| 49 | 52 |
| Rose Bowl Stadium | Pasadena, Calif. | 95,128 | |
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Jan. 02, 2017
Final Stats | Quotes | PSU Photo Gallery | USATSI Gallery
PASADENA, Calif. - No. 5 Penn State running back Saquon Barkley totaled a career-high 306 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns and wide receiver Chris Godwin caught nine passes for a career-high 187 yards and two touchdowns, but No. 9 USC rallied in the fourth quarter to win the 103rd annual Rose Bowl Game on a 46-yard field goal as time expired, 52-49.
With 101 combined points, it was the highest-scoring game in the storied history of the Rose Bowl, and both teams trailed by double-digit margins in the thriller.
Penn State (11-3) trailed USC (10-3) by 13, 27-14, with 6:16 remaining in the second quarter, but scored touchdowns on four consecutive offensive plays from its final play of the first half to its first three plays of the second half, building a 42-27 lead.
Tight end Mike Gesicki caught an 11-yard touchdown pass to start the run and pull Penn State within six before the halftime break. Barkley crisscrossed the field and eluded multiple Trojan defenders for a 79-yard touchdown run on the Nittany Lions' first offensive play of the third quarter, giving Penn State its first lead of the game, 28-27. On Penn State's next possession, quarterback Trace McSorley connected with Godwin for a 72-yard touchdown pass down the sideline. A Brandon Bell interception that he returned 24 yards to the USC 3 then set up a McSorley touchdown run for a game-high 15-point advantage.
The drives ranked as three of the 12 fastest scoring drives in Rose Bowl history, with McSorley's five-second touchdown run setting a record.
Both teams would trade touchdowns before the quarter ended, resulting in a 49-35 Penn State lead, but USC would score 17 points in the fourth quarter to inch back in front.
Turning Point
The USC defense was able to keep Penn State off of the scoreboard in the fourth quarter and defensive back Leon McQuay III intercepted a McSorley pass with 50 seconds remaining, setting up the Trojans' game-winning field goal by Matt Boermeester. USC scored twice in the final 1:20 of the game.
Difference Makers
Penn State
- RB Saquon Barkley - Barkley rushed for 194 yards, setting a Penn State bowl record, and two touchdowns on 25 carries, caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown and returned two kickoffs for 57 yards to total a career-high 306 all-purpose yards. Barkley's 79-yard rushing touchdown was the seventh-longest in Rose Bowl history and second-longest scoring run in Penn State bowl history. His 18 points scored are tied for second in Penn State bowl history with Ki-Jana Carter's 1995 Rose Bowl performance.
- WR Chris Godwin - Godwin caught nine passes for a career-high 187 yards and two touchdowns. His 72-yard touchdown reception was his second in a bowl game after he did the same in last season's TaxSlayer Bowl, tying a Penn State record. The other 72-yard touchdown catch in Penn State bowl history was from Tom Shuman to Chuck Herd in the 1974 Orange Bowl. Godwin's 187-yard performance is his third 100-yard game of the season and the ninth of his career. He has registered a 100-yard effort in each of his three bowl games (140 in 2014 Pinstripe Bowl; 133 in 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl) to extend his Penn State bowl career record to 460 yards, which is 188 yards more than second-place Bobby Engram at 272 yards.
- QB Trace McSorley - McSorley completed 18-of-29 passes for 254 yards and four touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. He also rushed six times for 13 yards and a touchdown. McSorley's 72-yard touchdown pass to is tied for the third-longest scoring pass in Rose Bowl history and tied for the longest in Penn State bowl history. His five touchdowns responsible for (4 passing, 1 rushing) are tied for the most in Rose Bowl history and break the Penn State bowl record. McSorley he has thrown for a touchdown pass in 15 consecutive games, breaking the school record of 14 set by Kerry Collins over the 1993 and 1994 seasons.
- TE Mike Gesicki - Gesicki's lone reception was an 11-yard touchdown near the end of the first half.
- LB Jason Cabinda - Cabinda led Penn State with 11 tackles.
- LB Brandon Bell - Bell made an interception and returned it 24 yards to the USC 3-yard line, setting up a Nittany Lion touchdown drive early in the third quarter.
