This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Steve Sarkisian's first year at the helm of the Trojans has seen no lack of drama.

But he's had less wins than he would have liked.

The Trojans came to Salt Lake City ranked No. 20, and most importantly, 4-1 in the Pac-12 South, but now, at 5-3 and with four challengers in the South, their conference title hopes are suddenly in peril.

"We've been part part of stuff this season that I have yet to experience in coaching," Sarkisian said after his team's 24-21 loss to the Utes on a Travis Wilson touchdown pass with eight seconds left. "You could look at so many plays, just one play here or one play there."

For starters, he said, the second play of the game.

For the second straight time in a visit to Rice-Eccles Stadium, USC had a fumble on its second play recovered for a Utah touchdown.

Adoree Jackson forced a fumble that he might have returned for a touchdown had the play not been prematurely blown dead on the field.

And USC, after passing at will in the first half, couldn't convert during their last drive on third-and-2 and then fourth-and-2.

And so on.

"I will say Utah played a hard-fought game," Sarkisian said. "I thought our kids played hard. It wasn't about our effort. ... It starts with myself. We didn't get it done, especially at the most critical moments."

There's a bright side, though. USC next plays Washington State and Cal — no gimmes, but not the creme of the conference, either — before its showdown against No. 25 UCLA.

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said after Saturday's game that he believes a two-loss team could still win the Pac-12 South.

The Trojans just have less room for error now.

"We just have to continue to coach and get better at the critical moments," Sarkisian said.

— Matthew Piper

Twitter: @matthew_piper