Updated 7:45 p.m. ET: USC wide receiver Marqise Lee finished the day with 16 receptions for 345 yards and a pair of touchdowns, good enough to break school and Pac-12 records.
It wasn’t good enough to get the win.
Arizona left USC in disbelief in the desert, knocking away a Matt Barkley pass in the endzone as time expired to beat the No. 10 Trojans 39-36. Barkley finished with 493 yards passing and three touchdowns, but the Trojans defense couldn’t stop Matt Scott and the Wildcats offense, either. Wildcats receiver Austin Hill had a career day with 259 yards receiving as well.
A BCS championship appearance, practically handed to the Trojans in the preseason, is growing ever-dimmer. A Pac-12 championship appearance isn’t guaranteed either. UCLA, Arizona State and Arizona are all in a battle for the Pac-12 South title, and all still play two more divisional games against opponents in that group.
It might be more even in the Pac-12 South from top to bottom this season, but it looks like it’s going to be a lot more fun as well.
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Before today’s game against USC, Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez told ESPN his defense needed to do its best to limit big plays by guys like Robert Woods and Matt Barkley.
Maybe Marqise Lee should have been added to that list. Lee has pulled in 12 passes for 255 yards and a touchdown -- all in the first half. Seeing as the No. 10 Trojans only lead Arizona 21-13 at the half, one could reasonably assume Lee’s day isn’t over yet, either.
USC has racked up almost 400 yards of offense so far, but turnovers (the Trojans have four) and penalties (18 for 178 yards total between the two teams) have really been the story of the game.
Well, outside of Lee’s incredible first half, that is.