Chip Kelly wants UCLA to 'just keep balling' in second half vs. USC

At moments in the first half, it looked like UCLA might turn the rivalry with USC into a blowout with Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson lighting up the Trojans defense. But with Caleb Williams on the other sideline, USC wasn’t going to be dormant the whole game.

And despite USC chipping away at a multiple-score lead to trail by one point, 21-20, at halftime, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly wants his team to come out with similar energy and passion in the second half. Speaking with Fox’s Allison Williams, his message was simple.

“Just keep balling,” Kelly said.

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She asked if Thompson-Robinson had made some questionable decisions. In the second quarter, Thompson-Robinson threw two interceptions and had a third pass that could’ve been taken back for a pick six.

Kelly was unfazed.

“No, it’s football. It’s 21-20,” Kelly said.

The Bruins defense hasn’t been a stalwart or stopped Williams and USC from moving up and down the field, but has kept UCLA ahead, namely by forcing a trio of field goals — one of which was missed.

With time expiring at the half, USC hit a field goal to cut the lead shortly after an interception. Kelly took the blame for icing the kicker and giving him a practice run up.

“Defense has done a good job containing, we’ve given up a lot of yards but they’ve bowed up really well in the red zone,” Kelly said. “I shouldn’t have tried to ice the kicker, that’s on me.”

USC quarterback Caleb Williams had the last word after a 48-45 win over UCLA

The Victory Bell belongs to USC after the Trojans survived a shootout with UCLA on Saturday night, 48-45, to improve to 10-1. After being mum about the rivalry for most of the week, USC quarterback Caleb Williams was fired up after the win.

Williams is in his first season at USC after transferring from Oklahoma and downplayed what the rivalry meant. But after the game, you could tell just how much it meant for him to beat UCLA.

“They had a lot to say, all week. We blocked it. They had a lot to say today. We blocked it out, we did our job. We fought. We kept fighting. We were down, we kept fighting,” Williams said. “And that’s all it comes down to. I love this team, love these guys and would play with them any day.”