zach Charbonnet in the 2nd half, Charbonnet is clearly one of the college game’s premier running backs. In UCLA’s ill-fated drive, not one rushing touch for Charbonnet. Hmmmm……Time was important but the Odyssey believes that the Bruin effort would have been enhanced by a Charbonnet citing.
As if to contrast with college football’s modern day NIL, transfer portal world, the Golden State’s other traditional rivalry was simultaneously taking place 400 miles North. The modern game seems to have passed by both Stanford and Cal. The “Big Game” seemed like a forlorn testament of what used to be. Sadly, college football interest in San Francisco has flagged so badly that the Big Game cannot come no longer come close to selling out. Both Big 10 rejects do not seem to have more than a passing interest in recent changes in the college football universe.
Oklahoma fans can also provide ample testament to college football’s revolution. Sooner fans once cheered wildly for both Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams. The Odyssey wonders what the folks in Norman were wondering on Saturday as both Rattler and Williams lit the college world on in different uniforms?
One need not love all aspects of a revolution, but a revolution we clearly have.