Chapter from "A More Perfect College Football Playoff (2017-18 Season)"

1. Rose Bowl
Dec. 31, 2017 – First Semifinal: USC Trojans vs. Oklahoma Soon-
ers
After a terrible first quarter, USC has gradually taken control of the
game and beats Oklahoma 38-36 because of a failed two-point attempt.
USC Trojans marched on to the College Football Playoff champion-
ship game with a close victory over the Oklahoma Sooners on New
Year’s Eve. The loss dropped the Sooners to a season record of 13-2.
In the first quarter, Oklahoma jumped to a 14-0 lead thanks in part
to a costly turnover by USC star quarterback Sam Darnold. However,
a big play on special teams brought the Trojans back into contention,
and the shoot-out was on. Trailing 38-30 on the final drive of the game,
the Sooners scored a touchdown, but failed to convert a two-point at-
tempt. USC recovered the onside kick and escaped with a narrow win.
Sam Darnold started badly again, but finished with 19 completions
on 31 pass attempts for 271 yards, one touchdown, and one intercep-
tion. Wide receiver Deontay Burnett led the Trojans receiving corps
with six catches that totaled 57 yards. Wide-out Jaleen Green recorded
the longest catch of the day for 48 yards, while his colleague Steven
Mitchell caught Darnold’s sole touchdown pass and ran for another
touchdown. Running back Ronald Jones II picked up 102 rushing yards
on 18 carries. Fellow running backs Stephen Carr and Vavae Malepeai
each had a touchdown run, with Malepeai’s going for a massive 98
yards.

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Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield couldn’t be contained as he
threw for 368 yards on 22 completions out of 36 pass attempts and three
touchdowns. Oklahoma tight end Mark Andrews caught five passes for
83 yards, while wide receiver Jeff Badet had four catches for 70 yards
and two touchdowns. Wide-out Marquise Brown hauled in the other
touchdown pass. Running back Trey Sermon rushed 15 times for 91
yards and a touchdown, while Mayfield was also productive on the
ground with 11 runs for 31 yards.
Trojans linebacker Uchenna Nwosu came up big with nine tackles
and a sack, while defensive tackle Rasheem Green also recorded a sack.
The Sooners defense forced two turnovers: defensive back Will John-
son intercepted a pass early in the game, and defensive lineman Ken-
neth Murray recovered a fumble. Defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
led his team with ten tackles and also had a sack.
***
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo gets an early sack
The Sooners won the coin toss and elected to defer. After a touch-
back, Trojans’ opening drive began promisingly. Quarterback Sam
Darnold completed a pass to wide receiver Tyler Vaughns for 11 yards
and a first down. But following a quick 8-yard toss to wide receiver
Deontay Burnett, an incompletion, a false start penalty (for a loss of
five yards), and a 5-yard sack by defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo,

3. Rose Bowl 75
it was fourth down. The USC punting unit entered the field, and Reid
Budrovich’s punt was returned by CeeDee Lamb to the 29-yard line of
Oklahoma.
Ronald Jones II is the best Trojan in the first quarter
The first drive by the Sooners was a disaster as quarterback Baker
Mayfield couldn’t connect on any of his three pass attempts, while a
false start penalty was called on left guard Chris Brown. Austin
Seibert’s 41-yard punt was returned 11 yards by Ajene Harris to Tro-
jans’ 46-yard line. Although USC had a great field position, Okla-
homa’s defense excelled again, allowing two runs by running back
Ronald Jones II for a total of eight yards and deflecting Darnold’s pass
on third down. A very well-placed punt by Budrovich was downed at
the Sooners 3-yard line with 11:34 left in the first quarter.
Despite very little room to maneuver, Mayfield caught fire and com-
pleted a bomb to tight end Mark Andrews for 29 yards, which he fol-
lowed up with another throw to Andrews for 24 yards. After the quar-
terback ran for eight more yards, running back Najee Bissoon fumbled
the ball, but right guard Dru Samia recovered it for a 2-yard loss. On
third down, head coach Lincoln Riley called a reverse play, and run-
ning back Trey Sermon took off for a 38-yard run into the end zone.

