Sep 9, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws the ball against the Stanford Cardinal in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tall task awaits USC in No. 15 Louisville at Holiday Bowl

Southern California felt it was a national championship contender and certainly was resembling one when the squad was unbeaten through six games.

But the rest of the season was a disaster for the Trojans, who finish the campaign in a mid-level bowl when it opposes No. 15 Louisville in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.

USC (7-5) limped to the finish with five losses in six games and had to rally from 14 points down in the fourth quarter in the one victory — 50-49 over Cal on Oct. 28.

In the eyes of Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, his team needs to forget what happened over the second half of the season.

“We got to make the most of it,” Riley said of the bowl experience. “You can’t let all that outside stuff take away from the opportunities at hand.”

Nearly 20 USC players have opted out of the Holiday Bowl, including 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams (3,633 passing yards, 30 TDs in 2023).

Miller Moss makes his first career start at quarterback. That’s no easy task with Louisville (10-3) ranking 16th in total defense (307.4 yards per game) entering the bowl season. The Cardinals also feature an elite defensive end in Ashton Gillotte (11 sacks), who announced he will return in 2024.

Moss has thrown just 59 passes — completing 72.9 percent — in his three seasons with the Trojans. He has passed for 542 yards and three touchdowns.

“I worked my whole life for this,” Moss said. “I’m excited to step in this role and I’m very confident in our team. … I think I just try to treat it like any other game.

“Obviously excited about the opportunity, but not gonna make it more than what it is. We have a game to prepare for and we’re going to do everything we can to win.”

The Cardinals are looking to finish with a bang after back-to-back losses erased some shine off their stellar campaign. Still, they have won 10 games for the first time since 2013.

Louisville blew a 10-point lead while succumbing 38-31 to in-state rival Kentucky in late November and then the offense struggled in a 16-6 loss to then-No. 4 Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game.

“It’s unfortunate we didn’t finish the season exactly the way we wanted,” Cardinals coach Jeff Brohm said. “I thought our guys came ready to play, they practiced hard. It’s just the game did not go the way we wanted, and that starts with me. We just got to fix a few things up.”

Louisville also has to figure out how to plug the losses of star running back Jawhar Jordan (1,128 yards, 15 touchdowns) and top receiver Jamari Thrash (63 catches, 858 yards). Both players opted out of the bowl to focus on the NFL draft.

Isaac Guerendo (649 yards, eight TDs) and Maurice Turner (251 yards, one score) will split the ball-carrying duties.

Quarterback Jack Plummer has passed for 3,063 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The contest will mark just the third time that Louisville has ever played in the state of California. Both of the previous games ended in ties — 24-24 against Long Beach State in the 1970 Pasadena Bowl and 10-10 versus San Jose State in 1990.

Brohm said the program is happy to be playing out west and he has cautioned his players that the Trojans are much better than their record.

“I think our team understands that when you play a brand team like that, it’ll be an exciting game,” Brohm said. “They have a ton of talent, are well-coached, and I think our guys will be fired up to go out there and play.”

The Cardinals are 12-12-1 all-time in bowls. This is their 12th appearance in the past 14 seasons.

USC is playing in its 57th bowl game. The Trojans have a 34-20 record with two others vacated (one win, one loss) due to NCAA penalties. USC is 1-2 in past Holiday Bowl appearances.

This is the first-ever meeting between USC and Louisville.

–Field Level Media

Oct 14, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) runs in for a touchdown against the California Golden Bears in the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

No. 14 Utah aims to extend win streak over No. 18 USC

No. 14 Utah visits Los Angeles on Saturday night seeking its fourth straight win over No. 18 Southern California in Pac-12 Conference action.

Utah (5-1, 2-1) handed USC its only loss of the 2022 regular season — a 43-42 nail-biter in Salt Lake City — then denied the Trojans both a conference title and possible berth in the College Football Playoff with a 47-24 rout in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Throughout the 2023 season, the Utes have been without a star from both of those games, however. Quarterback Cameron Rising continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in January’s Rose Bowl loss to Penn State.

“It’s a situation where we’re just waiting, week after week, for a thumbs-up,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said in his Monday press conference of both Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe, who also has yet to play this season.

