Caleb Williams pulls hamstring in USC 47-24 loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game

USC Trojans #13 Caleb Williams throwing a pass to one of his receivers downfield. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

 LAS VEGAS, NV - Heisman candidate Caleb Williams pulled a hamstring in the first quarter and was unable to perform at a high level, and the No.11 Utah Utes (10-3) beat the No. 4 USC Trojans (11-2) in the Pac-12 Championship Game 47-24 Friday night at Allegiant Stadium.

Williams threw for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, and Cameron Rising from Utah threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns. Tahj Washington had six catches for 93 yards and one touchdown.

USC running back Austin Jones carried the football 15 times and only had 40 yards rushing for the whole game. The Trojans had been running the football all season, and after the game, I asked head coach Lincoln Riley about their running game against Utah.

"A couple of times that we didn't execute early. Some of our run game honestly became not totally limited, but when your quarterback is basically immobile, it's certainly a factor there as well. People gotta play us a little bit differently with him when he can move around. That changed some of the run game. I certainly deserve fault for that. There are times that I could have and should have stayed with it more as far as calling the game."

Utah Utes #7 Cameron Rising (QB) avoding the rush by the USC Trojans defense rolling to his right. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

The Trojans' defense couldn't stop the Utes' running game of Ja'Quinden Jackson's 13 carries for 105 yards, two touchdowns, and Micah Bernard's 11 carries for 88 yards and one touchdown.

Caleb Williams and the USC Trojans got the football first, faced a third and two at their 44-yard line, and went for it on fourth and one, and Williams picked up the first down.

USC Trojans #16 Tahj Washington (WR) 50 yards pass reception from his quarterback Caleb Williams. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

On the next play, Williams threw a 50-yard pass to Tahj Washington and went out of bounds at the Utes' 16-yard line. USC would lead 7-0 after a 2-yard touchdown by Washington, and the extra-point conversion by Denis Lynch was good.

USC Trojans #13 Caleb Williams scramble for 59 yards down the left sideline at Allegiant Stadium. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Utah trail 7-3 with a 25-yard field goal by Jadon Redding. Williams, on their next possession, rushed for 59 yards running down the left side of the field to the Utes' 11-yard line. Williams came up limping after his hamstring popped, and describe what it felt like.

"You ever have an old rubber band? That's kind of what it felt like," Williams said.

Williams, one of the most elusive quarterbacks and escape artists in college football was unable to slip out of the grasp of would-be tacklers for big gains, was sacked seven times

USC Trojans #14 Releek Brown (RB) running away from some Utah Utes defensive players. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

The Trojans led 14-3 after Williams threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Releek Brown. Before the first quarter ended, Williams connected with Mario Williams for 31 yards to the Utes' 38-yard line.

USC picked up first and goal with a 9-yard run by Austin Jones in the second quarter. Utah's defense kept USC out of the endzone and had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Lynch, making the score 17-3.

The Trojans got their first turnover of the game when Utah's Jaylen Dixon caught a 30 -yard pass and tackled by Max Williams, fumbled the football, and Dyson Shaw recovered the football.

Utah's defense would come up with another stop on defense after stopping USC on fourth and eighth on their 37-yard line. With 3:55 left in the second quarter, Utah trailed 17-10 with an 8-yard touchdown run by Ja'Quinden Jackson, and the extra point was good by Redding.

Utah Utes #10 Money Parks (WR) 57-yard touchdown reception against the USC Trojans secondary. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Utah had first and goal at USC's four-yard line with 11 seconds left before halftime, and Cameron Rising had his pass dropped in the endzone by Dalton Kincaid. With seconds left on the clock, Rising threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Dixon and tied the game at halftime 17-17.

Williams completed 13 of his 19 passes for USC for 170 yards and two touchdowns and Rising 14 for 24 for 157 yards and one touchdown.

Utah took the lead in the third quarter, 24-17, when Rising threw a 57-yard touchdown to Money Parks. USC trailed Utah by ten points in the fourth quarter, 27-17, after Redding kicked a 35-yard field goal.

The Trojans would respond to the Utes' last two scores with a 12-yard touchdown by Mario Williams, now trailed 27-24 with 10:52 left in the game.

The Utah Utes are back-to-back Pac-12 Football Champions. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Utah pushed their lead back to ten points, 34-24, with a 60-yard touchdown reception by their tight-end Thomas Yasmin.

USC's head coach Lincoln Riley made a big decision move of the game, going for it on fourth and three deep on their side of the field, and the Utes' defense flushed Williams out of the right side of the pocket, connected with Jordan Addison for a 48-yard reception at their 20-yard line.

Utah put the final dagger into USC's heart when R.J. Hubert intercepted Williams' pass intended for Lake McCree at their 10-yard line and ran it back to their 29-yard line.

The Utes took advantage of the turnover with a 53-yard touchdown run by Jackson, now led 40-24. Utah would beat USC 47-24 after a 23-yard touchdown run by Micah Bernard and captured the 2022 Pac-12 Football Championship, and for the second time, will be playing in the Rose Bowl.