By Morris Phillips

The Cal Bears showed up to Memorial Stadium on Saturday with the intent to play their best football game of the season.  Instead, the USC Trojans played professor and gave the Bears an impromptu math and history lesson.

Looking for a season-altering win, the Bears instead fell to USC 27-21 and learned that the Trojans’ 12-game win streak in the series—dating back to 2003—isn’t going away for at least another year.  If the Bears needed an explanation, there it was in the numbers: Cal wanted to wear out depth-challenged USC but ran just 61 offensive plays in large part due to a Trojans’ ground-and-pound effort that included 50 rushes for 183 yards and for the most part kept Jared Goff and Cal’s Bear Raid offense on the sidelines.

“We hear a lot that we’re not as physical as past teams or teams even in the Pac-12.  And we just want to execute that and establish ourselves as a physical team,” USC running back Tre Madden said.

Madden’s big fourth quarter run typified the Trojans’ physical effort.  With less than four minutes remaining and USC clinging to a six-point lead, Madden hit the line of scrimmage on 3rd-and-1 and appeared to be hemmed up by a crowd of Cal defenders.  But Madden bounced off the pile, moved outside and ran     14 yards for a momentum-changing first down that kept the clock moving.

The Bears (5-3, 2-3) looking to force a punt and give the ball back to Goff for a potential game-winning touchdown drive instead watched the Trojans run out the clock.  Without all-conference caliber center Max Turek and the overall depth that sunk USC in losses to Stanford and Notre Dame, the Trojans didn’t seem capable of such a physical offensive effort.  But they managed just fine thanks to Madden and Ronald Jones, who led all rushers with 80 yards and a touchdown.

Cody Kessler, USC’s more than capable passer, assisted with an 18 of 22 performance through the air that didn’t produce a bunch of yards but kept the chains moving, just what Cal couldn’t afford.

“Our defense did great, but offensively on that side of the ball, our offensive line won this game along with the running backs.  I was so proud of them.  They did such a great job,” Kessler said.

The Bears and Goff didn’t help their cause with two interceptions and a fumble.  USC’s two-way star, Adoree Jackson picked off Goff in the third quarter and raced 40 yards for a touchdown return that put USC up 24-7.  Jackson’s score was the second of two, third quarter scores that broke open a close game that USC led 10-7 at the half.

Cal has dropped a three straight after a 5-0 start and a two-week stay in the nation’s Top 25.  Now the Bears must reverse their fortunes and attempt to win at least two of their four remaining games against Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and Arizona State to secure their first bowl appearance since 2011.

As far as getting even with the Trojans, the Bears may have even bigger issues going forward.  Interim coach Clay Helton has stabilized the USC program after Coach Steve Sarkisian was fired with two big wins.  If Helton is retained, the Trojans may maintain their momentum in recruiting and stay among the Pac-12’s best programs.  If so, Cal will be left to talk about scoring first on Saturday, their 7-0 lead marked the first time Cal has held a lead against USC since 2009.

“We’ve let some games slip away from us,” Goff said.  “We’ve let some games slip away from us.  We started off hot and haven’t been able a game in these last three games.  But I don’t think that’s going to keep us down.”

Goff threw for 272 yards on the afternoon and became only the 92^nd passer to surpass 10,000 yards passing in his collegiate career.  Daniel Lasco returned to health with 64 yards rushing and a touchdown on 15 carries.  And Bryce Treggs had four catches for 85 yards, extending his streak of catching at least one pass in every game he’s played at California.

The Bears travel to suddenly-hot Oregon next week in attempt to end their three-game losing streak.