Rising threw for a combined 725 yards and five touchdowns in the two wins against the Trojans last season.

In Utah’s most recent game, a 34-14 victory last Saturday against Cal, Bryson Barnes put up modest passing stats –15 of 21 for 128 yards — to improve his overall numbers this season to 38 of 66 for 398 yards and one touchdown, with two interceptions. His 50 yards rushing on eight carries with a touchdown contributed to a 317-yard onslaught for Utah on the ground, however, with Sione Vaki’s 158 yards and two scores leading the way.

The Utah defense held an opponent to 14 or fewer points for the fifth time this season, all wins.

Southern Cal (6-1, 4-0) has been a mirror-opposite of Utah, with one of the nation’s most prolific offenses at 47.3 points per game but a defense that has given up an average of 30 points per contest.

The Trojans gave up at least 41 points in each of their last three games. One of those, a 43-41 defeat of Arizona on Oct. 7, went to three overtimes. Last week, though, USC surrendered a season-high 48 points while scoring just 20 points in a blowout loss at Notre Dame.

“The Notre Dame game is very applicable,” Whittingham said of referencing how the Fighting Irish slowed the Trojans’ offense last week in preparation for Saturday. “We’ll also go back and look at our two games last year. We do as much research and homework as you can.”

Notre Dame forced Southern Cal into five turnovers, including picking off reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams three times in the first half.

After throwing just five interceptions in 14 games a season ago, Williams has thrown four this season. The Utes have intercepted seven passes this season.

“Especially against good teams and good defenses like we faced last week, and like we’re getting ready to face again this week, you’ve got to have all 11 (players) clicking,” Trojans coach Lincoln Riley said on his radio show on Monday night. “And when we do, we can play. But we’ve got to do it more often.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) throws against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

No break for No. 21 Notre Dame with No. 10 USC in town

Although Notre Dame has played seven consecutive weeks, coach Marcus Freeman insists his team isn’t tired.

It’s starting to look that way, though, as the 21st-ranked Fighting Irish have dropped two of their last three games heading into Saturday’s marquee meeting with No. 10 Southern California in South Bend, Ind.

But for Freeman, the tumultuous schedule is no excuse, and a meeting with another ranked opponent presents a perfect opportunity to get back on track.

“We’re not tired. You play Saturday night. You’ve got all day to rest. That’s what a part of being at Notre Dame is about,” Freeman said. “We’re fortunate. We get four prime-time games, and that’s how we’ve got to look at it.

“We get another prime-time game versus USC at Notre Dame Stadium. And if you don’t have the bubbles in your stomach, then you’re not the elite competitor that we need you to be.”

Notre Dame (5-2) is coming off last weekend’s 33-20 loss at then-No. 25 Louisville. Irish quarterback Sam Hartman completed 22 of 38 passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw his first three interceptions of the season.

The Irish went into the break tied 7-7, but their defense faltered in the second half, allowing 26 points.

Things won’t get any easier on Saturday with the Trojans (6-0) coming to town.

USC leads the FBS in average points per game (51.8) and ranks fourth in total offense (523.3 yards per game). Its success on that side of the ball has been fueled by star quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, who already has thrown for 1,822 yards and 22 TDs against just one interception.

Williams also has rushed for six scores.

“He is very elite with arm talent, with decision-making, with the ability to extend plays. He is a well-rounded, very talented football player,” Freeman said of Williams. “Our defense will have its work cut out for it, for sure.”

The Trojans’ spirits are high after beating Arizona 43-41 in triple overtime last Saturday. USC escaped with the victory despite being outgained 506-365, and coach Lincoln Riley knows his high-octane offense will face another challenge this week against an experienced Notre Dame defense.

“They’ve obviously (been) playing at a high level defensively again, like they did last season — return a lot of familiar faces,” Riley told Trojans Live. “They’re one of the older defenses that we’ll play, seniors all over the place.”

Saturday will mark the 94th meeting between the programs, and the Irish hold a 50-38-5 advantage in the all-time series. USC won 38-27 last season in Los Angeles.

Riley wants his players to understand the history of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry, but he doesn’t want them to be consumed by it.

