Over the course of USC’s undefeated start, with its star freshman still out, its leading scorer nursing an ailing shoulder and one of its best defenders down because of an injured hip, coach Eric Musselman still managed to make the best of his ravaged roster.

USC had won eight straight, sweeping its nonconference slate and winning its Big Ten opener at Oregon. It swept through the Maui Invitational, beating three real teams in the process. With every punch, the Trojans had been ready to punch back.

Then came Saturday, when a former Trojan delivered the knockout blow in the Big Ten home opener at Galen Center, ending USC’s undefeated start in the most painful fashion possible in an 84-76 loss to Washington.

USC led for all but six minutes and in the first half looked primed to run away with its second Big Ten win, leading by 18 at halftime. But it all came unraveled in the final 10 minutes as Washington scored 24 of the last 30 points to stun USC. It was Desmond Claude, the Trojans’ leading scorer last season, who propelled Washington to victory.

The Trojans still led by 10 with 10 minutes remaining, and after such a resounding start it seemed only a matter of time before they kicked back into gear. But they shot just 25% in the second half after making 50% in the first.

Chad Baker-Mazara led USC with 21 points but made only one of seven shots after halftime. Without him the offense dried up in a hurry.

Washington caught fire late, led by Claude, who had just four points in the first half but finished with 22.

USC cut Washington’s lead to three with just over a minute remaining. But Washington put the ball in Claude’s hands and he delivered, driving for a lay-in high off the glass and getting fouled.

The Huskies started the game in dismal fashion, turning the ball over seven times in the first seven minutes and making only two of their first 12 shots.

But those tides turned completely in the final minutes, dealing USC its first loss — and a brutal one at that.

Washington State coach Jimmy Rogers has agreed to a six-year deal to become the next coach at Iowa State, the school announced Friday.

Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard moved quickly to replace departing coach Matt Campbell, who agreed to an eight-year deal to take over Penn State on Friday, and landed Rogers, a proven winner at the FCS level who just concluded his first regular season at Washington State.

“Jimmy Rogers is a rising star in college athletics who has very strong ties to the Midwest both as a player and as a coach,” Pollard said in a statement. “He has been on my short-list ever since the first time I met him. He immediately impressed me with his interest in Iowa State University and told me during our first visit several years ago that he wanted to be the next head coach at Iowa State.

“Since our initial meeting, I have stayed in close contact with him and have been very impressed with his work ethic and understanding of what it takes to be successful at Iowa State,” Pollard added. “He is a proven winner who has demonstrated throughout his career that he will fit our culture.”

Rogers, 38, has a 33-9 record over three seasons as a head coach. He went 6-6 in his debut season at Washington State after overseeing a significant roster rebuild following the departure of coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest.

“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said in a statement. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”

Rogers previously spent 12 years at South Dakota State and led his alma mater to an FCS national championship in 2023 with a 15-0 season in his first year as the Jackrabbits’ head coach after taking over for longtime coach John Stiegelmeier.

Rogers carried a 29-game win streak into his second year as coach and achieved a No. 3 finish in 2024 with a run to the FCS playoff semifinals and a 12-3 season.

The Jackrabbits also won the FCS national championship in 2022 after Rogers was elevated to being the team’s sole defensive coordinator, and they played for another FCS title in 2020.

Campbell, the winningest coach in Iowa State history with 72 victories, led the Cyclones to eight winning seasons during his decade at the helm and two appearances in the Big 12 championship game.

The Cyclones went 8-4 this season and are awaiting their bowl selection on Sunday.

By News Office
December 4, 2025

William C. Dudley, president of Washington and Lee University, has been named the sixth president of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. He will complete the current academic year at W&L and begin his new role on July 1, 2026.

In a personal announcement to the W&L community on Dec. 5, President Dudley noted that 2026 would mark his 10^th Commencement at Washington and Lee. He praised the students, faculty and staff, noting that “I take pride in leaving Washington and Lee in a strong position, and in knowing that our exceptionally talented students, faculty, and staff will continue to advance our educational mission long after I am gone. Each of you plays a part in making the university the best it can be for current students. And all of you seize opportunities to strengthen the university for future generations. If you do those things every day and take stock once a decade, it is gratifying to consider what we have accomplished.”

Wali Bacdayan, Rector of Washington and Lee’s Board of Trustees, said the Board will engage a nationally recognized search firm to assist the University in conducting a search process that includes input from students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the university. Details on the search will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Will has been an exceptional leader for Washington and Lee for almost a decade,” said Bacdayan. “From the moment he stepped on campus, he has exhibited a deep appreciation for W&L’s culture and distinctive strengths, which are encapsulated in the strategic plan that he developed in concert with the Board of Trustees and campus community. His commitment to expanding access and affordability was realized through Bill Miller’s extraordinary $132 million gift, which made the university need-blind in undergraduate admissions. He was also instrumental in expanding student opportunities, curricular programs, and campus facilities. Will is leaving W&L in a position of strength, and we are grateful for his dedication and service.”

As president of Washington and Lee, Dudley initiated a comprehensive strategic planning process to build on the university’s strengths while furthering initiatives in support of W&L’s aspiration to be a national model for liberal arts education in the 21st century. In 2024, the University launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history, Leading Lives of Consequence, with a $650 million goal. The campaign has raised over $568 million to date and is ahead of schedule for a successful conclusion in June 2027.

Throughout his tenure at W&L, Dudley prioritized student access, affordability, and opportunity, implementing need-blind undergraduate admissions and boosting enrollment among first-generation, low-income, and rural student populations. The university expanded financial support for faculty-mentored research and study abroad and enhanced its curriculum with new minors in data science, entrepreneurship, legal studies, and arts management, and the creation of the DeLaney Center for the study of Southern race relations, culture, and politics. Critical facilities added to the campus include the Duchossois Athletic and Recreation Center; the new academic building for the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics; the Lindley Center for Student Wellness; and the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning. Plans are underway for a new Admissions and Financial Aid center, an institutional history museum, and an expanded and renovated science center.

Dudley became the 27th president of Washington and Lee in January 2017, after serving for five years as the provost of his alma mater, Williams College. In that role, he oversaw academic operations, allocated college resources, and helped to establish priorities for Teach It Forward: The Campaign for Williams, which raised more than $750 million.

A respected leader in higher education, Dudley currently serves on the boards of the Annapolis Group of Liberal Arts Colleges, the Associated Colleges of the South, and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges.  He received a gubernatorial appointment to the board of trustees of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 2010 and served as the vice-chair in 2015-16.

Dudley earned a B.A. in mathematics and philosophy, magna cum laude, from Williams College in 1989, where he was captain of the water polo team, a member of the swim team, and the recipient of a Herchel Smith Fellowship to study at Cambridge University from 1989 to 1990. Dudley worked for AES from 1990 to 1992 before pursuing graduate studies at Northwestern University, where he earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in philosophy.

His scholarship focuses on 19th-century German philosophy. Dudley is the author of two books — “Understanding German Idealism” (2007) and “Hegel, Nietzsche and Philosophy: Thinking Freedom” (2002) — the editor of volumes on Kant and Hegel, and has published numerous scholarly articles. He received fellowships in support of his research from the American Council of Learned Societies and the Humboldt Foundation.

Dudley joined the Williams College faculty in 1998, teaching courses on moral and political philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology, the philosophy and economics of higher education, and the spiritual significance of sports. At W&L, he teaches an annual seminar on virtue ethics and liberal arts education.

“Washington and Lee is an extraordinary university, with tremendous momentum,” said Dudley. “It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as the president. I treasure my relationships with W&L students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of this exceptional place.”