ASU redshirt sophomore linebacker Salamo Fiso celebrates a tackle with teammates during ASU's game versus USC in Los Angeles. USC leads 17-15 at the half. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)LOS ANGELES — After practically sleep-walking through the first half, ASU regained its character and was able to carry with it momentum, - albeit not the lead - into the visiting locker room at halftime in its second Pac-12 road game of the season.
An alarming lack of urgency on the Sun Devil sideline in the early going saw numerous drives stalled, as redshirt junior quarterback Mike Bercovici struggled to maintain drives offensively.
USC took an early lead on a 53-yard punt return by junior wide reciever Nelson Agholor, further magnifying a glaring weakness in ASU's special teams unit.
Redshirt junior Trojan quarterback Cody Kessler went 16-28 with 163 yards, while his counterpart, redshirt junior Mike Bercovici finished the first half 12-19 with two touchdown passes and 186 yards.
But USC enabled ASU to get back into the game thanks to four penalties that gave Mike Norvell's unit 23 yards and in some cases, extended drives.
The Sun Devil offense was hindered by a lack of a running game in the early going, as junior running back DJ Foster was essentially a non-factor.
Attempting to spread the workload upon redshirt senior Deantre Lewis and freshman Kalen Ballage didn't prove any more effective, as the pair combined for a mere 14 yards on four carries. Foster finished the half with negative yardage.
As critical as ASU's special teams mistakes were, and the lack of discipline on several missed tackles, USC committed multiple sloppy penalties that enabled Bercovici to finally take hold of the offense and generate chemistry with redshirt sophomore tight end Kody Kohl and receiver Ellis Jefferson on ASU's initial scoring drive.
Both ASU scoring drives took place in the second quarter after being shutout by the Trojan defense in the first.
Bercovici hit Jaelen Strong to even the game at 7 with 11:41 in the second. He finished the half with 100 yards on six catches, an attempt to make up for the lack of a running game.
ASU finished with just 13 rushing yards of its total 199 accumulated in the half, to USC's 79 rushing and 242 total.
It took just 12 seconds for ASU to take its first lead in nearly six quarters of game play, and Strong's second touchdown catch of the game.
Bercovici went deep along the near sideline, hitting Strong for 77 yards as the leading Sun Devil receiver strolled to the end zone untouched.
Kessler led USC back on an 11-play, 67 yard drive capped by a touchdown run by redshirt junior Trojan running back Javorious Allen on fourth and goal.
ASU couldn't respond with another score upon getting the ball back, and USC would close out the half with the lead thanks to a 35-yard field goal from Andre Hiedari.
USC will start with the ball in the second half.
Reach the assistant sports editor at smodrich@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @StefanJModrich
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