“We did a little bit last year before the game, we’ll do a little bit this year, just to give them a taste of the history,” Riley said. “I don’t want us to focus on that, but I don’t want us to just completely miss it and not understand it either.

“This is an important game to college football.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 26, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley speaks with assistant coach Kliff Kingsbury following the victory against the San Jose State Spartans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

No. 6 USC looking for defense to show up vs. Nevada

Lincoln Riley knows what narrative is bound to form after No. 6 Southern California’s season-opening win over San Jose State.

The Trojans doubled up the Spartans 56-28, but because porous defenses have become a hallmark of recent Riley-coached teams, the 28 is what jumps off the page.

USC (1-0) will have another chance to tackle its defensive struggles when it hosts Nevada on Saturday in Los Angeles.

“Everybody is going to write the narrative after the first game. It’s going to be a climb,” Riley said in his postgame press conference. “The ceiling for that (defense) is much higher than it was 12 months ago. No matter what the score was … If this was a three-point game, 28-point game or 50-point game — there’s going to be that climb to the next step.”

USC clung to a 21-14 lead at halftime before pulling away with three touchdowns in the third quarter. Freshman Zachariah Branch caught a 25-yard touchdown pass and returned a kickoff 96 yards for another score.

Caleb Williams’ Heisman Trophy defense began with a 278-yard, four-touchdown performance. The quarterback connected with 12 different receivers, including Brenden Rice, son of Jerry, for a 12-yard touchdown.

Meanwhile, San Jose State managed to gain 396 yards of offense. The production was split evenly — 198 yards passing and 198 on the ground.

Speaking Monday in a weekly radio appearance, Riley said his staff learned a lot about the defensive front seven.

“We made a couple of plays that were phenomenal that I don’t know that we make at any point in the season before,” Riley said. “We made a couple of critical mistakes. There’s two or three plays from the linebacker position that directly (contributed) to 21 points, and we can’t make those. … I think they’re gonna get corrected quick and I think these guys are gonna get better fast.”

The next quarterback the Trojans will face has experience playing against them in the Pac-12. Nevada coach Ken Wilson named Colorado transfer Brendon Lewis the team’s starting quarterback on Monday.

Lewis started 12 games for Colorado in 2021 and threw for 1,540 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions that year, adding two rushing scores. He lost the Buffaloes’ starting gig early in 2022 and entered the transfer portal.

“Practice by practice since the day he’s been here, Brendon has taken the leadership role,” Wilson told reporters. “He was voted unanimously a team captain by his teammates. We just think at this moment in time Brendon gives us the best chance to win football games.”

The Wolf Pack open their second season under Wilson after going 2-10 last year and finishing last in the Mountain West Conference’s West Division, with an 0-8 conference record.

Lewis isn’t the only new piece on offense. Nevada welcomed two transfers at running back, Sean Dollars (Oregon) and Ashton Hayes (Cal). Dollars was once a top-150 high school recruit in the nation but got limited playing time at Oregon.

Despite the relatively close proximity of Reno to Los Angeles, the two programs have not played since 1929. USC owns a 5-0 series lead.

–Field Level Media

Apr 23, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive coordinator Alex Grinch during the spring game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

USC elects to retain defensive coordinator Alex Grinch

Southern California defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will return to the coaching staff under head coach Lincoln Riley in 2023, despite the Trojans’ issues stopping the ball this past season.

A multitude of miscues, including some on defense, prevented USC from preserving a late 15-point lead in the Cotton Bowl as Tulane rallied for a 46-45 victory at Dallas. But the Trojans’ issues stopping the ball were well known by then.

USC (11-3) advanced to the Pac-12 title game in a season when they gave up 27.9 points per game, which was seventh in the conference. The defense’s 415.1 yards allowed per game also was seventh.

“I know what he’s made of, I just do,” Riley said in explaining his decision Tuesday to retain Grinch. “I know what’s getting ready to happen defensively. And so, I just have a confidence and a belief there, not just in Alex, but the other guys in the room.”

