A look back at the key numbers and notes from USC's 24-7 loss to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl...
USC finished the season 11-3, losing to Ohio State for the first time since 1974 (eight games).
The Trojans’ bowl record fell to 35-19.
USC is now 1-3 in December games since Clay Helton became the head coach.
The Trojans went 4-3 away from the Coliseum for the second year in a row. They are 10-10 on the road since Helton took over in 2015. (They are 16-0 at home during this time.)
USC finished the season 11-0 against opponents with five losses or more and 0-3 to opponents with four losses or fewer.
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Sam Darnold finished 26 of 45 for 356 yards and no touchdowns with one interception.
Darnold did not throw a touchdown for the fourth time this season (USC was 2-2 in such games). It was the first time in his career he did not throw or run for a touchdown.
Darnold became USC’s first quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season (4,143), breaking Carson Palmer’s 2002 school record of 3,942.
Darnold passed for over 200 yards for the 23rd time in his career (24 starts) and for over 300 yards for the 12th time.
Darnold threw his 13th interception of the season and lost his eighth and ninth fumbles.
He was sacked eight times and was sacked 29 times this season. (He was sacked six times all of last season.)
Ronald Jones II gained 64 yards on 19 carries (3.4 average) and finished the season with 1,550 rushing yards. It’s the most since Reggie Bush in 2005, the second-most since Marcus Allen in 1981 and the eighth highest total in USC history.
His 3,619 career rushing yards place him fifth on USC’s all-time list.
He scored his team-high 20th touchdown of the season. He is the fourth Trojan to ever reach that mark (Simpson, Allen, L. White).
Deontay Burnett set the Cotton Bowl record with 12 receptions (for 139 yards). Burnett combined for 25 catches and 303 receiving yards in USC’s past two bowl games. (His 13 receptions in the Rose Bowl were also a record.)
Tyler Vaughns eclipsed 100 yards receiving for the second time in his career.
USC’s 57 net rushing yards and 1.6-yards per carry average were season lows.
USC’s 411 total yards of offense were its fewest since the Notre Dame game.
USC’s eight sacks allowed were its most since allowing nine vs. Cal in 1999 (credit OC Register’s Joey Kaufman for finding that).
Ohio State also had 14 tackles for loss.
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Cam Smith had a team-high 10 tackles, including one for loss. It was the fourth time this season he registered at least 10 tackles. His 112 tackles tied T.J. McDonald for the most in a season since Troy Polamalu's 118 in 2001.
Rasheem Green’s sack gave him a team-high 10 for the season and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Uchenna Nwosu’s two sacks gave him 9.5.
Ohio State’s 277 yards of total offense were a season-low for a USC opponent and a season low for the Buckeyes.
OSU’s 55 plays, 5.03 yards per play and 13 first downs were also season lows.
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USC tied season lows with three penalties for 35 yards.
The Trojans converted 6 of 19 on third downs, the Buckeyes 2 of 12. It was the sixth time this season USC converted 33 percent of fewer third downs (this includes all three of their defeats).
USC possessed the ball for 34:56, a season high.
The Trojans scored on just one of four red-zone trips.
Ohio State won the turnover battle (4-1) and points off turnovers (21-7).
USC’s seven points are a school-low in the Darnold era.
The Trojans’ one touchdown was tied for their fewest in a bowl game since only scoring a field goal in the 1985 Aloha Bowl.
USC has been outscored 76-13 in its two appearances at AT&T Stadium.
