The three defensive backs were too far away to lend run support, and the safety had come up to the line, so there was no one to tackle him. Marcus walked into the end zone untouched to give USC a 7–0 lead with ten minutes left in the first quarter.
David could see Matt’s confidence rise. If he kept it up, USC might have a chance in this game.
With a minute and a half to go in the first quarter, Texas managed a field goal to make the score 7–3.
It was second down on the Texas forty-three-yard line when Matt dropped back to pass. Bill was well covered on the outside, but Matt threw one up long, and Bill outraced the defensive back to catch the ball at the two-yard line.
The Texas defense stiffened on first and second down.
On the next play, Matt handed the ball off to Marcus, who ran it around the left end for the score to put USC up 14–3.
The Texas offense caught a break on the next possession when Todd totally whiffed on the tackle on a pass to the tight end. The big kid rumbled down the field for a forty-seven-yard score, making it 14–10.
Later in the second quarter, after a Texas field goal, USC
punted and pinned Texas inside their ten-yard line. On third down, Texas decided to pass the ball. As Todd blitzed from his outside linebacker spot, Percy pushed the tackle into the backfield. Instead of dumping the ball, the Texas quarterback tried to run. Todd caught him in the end zone for a safety, giving USC a 16–13 lead.
Or so everyone thought. The referee reviewed the play and ruled the quarterback had gotten outside the end zone, so the score reverted to 14–13.
The next time Texas got the ball, they drove the field and kicked another field goal to take a 16–14 lead into halftime.
“What do you think? Do we have a chance in the second half?” Lars asked David.
“If Matt continues to throw deep, we should win this.”
On the first possession of the second half, USC went three-and-out.
Texas moved the ball to midfield, where on first down, they jumped offsides, making it first and fifteen from their forty-five-yard line. Expecting a pass, Percy and Todd came from the Texas quarterback’s backside. Just as he released the ball, Todd laid him out, causing the quarterback’s helmet to come off and roll fifteen yards.
“Todd’s gone,” Jim predicted.
Sure enough, they called it targeting, giving Texas a first down, and Todd would miss the rest of the game.
Two plays later, Texas went long down the center of the field for a touchdown pass. They were now up 23–14.
On the next drive, USC got within field goal range.
Coach Merritt sent Alex in to kick a forty-nine-yard field goal. John missed his block as the guy on the end of the line flew in and blocked the kick. Texas picked it up and ran it in for the score. Suddenly, USC was in real trouble, now down 30–14.
Matt looked rattled on the next drive. He threw three straight incompletions, forcing USC to punt.
Texas marched straight down the field to the three-yard line. Their quarterback kept the ball on a designed run and scored, making it 37–14.
USC didn’t give up. Matt about killed USC’s slot receiver, Tyrell, when he led him right into a waiting linebacker in the next series. The kid leveled him and caused the ball to pop straight up, but it somehow landed in Tyrell’s hands to prevent the turnover.
It was determined that their linebacker had led with his head, so it was targeting, and Texas was a man down.
Texas ended up with the ball back and just ground it out to eat up the rest of the clock to give them the 37–14 win.
It was troubling that USC’s defense was supposed to carry the team this year, and they looked terrible at times.
It also didn’t help that Matt, who had played well enough in the first half, looked awful in the second.
If the fans were grumbling about who should start, they would be howling for Matt’s head this coming week.
“USC can hold its head high,” Jim quipped on the way to the airport. “So far, we’ve outscored our opponents 87–78.”
David kept his comments to himself since he’d quarterbacked for 70 of those points in his lone start. With Matt at the helm, USC had averaged 8.5 points per game.
Yep, the fans would be howling.
◊◊◊
When David got back to LA, he went straight to Malibu.
He needed his munchkin fix. They were at the beach with his mom and dad, so David had time to prepare for their return.
He found Rosy in the kitchen.
“Did you get what I asked for?”
“Cinnamon rolls?”
“And cupcake pans,” David said.
“What are you making?” Rosy asked.
“Bowls for ice cream.”
David had watched a video on how to make treats kids would love. He turned the cupcake pan upside down, sprayed it, then took a cinnamon roll and wrapped it around to make a bowl. He then baked them until they were golden brown.
They were coming out of the oven when his children got home.
Duke and Coby were the first up the stairs, following their noses. Duke spazzed out when he saw David, while Coby ignored him, went to Rosy, and tugged on her apron.
“That yummy smell is what your dad made. Go get your brothers and sister, and he’ll give you a treat,” Rosy promised.
David had to stop loving Duke to start making the kids ice cream.
“They haven’t had dinner yet,” his mom complained when she saw what he was making.
“Do we get one?” his dad asked.
“Rob, don’t encourage the boy.”
“There’s enough for everyone,” David promised.
His parents helped his kids make sundaes, making him the best dad ever. He sat on the floor with them as they chowed down.
When he’d seen the video on how to make it, he couldn’t think of two things he liked more than cinnamon rolls and ice cream with Cookie Butter. This might just be the best dessert yet.
To give everyone a break, David got the kids all fed and bathed. Then he took them to his apartment for a sleepover.
He borrowed a bunch of blankets, and they made the living room into a fort.
He would have to thank his parents later because going to the beach wore them out. He sent Tami a message when they’d fallen asleep around him in the fort. She jumped onto video chat, and he showed her what they were doing.
“That’s almost as cute as naked dance party,” Tami teased.
“What are you doing in on a Saturday night?” David asked.
“I have a chemistry test on Monday, and it’s kicking my butt. If I want to keep my scholarship, I have to get a good grade.”
“Need any help?”
She thought that was funny.
“I did get straight ‘A’s in AP chemistry. I’m not near as dumb as you think I am,” David said, acting put out.
“Poor baby.”
“You always have a way of emasculating men. You should just admit that I am smarter than you are.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” Tami shot back.
They goofed around until he told Tami about Ron Pennington wanting to buy him out.
“Have you told Grace?” Tami asked.
David cocked his head because he hadn’t thought of calling Brook’s grandmother. She would be the perfect person to run this by. Grace would give him honest advice, and she might also know what Ron was up to.
“That’s a good idea. As long as you’re dispensing knowledge, talk to me about Cassidy,” David said. Then he shared Cassidy’s intention to fly back with him when he went to see Phil play football during David’s bye week.
“Talk to her dad and see if she can take care of herself.