USC is heading to the Pac-12 Championship after beating UCLA 48-45

USC Trojans #13 Caleb Williams threw two touchdowns against the UCLA Bruins’ defense at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

PASADENA, CA - No. 7 USC rallied from a 14-point deficit to defeat crosstown rival No. 16 UCLA, 48-45, to secure a spot in the Pac 12 Championship Game, and keep their chances of playing in the College Football Playoffs alive.

"An iconic game." "It lived up to the hype," USC head coach Lincoln Riley said. "Both teams are extremely talented. There were a lot of back-and-forths. It's pretty cool to be sitting here with our tenth victory and getting to play in the championship game."

Caleb Williams finished with 470-yards, two passing touchdowns, one touchdown rushing, and one interception. Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 309-yards, four passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Jordan Addison finished with 11 receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown. Austin Jones gained 120 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

UCLA and USC combined for 1,155 yards of total offense.

UCLA Bruins #1 Dorian Thompson-Robinson 1-yard touchdown run against the USC Trojans. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

The Bruins led in the first quarter 7-0 after a 1-yard touchdown by Robinson that had the Bruins' fans pumped up. Robinson would find a wide-open Michael Ezeike for a 30-yard touchdown pass one play later, giving the Bruins a 14-0 lead.

USC Trojans #3 Jordan Addison had 11 catches for 178-yards and one touchdown. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Despite missing another field goal, the Trojans outscored the Bruins 20-7 in the second quarter to trail 21-20 at the half.

The fast start by the Bruins' offense in the first half, gave USC a real slap in the face with so much on the line in this game.

"You never expect to go out there and lose 14 to nothing," Riley said. "You don't have to write the script first; you just have to be prepared to respond." We went down 14 to nothing and didn't even bat an eye."

After UCLA went up 24-20 on a field goal, Williams connected with reigning Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison for a 35-yard touchdown pass that put the Trojans ahead for the first time, 27-24.

Robinson fumbled the football three plays later, giving USC the ball back in the red zone. The Trojans led 34-24 after running back Austin Jones' 8-yard touchdown run.

UCLA Bruins #86 Michael Ezeike (TE) 3-yard touchdown catch on the right side of the endzone. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Michael Ezeike's 6-yard touchdown catch had UCLA trailing 34-31 in the third quarter. USC would lead by ten points in the fourth quarter, 41-31 after Williams threw a 16-yard touchdown pass by Kyle Ford.

Robinson would respond to the score by the Trojans and threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Kazmeir Allen, and the Bruins now trail 41-38.

USC would go back up by ten points again, 48-38, after a 6-yard touchdown run by Darwin Barlow with 9:10 left in the game.

UCLA trailed 48-45 after Robinson threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Michael Ezeike at 6:38 left in the game. Williams was sacked by Laiatu Latu on third down inside UCLA territory with 2:21 remaining in the game.

The Trojans would shut the door on the Bruins by getting their fourth turnover of the game when Korey Foreman intercepted Robinson's pass at the 50-yard line.

USC Trojans #6 Allen Jones carried the ball twenty one times for 120-yards and two touchdowns. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.

Williams's passing game and the running game by Jones help the Trojans get over the hump, and bring the bragging right back to USC.

"Caleb is a fantastic player. "You can see the fire and passion he brings to every game, and that's why we only have one loss," Jones said of his quarterback. "His zeal, competitiveness, and effort." Every day, he brings that, and he pushes each and every one of us. "A great player does that."

"This is a revenge tour for a lot of the guys on the team," said Trojans linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who was on the team during last season's 62-33 loss to the Bruins.

"We need our payback for a lot of the teams that treated us poorly last year." So we're looking forward to defeating this team and advancing to the championship."

This was only the third time in the rivalry's 93-year history that both teams scored more than 40 points. The Trojans will host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish next Saturday.