4. 76 A More Perfect College Football Playoff
Following a successful extra point conversion, Oklahoma had a 7-0
lead.
Seibert’s kickoff sailed through the end zone, and the Trojans came
out to their 25-yard line. Darnold ran for one yard, then threw a 16-
yard pass to Burnett. After running back Vavae Malepeai gained 13-
yards and another first down, USC hit rock-bottom as Darnold’s pass
was deflected and intercepted by defensive back William Johnson.
Marquise Brown races into the end zone
Sooners’ next drive started at midfield with rushes by Sermon for
three yards and running back Abdul Adams for seven and a first down.
On the following play, wide receiver Jeff Badet found himself un-
guarded, and Mayfield tossed a perfect spiral for a 27-yard gain. An-
other couple of runs by Adams and Sermon for three yards each re-
sulted in a 3rd-and-4 at Trojans’ 7-yard line. As calm as ever, Mayfield
scooped up a botched snap, rolled to the left, and found wide receiver
Marquise Brown for a touchdown. The extra point was good, and Ok-
lahoma increased their lead to 14-0 with 3:48 remaining in the quarter.

5. Rose Bowl 77
Seibert’s kickoff went into the end zone, and the ball was placed at
Trojans’ 25-yard line. After Darnold completed a 22-yard pass to Bur-
nett, a run for one yard by Jones II and two catches by wide receivers
Michael Pittman Jr as well as Joseph Lewis IV for a total of eight yards
resulted in a 4th-and-1 at Sooners’ 48-yard line. USC head coach Clay
Helton chose not to gamble early and sent the punting unit out. Budro-
vich proved to be the most valuable USC player of the quarter when
his punt was downed at the 5-yard line.
Ajene Harris returns a punt for a TD
On the ensuing drive, the Trojans defense finally managed to stop
Mayfield whose 6-yard pass to fullback Dimitri Flowers was sand-
wiched between two rushes for a total of one yard. After Oklahoma
was forced to punt from the 12-yard line, punt returner Ajene Harris
instantly shifted the momentum in the game by breaking several tackles
en route into the end zone. The extra point was good, and with 41 sec-
onds into the second quarter, USC found themselves within one score,
trailing 14-7.
Chase McGrath’s kick was downed by Marcelias Sutton for a touch-
back. From Sooners’ 25-yard line, Mayfield tossed a pass to Andrews
for three yards, then to Brown for 10 more and a first down. However,

6. 78 A More Perfect College Football Playoff
the Trojans defense dug in and forced a fourth down after an incomple-
tion and two runs for a total of two yards. Seibert was back on the field
and made sure to punt away from Harris as far as possible.
With the ball back at their 24-yard line, the pumped-up USC offense
wasted a great opportunity to even the score. Defensive end D.J. Ward
sacked Darnold for a 2-yard loss, running back Aca’Cedric Ware was
tackled after a 5-yard run, and Darnold’s pass to wide receiver Trevon
Sidney went for only six yards. Thus, it was Trojans’ turn to punt, and
Lamb managed to return Budrovich’s kick all the way to the Oklahoma
47-yard line.
Jeff Badet has a 38-yard catch & run for a TD
The Sooners offense restored its early dominance as Adams ran for
15 yards, and after an incompletion Mayfield found Badet in the end
zone for a 38-yard touchdown. Seibert’s kick for the extra point was
good, and Oklahoma again had a two-possession lead, 21-7 with 11:14
left in the first half.
Seibert’s kickoff rolled out of the end zone, and USC began a must-
score drive at the 25-yard line. Darnold immediately tossed a 13-yard
pass to wide receiver Jalen Greene, then Vaughns gained 11 yards on
a catch & run. Next, USC switched to the ground attack as Jones II
carried the ball four times for a total of 33 yards. On first down at the
Sooners 23-yard line, Darnold’s laser pass reached wide receiver Ste-
ven Mitchell for a 15-yard gain. Following a run for four yards by Jones

