USC’s holder, Wyatt Schmidt, knelt at the 36-yard line, alone. A back-and-forth game against Penn State that will go down as one of most exciting in the Rose Bowl’s 103 editions was in its final seconds on Monday evening, and Schmidt was thinking two things.
Get the ball down. Hope Matt Boermeester was right.
When USC held its final walk-through practice Sunday afternoon, Schmidt and long snapper Zach Smith were needling Boermeester, USC’s kicker. This was the junior’s first season in the role, and he hadn’t kicked under pressure. Schmidt and Smith were telling him: You’re going to be kicking the game-winner for the Rose Bowl tomorrow. Are you really up for it?
“And every time,” Schmidt said, “he looked at us and said, ‘You know it.’”
Boermeester promised that after he made it, he was going to do a dance move, the “dab.”
A day later, Schmidt shook his head and looked around a postgame locker room thick with cigar smoke and champagne, and he laughed: Boermeester was right.
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The left-footed kicker’s 46-yard field goal as time expired sent USC’s sideline into hysterics and ended a 52-49 Trojans victory that lasted 4 hours 12 minutes and, somehow, jammed action into every second.
In the fourth quarter alone . . . USC quarterback Sam Darnold completed 10 of 10 passes and led a three-play, 80-yard drive to the tying touchdown with 1:20 to play; safety Leon McQuay III dropped the biggest interception of his life — then caught one on the very next play, returning it 32 yards to set up Boermeester’s kick; and a stadium staffer carted boxes with USC’s Rose Bowl championship T-shirts onto the field, off the field, then on again as the game swung like a moody teenager.
In the third quarter alone . . . USC blew a lead and lost cornerback Adoree’ Jackson to an ankle injury; linebacker Cameron Smith was ejected for targeting; and Penn State scored three touchdowns on its first three plays after halftime.
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In the first half alone . . . Penn State receiver Chris Godwin made two circus catches, one for a touchdown; Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki made his own diving catch in the corner of the end zone; and USC still led 27-21 at the break.
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USC Trojans guard Damien Mama celebrates the Trojans’ win over the Penn State Nittany Lions. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans defensive back Adoree’ Jackson celebrates after the Trojans’ beat the Penn State Nittany Lions.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC head coach Clay Helton holds aloft the Leishman Trophy after the Trojans beat Penn State 52-49 in the Rose Bowl.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC kicker Matt Boermeester, 39, celebrates with holder Wyatt Schmidt after making a game-winning 46-yard field goal as time expired to beat Penn State 52-49 in the Rose Bowl Game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC placekicker Matt Boermeester, 39, celebrates with teammates after making a game-winning 46-yard field goal as time expired to beat Penn State 52-49. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans place kicker Matt Boermeester celebrates with teammates after kicking the game winning field goal/ (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s kicker Matt Boermeester kick the winning field goal against Penn State.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State’s Jordan Smith is called for pass interference on USC receiver Deontay Burnett late in the 4th quarter/
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Sam Darnold wiggles away from Penn State linebacker Jason Kabinda during fourth quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC defensive back Leon McQuay steps in front of Penn State receiver Chris Goodwin for an interception in the last minute of the game, setting up a winning drive.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s Leon McQuay intercepts the ball in front of Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin late in the 4th quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC strong safety Leon McQuay ntercepts a pass intended for Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC strong safety Leon McQuay III returns an interception of a pass intended for Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin in the fourth quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s Deontay Burnett catches a touchdown pass late in the 4th quarter as Penn St.’s Marcus Allen looks on at the Rose Bowl Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Deontay Burnett hauls in a touchdown pass over Penn State safety Marcus Allen for the game tying score late in the fourth quarter.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC wide receiver Deontay Burnett makes a touchdown catch against Penn State in the fourth quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Deontay Burnett, left, and quarterback Sam Darnold celebrate the game-tying touchdown against Penn St. late in the 4th qaurter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC head coach Clay Helton cheers his team on against Penn State in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The USC defense celebrates as Penn State’s running back Saquon Barkley is stopped on 3rd down late in the 4th quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans tight end Taylor McNamara (48) is congratulated by Teammates after catching a two-point conversion from USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold in the second half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster celebrates with teammates after making a touchdown catch against Penn State in the third quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times )
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USC Trojans wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster catches a touchdown pass from USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold in the third quarter/
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin takes the ball away from USC defensive back Iman Marshall en route to a touchdown in the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Sam Darnold throws downfield against Penn State in the third quarter of the Rose Bowl game on Jan. 2. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Adoree Jackson writhes in pain as he is tackled by Penn State cornerback Christian Campbell during fourth quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Injured USC defensive back Adoree Jackson is helped off the firld in the third quarter as coach Clay Helton looks on.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Sam Darnold loses control of the ball as he is sacked by Penn State defensive end Garrett Sickels during third quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC linebacker Uchenna Nwosu tries to fire up the crowd in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC running back Chris Hawkins scores a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, leading to a 49-49 tie with Penn State.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s Ronald Jones is lifted into the air after scoring a touchdown against Penn St. at the Rose Bowl Monday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster hauls in a long pass over Penn State cornerback John Reid during a fourth quarter drive. The play was originally called incomplete, but replay showed Schuster made the catch in bounds.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State cornerback Christian Campbell breaks up a pass intended for USC wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster in the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin makes a catch in front of USC’s Leon McQuay in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu (96) tackles Penn State Nittany Lions running back Mark Allen (8) in the second half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State safety Malik Golden upends USC receiver Adoree Jackson in the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s Sam Darnold celebrates his touchdown throw to Deontay Burnett against Penn St. in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn St. tight end Mike Gesicki catches a touchdown pass in front of USC’s Adoree Jackson, left, and Leon McQuay in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans running back Justin Davis dives for a first down before being tackled by Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Brandon Bell in first half action.