PASADENA ā Shortly after his postgame press conference Saturday night, UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson exited the room and headed straight for the field at the Rose Bowl.
Dressed in his team-issued warm-up T-shirt donning his No. 1, the fifth-year senior stood on the sideline just outside the end zone closest to the tunnel headed to the UCLA locker room and possibly pondered what could have been in his final home game.
Thompson-Robinson threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns to go with a pair of rushing scores, but his third interception of the night with 1:26 to play sealed the fate for No. 16-ranked UCLA in a 48-45 loss to crosstown rival No. 7 USC.
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The Las Vegas native had four turnovers in total, including a fumble, but there was no doubting his effort and determination. At the half, with the Bruins clinging to a 21-20 lead, Thompson-Robinson had his right wrist and right thumb taped up.
Then, late in the fourth quarter, DTR delivered some of his greatest hits as he scrambled, dashed and passed his way downfield with UCLA trailing 48-38. He even had to briefly sit out a play after a hit, but returned to connect with tight end Michael Ezeike ā the third score of the night for the duo ā to pull within 48-45 with 6:38 to play.