7. Rose Bowl 79
II, running back Stephen Carr found the end zone on a 3-yard scramble
for a vital touchdown. McGrath’s extra point attempt was successful,
and Trojans were back in the game, trailing 21-14 with 6:02 left on the
clock.
McGrath’s kickoff was downed in the end zone, and Oklahoma’s
final drive of the half began with Mayfield passing to Badet for one
yard and to Lamb for eight yards. On 3rd-and-1, running back Rodney
Anderson got a push from his offensive line to move the chains. Then
Mayfield tossed a quick pass to Flowers who ran for 29 yards, but on
third down at USC’s 26-yard line, linebacker Uchenna Nwosu sacked
the Sooners quarterback for a 5-yard loss. The kicking team came onto
the field, Seibert booted a 49-yard field goal, and the score became 24-
14 in Oklahoma’s favor with 2:31 remaining in the half.
Jalen Greene’s 48-yard catch puts Trojans in the red zone
Kick returner Velus Jones Jr. downed the kickoff in the end zone,
and Trojans offense went back to work. After three runs by Jones II for
a total of 13 yards and two incompletions, Darnold made an ingenious
play when he threw a perfect spiral deep to his receiver Greene for 48
yards. With 24 seconds to go in the half, USC were at the opponent’s
14-yard line and had one timeout. Two incompletions later, Darnold
found tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe, but he was tackled after merely
a 5-yard gain. As time expired, McGrath’s 27-yard field goal split the
uprights, and the halftime score was Sooners 24, Trojans 17.

8. 80 A More Perfect College Football Playoff
The second half began with a touchback, and on the first play from
scrimmage Mayfield scrambled for a 10-yard gain. But after defensive
tackle Rasheem Green sacked the Sooners quarterback for a 6-yard
loss, an incomplete pass and a Flowers run for no gain followed, and
Seibert punted the ball away. The ball was fair-caught by Harris at
USC’s 37-yard line.
On the ensuing drive, the Trojans wrestled the control of the game
away from the Sooners. On 3rd-and-4, Darnold’s pass was caught by
fullback Reuben Peters who broke a tackle for an 18-yard gain. Then
Mitchell took a direct snap, and the offensive line opened a hole for a
39-yard run all the way into the end zone. McGrath kicked the extra
point, and the score was tied at 24 with 10:39 left in the third quarter.
Vavae Malepeai gets a great block on the way to a 98-yard TD
McGrath’s kickoff bounced into the end zone, and Oklahoma started
their drive from the 25-yard line. After Sermon rushed for two yards
and Mayfield overthrew Lamb, a quick toss to Sermon led to a 28-yard
catch & run. However, the Trojans defense tightened up and only al-
lowed two runs for a total of two yards and a Mayfield completion to
Lamb for no gain. Seibert’s excellent punt was fielded by his special
team colleagues at USC’s 2-yard line, but the Sooners’ joy was short-
lived. On the first play from scrimmage, Malepeai got a crucial block
by right guard Frank Martin II and outran everyone on the field for a
massive 98-yard touchdown. After a successful extra point attempt,
Trojans had their first lead of the game (31-24) and all the momentum
on their side.

9. Rose Bowl 81
Midway through the third quarter, McGrath’s kickoff went for a
touchback. After Sermon caught Mayfield’s 12-yard pass, the Sooners
offense produced another pass for one yard to Brown and two runs for
a total of seven yards. On 4th-and-1 at their 41-yard line, Riley elected
to send out the punting unit.
Harris returned the punt to USC’s 33-yard line. On first down, Carr
carried the ball for four yards, then Jones II ran for 12 yards and moved
the chains. However, the Oklahoma defense managed to prevent fur-
ther damage: Darnold’s pass to tight end Tyler Petite went for four
yards, a run by Jones II was stopped at the line of scrimmage, and an-
other pass by Darnold was batted down by Okoronkwo. For the first
time in the quarter, Budrovich entered the field and booted another
great punt that pinned Sooners at the 4-yard line.
Dimitri Flowers takes a short pass for 30 yards
Despite a horrible field position, Mayfield tossed a 14-yard pass to
Andrews, and Oklahoma’s morale picked up. Adams broke a tackle for
a 20-yard run, and Flowers took a short pass for additional 30 yards to
Trojans’ 29-yard line. After Sermon carried the ball within one yard of