USC
- QB Sam Darnold - Darnold completed 33-of-53 pass attempts for 453 yards and a Rose Bowl record five touchdowns. He threw one interception.
- WR Deonta Burnett - Burnett led USC with 13 receptions for 164 yards and three touchdowns.
- WR JuJu Smith-Schuster - Smith-Schuster complimented Burnett with seven receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown.
- DB Leon McQuay III - McQuay hauled in USC's third interception of the night at the USC 35 and returned it 32 yards to the Penn State 33, setting up Matt Boermeester's game-winning 46-yard field goal.
- K Matt Boermeester - Boermeester went 3-for-5 kicking field goals, including the game-winning 46-yard field goal in the final seconds. His two misses were from 51 and 49 yards, respectively.
Scoring Drives
1st Qtr
USC - 10:31 - TD - Deonta Burnett 26 yd Pass from Sam Darnold, 5 plays, 51 yards, 1:44 - 0-7
USC - 4:42 - FG - Matt Boermeester 22 yd Kick, 12 plays, 53 yards, 4:52 - 0-10
USC - 0:21 - FG - Matt Boermeester 44 yd Kick, 10 plays, 54 yards, 3:00 - 0-13
2nd Qtr
PSU - 11:44 - TD - Saquon Barkley 24 yd Rush, 9 plays, 70 yards, 3:37 - 7-13
USC - 10:15 - TD - Deonta Burnett 3 yd Pass from Sam Darnold, 5 plays, 60 yards, 1:25 - 7-20
PSU - 8:39 - TD - Chris Godwin 30 yd Pass from Trace McSorley, 4 plays, 71 yards, 1:31 - 14-20
USC - 6:16 - TD - Darreus Rogers 3 yd Pass from Sam Darnold, 6 play, 75 yards, 2:23 - 14-27
PSU - 0:54 - TD - Mike Gesicki 11 yd Pass from Trace McSorley, 13 plays, 75 yards, 5:22 - 21-27
3rd Qtr
PSU - 13:05 - TD - Saquon Barkley 79 yd Rush, 1 play, 79 yards, 0:17 - 28-27
PSU - 11:27 - TD - Chris Godwin 72 yd Pass from Trace McSorley, 1 play, 72 yards, 0:11 - 35-27
PSU - 10:26 - TD - Trace McSorley 3 yd Rush, 1 play, 3 yards, 0:05 - 42-27
USC - 6:47 - TD - JuJu Smith-Schuster 13 yd Pass from Sam Darnold, PAT Pass by Taylor McNamara, 10 plays, 65 yards, 3:39 - 42-35
PSU - 1:55 - TD - Saquon Barkley 7 yd Pass from Trace McSorley, 8 plays, 82 yards, 4:46 - 49-35
4th Qtr
USC - 8:15 - TD - Ronald Jones 3 yd Rush, 10 plays, 83 yards, 4:29 - 49-42
USC - 1:20 - TD - Deonta Burnett 27 yd Pass from Sam Darnold, 3 plays, 80 yards, 0:39 - 49-49
USC - 0:00 - FG - Matt Boermeester 46 yd Kick, 3 plays, 5 yards, 0:27 - 49-52
Key Drives
First Quarter
USC 12:15-10:31 (1:44, 5 plays, 51 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
A second consecutive Penn State drive ended in an interception and USC started at its own 49. The Nittany Lions looked poised to force a three-and-out, but Sam Darnold completed a 25-yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster on third-and-10. Safety Malik Golden sniffed out a screen pass on the next play for no gain, but Darnold found Deonta Burnett at the goal line in the middle of the field for a 26-yard touchdown pass on the very next play.
USC 7, Penn State 0
USC 9:34-4:42 (4:52, 12 plays, 53 yards) - FIELD GOAL
USC reached the Penn State 6-yard line for first-and-goal, but the Nittany Lion defense kept the Trojans out of the end zone, highlighted by a second-down pass breakup by Grant Haley. Matt Boermeester converted a 22-yard field goal.
USC 10, Penn State 0
USC 3:21-0:21 (3:00, 10 plays, 54 yards) - FIELD GOAL
After a Penn State punt, USC took over at its own 20 and drove 54 yards for another field goal. A 28-yard completion to Jalen Greene to the Penn State 26 setup the 44-yard kick.
