Dorian Thompson-Robinson passed for four touchdowns and rushed for two, Kazmeir Allen scored three touchdowns including a 100-yard kickoff return, and visiting UCLA guaranteed its first winning season since 2015 with a 62-33 rout of rival USC on Saturday in Los Angeles.
UCLA’s 62 points mark the program’s most in the series, which dates to 1929, and the most points for either team since a 66-19 USC win in 2005.
UCLA (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12 Conference) built a three-possession lead Saturday after scoring a trio of touchdowns in the second quarter, one of which was a 58-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson to Allen.
Thompson-Robinson and Allen teamed earlier on a 45-yard pass play that gave the Bruins their first lead of the game in the first quarter. But the last of Allen’s long touchdowns was the biggest.
USC (4-6, 3-5), which needs wins over BYU next week and at Cal on Dec. 4 to earn bowl eligibility, cut UCLA’s lead to nine points late in the third quarter after a 23-yard Alex Stadthaus field goal and a two-play, 72-yard touchdown drive.
USC’s Jaxson Dart completed passes of 28 yards and a 44-yard touchdown to Greg Bryant Jr.
Bryant finished with nine receptions for 161 yards. Dart went 27-of-47 for 325 yards and was intercepted twice. Teammate Vavae Malepeai rushed for three touchdowns.
Any momentum the Trojans may have gained from the quick touchdown drive was nullified when Allen ran back the ensuing kickoff the distance for the score. The return touchdown capped a three-reception, 115-yard day for him.
Cameron Johnson intercepted Dart near the goal line on the next USC possession. UCLA then went 98 yards in 11 plays, with Zach Charbonnet scoring on a 4-yard carry.
Charbonnet rushed for 167 yards on 28 carries. Thompson-Robinson rushed for 46 yards and scored touchdowns on a 4-yard run and a spectacular 15-yarder on which he hurdled over a defender into the end zone.
Thompson-Robinson went 16-of-22 passing for 349 yards. Kyle Philips led the Bruins in receptions with six for 80 yards and scored on catches of 23 and 11 yards.
–Field Level Media
