Even after Western Michigan’s third-quarter lead made USC’s season opener much more interesting than the Trojans planned, the game became more memorable.
Jake Olson, who lost his vision at age 12, snapped the ball for the Trojans’ final extra point in a 49-31 victory Saturday in Los Angeles.
Chase Dominguez, who completed a seemingly flawless Utah career in 2016, no longer is the most famous long snapper from Orange Lutheran in California. Olson followed Dominguez in that role in high school, and now he’s even more of an inspirational figure after his USC debut.
Among Olson’s favorite responses through social media, he said, are those that say something like, “I actually hate USC, but I love this story.”
Olson was voted the Pac-12 special teams player of the week and appeared on Tuesday’s media teleconference that usually is reserved for coaches.
USC coach Clay Helton made an accommodation for Olson, contacting Western Michigan’s Tim Lester in advance of the game. They agreed the Trojans wouldn’t rush on WMU’s first extra point and the Broncos would hold back on the play involving Olson.
Such arrangements were unnecessary for Olson in high school and likely wouldn’t be made again if the sophomore snaps in another USC game. By Olson’s account, the USC medical staff asked Helton to treat him differently, but he would prefer to have the opponents rush, as they would in another circumstance.
“I’m a big guy, and I’m protected by the rules,” Olson said. “As time goes on, the staff will probably realize more and more that I’m another football player. I’m not made out of glass.”
Bruins’ bounce-back
UCLA’s Jim Mora survived probably the only season opener in college football history that almost became an episode of both coaches being fired right then and there.
That’s only a slight exaggeration after what unfolded Sunday night at the Rose Bowl, where UCLA rallied for a 45-44 victory over Texas A&M. The Bruins trailed 44-10 late in the third quarter before scoring touchdowns on all five drives and holding the Aggies scoreless, including blocking a field goal when UCLA was down by 13 points in the last five minutes.
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen passed for 292 yards in the fourth quarter. Mora and the Bruins needed their recovery as much as Kevin Sumlin and the Aggies needed to prevent it from happening. Coming off a 4-8 season, Mora wanted his team to “purge any feelings from last year,” and this will help.
Mora’s second-half strategy? “Stop looking at the scoreboard,” he said. “I was calm, our players were calm, our coaches were calm.”
And the Bruins just kept coming back. The rally reminded Mora of when he was a San Francisco assistant in 2002 and the 49ers came from 38-14 down to beat the New York Giants, 39-38. “I’ve been in a lot of games like this,” Mora said. “That’s what happens when you survive and get old.”
UCLA’s rally helped the Pac-12 go 11-0 last weekend, with Stanford idle after having beaten Rice in its Aug. 26 season opener in Australia.
Conference opener
No. 6 USC and No. 14 Stanford often meet in September, as they will do Saturday in Los Angeles. It has become quite a series, thanks to Stanford’s resurgence. The Cardinal have won eight of the last 11 meetings, counting a victory in the 2015 Pac-12 championship game.
Stanford’s run began in 2007, when current coach David Shaw was coach Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator. As huge underdogs, the Cardinal took a 24-23 win, which Stanford needed “just to be taken seriously,” Shaw said.
In a 2011 dual between quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley, Stanford topped the Trojans 56-48 in triple overtime.
Power rankings
1. Washington (1-0) • Utes remember Dante Pettis, now with six career punt-return touchdowns
2. USC (1-0) • Trojans have defensive questions after Western Michigan ran for 263 yards
3. Stanford (1-0) • Bryce Love: 180 yards rushing vs. Rice as Christian McCaffrey’s successor
4. Washington State (1-0) • Luke Falk’s 91st career TD pass makes him Cougars’ all-time leader
5. Utah (1-0) • Utes’ most recent seven-game winning streak vs. BYU came in 1951-57
6. UCLA (1-0) • Tight end Caleb Wilson: 15 catches, 205 yards
7. Colorado (1-0) • Colorado State scored 58 points vs. Oregon State, 3 vs. Buffaloes
8. Oregon (1-0) • Ducks were balanced vs. Southern Utah: 355 yards passing, 348 yards rushing
9. California (1-0) • Bears broke nine-game road losing streak at North Carolina
10. Arizona State (1-0) • Sun Devils are 10-0-1 vs. San Diego State
11. Arizona (1-0) • Houston will be playing season opener after hurricane scratched game
12. Oregon State (1-1) • Beavers needed late drive to overtake Portland State