USC 13, Penn State 0
Second Quarter
PENN STATE 0:21 (1st Qtr) - 11:44 (2nd Qtr) (3:37, 9 plays, 72 yards) -TOUCHDOWN
Passing plays of 13 and 14 yards to Chris Godwin and 18 yards to Saquon Barkley keyed Penn State's first scoring drive. Barkley capped it with a 24-yard run up the middle for a touchdown.
USC 13, Penn State 7
USC 11:40-10:15 (1:30, 5 plays, 60 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
The Trojans answered Penn State's score with a five-play, 60-yard touchdown drive in just 1:30. Starting at the USC 40, Darnold opened the drive with a 32-yard completion to Burnett to the Penn State 28. After an incompletion, Justin Davis rushed to the Penn State 4 on a 24-yard carry, and took another yard on the next play. Darnold then tossed a short pass just behind the line of scrimmage to Burnett, who took it into the end zone.
USC 20, Penn State 7
PENN STATE 10:10-8:39 (1:31, 4 plays, 71 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
The Nittany Lions answered the USC score even quicker. McSorley completed a 29-yard pass to Chris Godwin at the USC 42, and after Barkley gained 12 yards total on back-to-back rushes, McSorley found Godwin in the back right corner of the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown.
USC 20, Penn State 14
USC 8:39-6:16 (2:23, 6 plays, 75 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
A 36-yard pass to Smith-Schuster and a 24-yard pass play to Adoree Jackson to the Penn State 3 keyed the drive. Darnold tossed a 3-yard pass to Darreus Rogers for the score.
USC 27, Penn State 14
PENN STATE 6:16-0:54 (5:30, 13 plays, 75 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
McSorley completed 6-of-7 passes for 47 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki. Gesicki's catch was another just barely in-bounds in the back right corner of the end zone.
USC 27, Penn State 21
Third Quarter
PENN STATE 13:22-13:05 (0:17, 1 play, 79 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
Saquon Barkley weaved his way down the field for a 79-yard touchdown run.
Penn State 28, USC 27
PENN STATE 11:38-11:27 (0:11, 1 plays, 72 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
Chris Godwin caught a 72-yard pass down the left sideline, tipping it to himself over a USC defender, and going all the way for the score.
Penn State 35, USC 27
PENN STATE 10:31-10:26 (0:05, 1 play, 3 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
After a Brandon Bell interception and return to the USC 3, McSorley called his own number and ran for a touchdown. At five seconds, it was the quickest scoring drive in Rose Bowl history.
Penn State 42, USC 27
USC 10:26-6:46 (3:39, 10 plays, 65 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
A 20-yard completion on third-and-10 to the Penn State 32 keyed the Trojans touchdown drive, as Darnold eventually found Schuster-Smith from 13 yards out for the score. The two-point conversion try was good.
Penn State 42, USC 35
PENN STATE 6:41-1:55 (4:58, 8 plays, 82 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
Three receptions by Barkley highlighted the drive. A 17-yarder moved the Nittany Lions to their own 38, and a 14-yarder to the USC 38. A targeting penalty and a 17-yard run by Barkley moved Penn State to the 7, and McSorley found Barkley alone in the end zone for a receiving touchdown.
Penn State 49, USC 35
Fourth Quarter
USC 12:44-8:15 (4:35, 10 plays, 83 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
Burnett and Smith-Schuster both had completions over 20 yards on the drive, with Smith-Schuster's 27-yard reception setting up a 3-yard touchdown run by Ronald Jones.
Penn State 49, USC 42
USC 1:59-0:50 (0:50, 3 plays, 80 yards) - TOUCHDOWN
Darnold went 3-for-3 passing and took advantage of a pair of pass interference penalties, as he tied the game with a 27-yard touchdown toss to Burnett.
Penn State 49, USC 49
USC 0:27-0:00 (0:27, 3 plays, 5 yards) - FIELD GOAL
After a Leon McQuay interception, USC took over from the Penn State 33. Ronald Jones rushed for five yards and Matt Boermeester kicked a game-winning 46-yard field goal.
USC 52, Penn State 49