Utah scored 90 total points in two games against USC, defeating the Trojans twice, including a 47-24 victory in the conference title game to earn a spot in the Rose Bowl. In USC’s three defeats, it gave up an average of 45.3 points, and that total does not include the 45 it allowed to rival UCLA in an eventual victory.

Grinch, 42, also was the defensive coordinator with Riley at Oklahoma before making the move to Los Angeles in 2022. He previously served as defensive coordinator at Ohio State (2018) and Washington State (2015-17).

“I’ve been through it enough with that guy to know, don’t bet against him,” Riley said of Grinch. “Anybody in a situation like that, where we know we need to take a big jump in all areas … (and) we need to own and fix the things we didn’t do well.”

Riley will not make any changes from the 2022 coaching staff outside of making Luke Huard the full-time inside receivers coach after he was in the position on an interim basis last season.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) scores a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams leads No. 6 USC past No. 15 Notre Dame

Caleb Williams rushed for three touchdowns and passed for another, and No. 6-ranked Southern California completed its best regular season since 2008 with a 38-27 win over rival and No. 15-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday in Los Angeles.

The Trojans (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12), already locked into next Friday’s Pac-12 Conference championship game, maintained their prospects of playing in the College Football Playoff with an emphatic win to cap the regular season.

USC jumped ahead less than five minutes into Saturday’s contest when Williams connected with Tahj Washington on an 11-yard touchdown, and the Trojans led from wire-to-wire thereafter.

Notre Dame (8-4) threatened in the second quarter when Drew Pyne threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Michael Mayer.

The Fighting Irish pulled to within 10-7 on that score, but gave up the first of Williams’ rushing touchdowns on the ensuing USC possession. The 5-yard end-zone jaunt just 34 seconds before halftime pushed the Trojans’ lead back to double digits — and it never again dipped back into single digits.

USC — and specifically Williams — quickly answered any Notre Dame rally effort throughout the second half, pushing its lead to 17 points on three occasions in the third and fourth quarters. Williams ran for scores of 3 and 16 yards, the latter slamming the door on the Fighting Irish with 2:35 remaining.

Raleek Brown opened the second half with a 5-yard touchdown run for the Trojans. Austin Jones, meanwhile, buoyed the USC rushing attack with 154 yards on 24 carries to support Williams’ 35 yards.

Williams finished 18-of-22 passing for 232 yards and spread his completions among nine pass-catchers. Jordan Addison led the way with 45 yards on three receptions.

Pyne went 23-of-26 passing for 318 yards and threw three touchdown passes in the loss, including a second to Mayer in the game’s closing moments. He was intercepted by Calen Bullock in the fourth quarter.

The Irish rushed for just 90 yards on 26 carries.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Austin Jones (6) celebrates his touchdown scored against the UCLA Bruins with wide receiver Tahj Washington (16) and wide receiver Michael Jackson III (9) during the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Late interception clinches USC win over UCLA, trip to title game

Korey Foreman’s interception of Dorian Thompson-Robinson with 1:25 remaining preserved No. 7-ranked USC’s 48-45, road win over rival and No. 16 UCLA Saturday in Pasadena, California, and preserved the Trojans’ College Football Playoff aspirations.

USC (10-1, 8-1 Pac-12 Conference) gave up three consecutive UCLA touchdowns over the late third quarter and into the fourth. Laiatu Latu delivered a critical third-down sack, forcing the Trojans’ first punt of the game and giving the Bruins possession again.

UCLA (8-3, 5-3) was driving when Thompson-Robinson found Jake Bobo for a 27-yard gain, part of Bobo’s team-high 76 yards receiving.

On the next play, Foreman stepped in front of Thompson-Robinson’s pass attempt up the middle for USC’s third interception of the UCLA quarterback, to get the critical stop.

With the win, USC sewed up a berth in the Dec. 2 Pac-12 Championship Game. The Trojans close the regular season hosting nonconference rival Notre Dame.

Thompson-Robinson completed 23-of-38 pass attempts for 309 yards with four touchdown passes — three to tight end Michael Ezeike — and rushed for another 81 yards with two touchdowns.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams outdueled him, setting a career-high with 470 yards on 32-of-43 passing. Jordan Addison caught 11 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown, and Kyle Ford hauled in Williams’ other touchdown pass.