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley scores a touchdown while pursued by USC Trojans linebacker Cameron Smith (35) in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Mike Gesicki celebrates after catching a touchdown pass in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State receiver Chris Godwin flips out of the endzone after catching a touchdown pass over USC defensive back Adoree Jackson during second quarter action.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Darreus Rogers makes a diving catch in front of Penn State defensive back Grant Haley during a second quarter drive.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Sam Darnold scrambles for big yards late in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC’s Stevie Tu’ikolowafu grabs the face mask of Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley for a penalty during the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold eludes Penn State’s cornerback John Reid (29) in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin makes a diving catch in front of USC’s Adoree Jackson in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn St. receiver Chris Godwin makes a catch in front of USC’s Leon McQuay in the 2nd quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Sam Darnold scrambles for big yards late in the 2nd quarter against Penn St.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC wide receiver Adoree Jackson makes his way inside the Penn State five-yard-line after a catch in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State wide receiver Chris Godwin makes a one-handed catch against USC strong safety Leon McQuay in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC head coach Clay Helton reacts angrily after officials mistakenly nullified a touchdopwn catch by Trojans wide receiver Deontay Burnett in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley eludes the tackle of USC end Porter Gustin in first quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold throws a touchdown pass to USC Trojans wide receiver Deontay Burnett against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the first half.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Darreus Rogers catches a touchdown pass in front of Penn St.’s Grant Haley in the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC defensive back Adoree Jackson celebrates with teammate Iman Marshall after intercepting a Penn State pass in the first quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The Nittany Lion waits the tunnel before the start of the 2017 Rose Bowl Game.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Bryce Rogers, left, and Norma Lopez, of Montrose, CA, attends her first Rose Bowl Game.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State students Sophie Randall, Audrey Zavada, and Kait Yoniske, have their photo taken as they enter the stadium.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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The “Spirit of Troy,” USC Marching Band arrives at the Rose Bowl, hours before the Trojans and the Penn State Nittany Lions play in the Rose Bowl game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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USC football fans cheer for their Trojans team before the start of the 103rd Rose Bowl game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in Pasadena on Monday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Penn State football fans cheer for the Nittany Lions before the start of the 103rd Rose Bowl game against the USC Trojans in Pasadena on Monday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The enormity of it all seemed to stun USC Coach Clay Helton. Some fans had called for Helton’s job after USC started his first full season 1-3. After Monday’s game, he stood atop confetti with an arm around his son, Turner, his eyes a little wet as he watched the band.
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“It felt like a tennis match, just going back and forth and back and forth, the mood swings and the emotion,” Helton said. “It was an amazing game. It’s what fairy tales are made of.”
Penn State Coach James Franklin conceded that it “may have been the most exciting Rose Bowl game ever.”
He had a point. Penn State’s Saquon Barkley ran 25 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass.
Darnold passed for 453 yards with one interception and five touchdowns, a Rose Bowl game record. His total yards of 473 set another record, breaking Vince Young’s 467 in 2006 against USC.
Darnold stood near Helton as the band played, and he looked as though he had just awoken from a nap. USC players said they couldn’t remember a time when they’ve seen him rattled.
As he huddled the offense with 1:59 to play, USC down by seven points and 80 yards to go, his voice was calm.
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“I just said, ‘Do your job,’” Darnold said.
“Sam doesn’t say nothing in the huddle except, ‘Let’s go’ and ‘Here’s the play,’” offensive tackle Zach Banner said. “It’s kind of weird, if you think about it.”
It had taken that poise to keep USC from collapsing after Penn State scrapped back from an early 13-0 deficit, then rampaged through the third quarter.
Barkley shook six defenders to race 79 yards for a touchdown. Godwin caught a tipped pass and ran for a 72-yard score. A Darnold interception led to a three-yard TD run by quarterback Trace McSorley. In 33 seconds and 154 yards, Penn State had gained a stranglehold on the game, 42-27.
“It sucks to think about it, but it kind of felt like Alabama,” tailback Justin Davis said, referring to USC’s season-opening 52-6 loss.
Darnold and USC did not break. By the fourth quarter, when USC scored 17 straight points, the defense finally tightened. Linebacker Michael Hutchings corralled Barkley when a first down could’ve ended the game.
It gave Darnold about two minutes to go 80 yards. He needed just 39 seconds. At the Penn State 27-yard line, receiver Deontay Burnett unilaterally decided to scrap his pass route and beeline to the end zone. Darnold saw him and threw a strike. The score was tied at 49.
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On the next drive, McQuay dropped a would-be interception on second down. He told himself that if another opportunity came, he wouldn’t waste it. Another one came on the very next play. He did not waste it. He returned the ball to Penn State’s 33-yard line.
After a five-yard run and a Penn State timeout, Boermeester drilled the game-winner.
Afterward, Banner suggested that it was one of the most important wins in USC history.
“After sanctions, after the NCAA screwed us over, you’ve got to argue that this is the best thing that’s ever happened to USC,” he said. “It brought us back.”
Darnold, still calm as a librarian, said he was a little shocked.
“I think it’s going to hit me a little bit later,” he said.
Boermeester said he’d envisioned the winning field goal before it went through.
“It was like I’d already been there,” he said. “I’d seen it in my head already.”
As soon as he kicked it, Boermeester turned around, started running and, as promised, did the dance move.
His back was turned as the ball went through the uprights, but why would he need to watch the final second? The first 59 minutes and 59 seconds had already been about as close as college football gets to perfection.
Zach Helfand is a former sports reporter for the Los Angeles Times. He is a proud New Jerseyan and Michigan graduate and previously interned with The Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Baltimore Sun, USA Today and the Trentonian (N.J.).