10. 82 A More Perfect College Football Playoff
a first down, an offensive holding penalty (10 yards) and two missed
passes brought out the kicking unit. Faced with a 48-yard field goal
attempt, Seibert was as reliable as ever and split the uprights right down
the middle. The score was 31-27 in USC’s favor with 00:47 left in the
third quarter.
Seibert’s kickoff resulted in a touchback, and the Trojans offense
began another promising drive with two runs: one by Jones II for seven
yards and another as part of a wildcat play by backup quarterback Matt
Fink for 13 yards. After an incompletion and a pass for nine yards to
Burnett, Darnold was hit from behind and fumbled the ball that was
recovered by defensive lineman Kenneth Mann.
The ball was now at USC’s 49-yard line. Following two rushes by
Sutton and Sermon for a total of 12 yards that moved the chains, Okla-
homa appeared to back in control. However, the imposing Trojans de-
fense responded by breaking up two Mayfield pass attempts and tack-
ling Sermon for no gain. On 4th-and-10 from the opposing 37-yard
line, Seibert’s punt bounced into the end zone for a touchback.
Steven Mitchell catches a 50-yard TD pass
With the clock showing 10:05 left in the game, USC’s offense was
as spectacular as ever. After an 8-yard run by Jones II, Darnold covered
the rest of the field on just two passes. The first was a catch & run by

11. Rose Bowl 83
Jones II who gained 22 yards; the second was a 50-yard bomb into the
end zone that was caught by Mitchell. The extra point attempt was
good, and the Trojans had a two-possession lead, 38-27.
Oklahoma took comfort in the fact that there was plenty of time left.
After the kickoff resulted in a touchback, two rushes by Adams (two
yards) and Sermon (six yards) brought up a 3rd-and-2. The call from
the bench was play action, and Mayfield found Lamb for a 48-yard gain
all the way to USC’s 19-yard line. But again the Trojans defense was
able to limit the damage by only allowing two runs for a total of four
yards and pressuring Mayfield to throw the ball away. Seibert’s 33-
yard field goal was good, and we had a one possession game with 5:11
left on the clock: USC 38, Oklahoma 30.
Trey Sermon runs hard in the fourth quarter
Seibert’s kickoff was downed in the end zone, and the Trojans of-
fense tried to run out the clock. At first, Jones II had a good run for
seven yards, but a false start penalty meant a loss of five yards, and two
subsequent runs by Carr and Jones II yielded just seven additional
yards. So Budrovich was out to punt away the ball, which was caught
by Lamb and returned to Sooners’ 34-yard line.
There was still 3:04 left to play, and although Oklahoma had all three
timeouts, this drive was clearly do-or-die. On 2nd-and-9, Mayfield

12. 84 A More Perfect College Football Playoff
completed a 13-yard pass to Andrews, then Sermon avoided a couple
of tackles for a 22-yard gain on the ground. Following an incompletion,
Mayfield moved the chains on a throw to Brown for 14 yards. After
Sutton carried the ball for six yards, Lamb caught a pass for another six
yards and a first down. Finally, on 1st-and goal from USC’s 4-yard
line, Mayfield rolled to his right and found Badet for a touchdown. The
score was 38-36 with just 22 seconds left in the game, and Oklahoma
was set to attempt a two-point conversion. The call was a run down the
middle by Anderson, but the USC defense stuffed the line of scrim-
mage, and the Trojans maintained the lead.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by USC, Darnold took a
knee, and Trojans’ place in the Championship Game was in the books.
Final score: USC 38, Oklahoma 36.
***
USC Trojans in Review
Grades
 Offense
 Pass Offense B
 Run Offense A
 Defense
 Pass Defense C+
 Run Defense B
 Special Teams B+
 Coaching A-
Top Performers
1. Ronald Jones II
2. Vavae Malepeai
3. Sam Darnold / Ajene Harris
Oklahoma Sooners in Review
Grades
 Offense
 Pass Offense A
 Run Offense B
 Defense
 Pass Defense B+
 Run Defense C
 Special Teams B
 Coaching B

13. Rose Bowl 85
Top Performers
1. Baker Mayfield
2. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
3. Jeff Badet