Williams added another 33 yards with a touchdown on the ground, while Austin Jones — starting in place of the injured Travis Dye – ran for 120 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns.

UCLA (8-3, 5-3) jumped ahead 14-0, capitalizing on a pair of early USC misfires deep in Bruins territory. The Trojans had three trips into the UCLA red zone that failed to net any points.

The Bruins, meanwhile, went 4-of-4 on red-zone attempts. UCLA’s inability to slow the USC offense, which gained 649 total yards, made the difference. The Bruins gained 507 yards.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Kyle Ford (81) is unable to get his feet down for a catch against Arizona Wildcats cornerback Ephesians Prysock (7) during the first half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Williams throws 5 TDs as No. 10 USC defeats Arizona

Sophomore Caleb Williams passed for a career-high 411 yards and five touchdowns without his top two receivers as No. 10 Southern California held off Arizona 45-37 on Saturday night in Tucson, Ariz.

The Trojans (7-1, 5-1 Pac-12), played without receivers Jordan Addison (injury) and Mario Williams (unknown), but Tahj Washington (seven catches, 118 yards, two touchdowns) and Kyle Ford (six catches, 114 yards, one TD) helped keep the passing game on track.

Arizona (3-5, 1-4) mostly kept pace but punted after USC took a 38-29 lead with 13:38 to go. The Trojans gave themselves breathing room with an 83-yard drive, capped by Travis Dye’s 2-yard leap into the end zone to make it 45-29 at the 6:24 mark.

The Wildcats climbed within 45-37 with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:26 to go, but USC recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock with the help of a conversion on fourth-and-1.

Williams completed 31 of 45 passes without an interception as USC rolled to 621 total yards. Dye finished with 113 yards on 20 carries.

Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura completed 26 of 43 passes for 380 yards. Dorian Singer was on the receiving end of all three of de Laura’s touchdown passes, finishing with seven catches for 141 yards.

USC was protecting a 24-16 lead in the third quarter when Bryson Shaw picked off de Laura. One play later, Williams found Washington for a 47-yard touchdown and a 31-16 edge.

Arizona stormed back with two touchdowns in less than four minutes, including a 10-yard run by Michael Wiley with 1:42 left in the third quarter. A two-point conversion failed, leaving Arizona behind 31-29.

USC, which also played without left guard Andrew Vorhees and linebackers Eric Gentry and Ralen Goforth due to injury, beat Arizona for the 10th consecutive time.

The first half ended in controversy, when USC drove to the Arizona 10 with five seconds left, looking to spike the ball to stop the clock. But the clock re-started before the ball was spotted, and time expired before the snap. USC coach Lincoln Riley was livid, but officials stuck with the decision that the half was over with the Trojans up 17-13.

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA;  USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) recovers a fumbled snap and runs for a first down against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

No. 6 USC welcomes test from Washington State

No. 6 Southern California looks to match its best start since 2006 when it welcomes Pac-12 counterpart Washington State to Los Angeles on Saturday.

The Trojans (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12) remained perfect in the Lincoln Riley era – at least, in terms of record – with a 42-25 defeat of sputtering Arizona State last week.

USC did have a minor first-time blemish last week under Riley: Quarterback Caleb Williams threw an interception for the first Trojans turnover of 2022.

It hardly impacted USC’s FBS-best plus-14 turnover margin through five games, and the outlook for the Trojans continuing to dominate in that department is favorable for Week 6.

Washington State (4-1, 1-1) is minus-4 in turnover margin for the season. The Cougars finished on the negative side of the turnover battle in each of their first two Pac-12 games, losing two turnovers while gaining one in a 44-41 loss to Oregon on Sept. 24; and giving away a pair without a takeaway last week vs. Cal.

The lack of turnovers generated against Cal did not seem to hurt the Washington State defense. The Cougars held the Golden Bears to just 31 net rushing yards on 24 carries, a byproduct of Washington State’s four sacks in the 28-9 win.

Quarterback Cameron Ward, whose 289 passing yards per game edge USC’s Williams and his 280.4 yards a contest for third-most in the Pac-12, surpassed 300 yards in each of Washington State’s last two outings.

