Caleb Williams sets Cotton Bowl record, but Trojans fall short to Tulane

USC sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams could not do much to change the result of his team's 46-45 loss to Tulane in the 87th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Monday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.

The Trojans’ signal caller starred with 462 passing yards and five touchdowns, the most in Cotton Bowl history. But even though he and USC’s offense had 594 yards against the Green Wave, they came up short due to a 15-point comeback from their opponent in the final 4:30 of the game.

It left Williams without much to say when he was asked about processing the loss and the way it transpired: “Don’t really know. Just lost. Don't have another game...and don't really know.”

Williams did not get the chance to have the football for a full-fledged final drive to respond to the Green Wave, who overcame fourth-and-8 and fourth-and-10 attempts to seal the game with a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Michael Pratt to tight end Alex Bauman.

It was similar to USC’s 43-42 loss to Utah Oct. 15, when the Utes scored a touchdown and then a two-point conversion that put the Trojans behind with 48 seconds left and gave Williams limited time to respond. This time, the Green Wave left only nine seconds on the clock, giving Williams and USC’s offense essentially no shot to try and take the lead with a field goal or late touchdown, barring a miracle play.

Williams admitted it was frustrating how he didn't have a full opportunity to go win the game in those two losses.

“Always like the ball in my hands with the offense and me out there,” Williams said, before adding, “But I also like our defense being out there. They’ve had games where they’ve stopped people multiple times for us to be able to go and put up points.

"So yea, I would love to have the ball in my hands at the end, but it doesn’t always happen like that. It’s football.”

Still, Williams had an incredible performance in which he set the USC single-season record for passing touchdowns (42) and passing yards (4,537). His lone mistake of the game was a first-quarter interception when he rolled to his left and tried to find Brenden Rice, only for an underneath defender to drop and leap up to snag the takeaway. The Green Wave responded from the pick with a touchdown to tie the score, 14-14, with 5:42 left in the second quarter.

“I could have ran on that play, should have ran,” Williams said. “Tried to make a play, didn’t. Kept fighting, get going at it. That’s it.”

With the loss, USC will now transition to an offseason that will likely precede Williams’ final collegiate season. He is draft-eligible after 2023 and is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by multiple outlets.

Williams said the loss will linger but that the offseason, which USC coach Lincoln Riley said will begin Tuesday when the team hosts recruits on campus, will provide him an opportunity to improve as a leader and potentially recruit more players to the team.

“From the players that’s coming and the players that are already here and are going to stay, I've got to step my game up as a leader, as a player,” Williams said. “That’s how I can help. If I need to help in recruiting or anything like that, I’ve always done that. It's always been part of one of my things that I do. I want to get the best players, play with the best players that we can play with that are also great people for the team. So I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Playing with Williams is a top attractor particularly for wide receivers and Monday only showed why once more. Without former Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison suited up, Williams spread the ball around to 10 different targets.

USC had six different receivers record at least four receptions led by third-year sophomore Brenden Rice, who had six receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Williams also connected with fourth-year sophomore wide receiver Tahj Washington five times for 109 yards.

“He was detailed,” Williams said of Rice's career-best performance. “When he got his shots, he made them. And I kept giving him the ball, and he kept making them. Other than that, I’m proud of him.”

Williams concludes arguably the best season from any quarterback in USC football history. He set numerous records and will be the odds-on favorite to repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner next season. The Trojans will return him and a majority of their offense, though there will be some holes to fill.

They lose three senior offensive linemen -- Andrew Vorhees, Brett Neilon and Bobby Haskins -- as well as senior running back Travis Dye and possibly Austin Jones. Senior Josh Falo departs from the tight end room while Addison is expected to enter the NFL Draft where he is projected to be a first-round pick, though he has not made any official announcement.