Ward operates out of a variation of the air-raid offense akin to USC’s, overseen by coordinator Eric Morris. Morris played at wide receiver at Texas Tech coinciding with Riley’s tenure as a Red Raiders assistant coach – including Riley’s stint as wide-receivers coach from 2007-09.

Morris became a Texas Tech assistant and eventually offensive coordinator, in that time developing his own nuances to the scheme. Riley praised Morris’ approach, particularly in maximizing Ward’s potential.

“(Morris has) done a good job of marrying it to what the quarterback does well,” Riley said. “He’s obviously been able to have some continuity with this guy, and you see that Eric’s a smart enough coach (that) he’s got an understanding of what his guy can do well.”

That “continuity” mirrors USC’s own situation with Riley and Williams. Shortly after Riley accepted the Trojans’ coaching vacancy and left Oklahoma, Williams followed.

Likewise, Morris worked as head coach of FCS Incarnate Word, leading the Cardinals to their first-ever playoff appearance last season. Ward won the Jerry Rice Award as the top FCS freshman in the spring 2021 campaign and was a contender for the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy – the Walter Payton Award – last season.

Ward’s 718 combined passing yards over the past two weeks suggest the quarterback is finding his groove, but cutting back on interceptions with seven in five games is a must – particularly against USC.

The Trojans’ 12 interceptions lead the nation, and nine different players have picks. Mekhi Blackmon, Max Williams and Calen Bullock set the pace with two each.

Cougars wide receiver Renard Bell said extending gains and “just not taking what the route gives” would be critical to the Washington State offense, echoing the sentiment of Cougars head coach Jake Dickert.

“We also need explosive plays off 7-yard throws, and guys making people miss, and explosive plays off of the screen game. It isn’t just throwing deep,” Dickert said. “We’re going to need some guys to make some plays down the field to win this football game.”

Washington State seeks its first win over USC since 2017, when the Cougars ended the Trojans’ best start in seven years with a 30-27 decision at Pullman, Wash.

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) carries the ball against the Rice Owls in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

No. 10 USC puts up new look against pesky Stanford

No. 10 Southern California will open Pac-12 Conference play against one of its most vexing rivals in recent years, traveling to Stanford for a prime-time matchup on Saturday at Palo Alto, Calif.

The Trojans (1-0) scored 52 points over the second and third quarters to cruise to a 66-14 rout of Rice last week. The blowout marked the debut of Southern Cal head coach Lincoln Riley, as well as the first appearance in a Trojans uniform for a variety of highly anticipated transfers.

Quarterback Caleb Williams, who followed Riley from Oklahoma, completed 19 of 22 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns — both of which went to Pitt transfer and reigning Biletnikoff Award-winning receiver Jordan Addison.

Williams also rushed for a team-high 68 yards on six carries.

“We know the type of player we’re playing this week at the quarterback position, (and) you better bring your feet when you get your hands wrapped around this guy,” Stanford coach David Shaw said of containing Williams in the run game.

The Cardinal (1-0) opened the season with a 41-10 romp over Colgate, an opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision. Stanford outgained the Raiders 497-218, with quarterback Tanner McKee going 22-of-27 passing for 308 yards and two touchdowns.

Stanford’s 169 rushing yards last week marked the program’s most in a game since accruing 204 in a win over Vanderbilt last September – though 87 came on a single run by running back E.J. Smith.

Smith’s 87-yard carry 18 seconds into the game culminated in the first of his two touchdown runs. He had 118 yards on 11 total carries.

Running-game woes hampered the Cardinal in a disappointing 2021, as Stanford’s 86.9 rushing yards per game were the third fewest among Power 5 conference teams and the fewest in the Pac-12.

Stanford eclipsed 100 yards rushing just four times last season, and one such occasion came in the Cardinal’s 42-28 win at USC, also in the second game on the schedule.

The loss was the final game of then-coach Clay Helton’s tumultuous tenure at the helm of the program. For Stanford, it was the first of just two conference wins in an uncharacteristically down season for the program.

Before finishing the 2019 season at 4-8 overall, Stanford concluded on the right side of .500 every season from 2009 through 2018. Last year’s 3-9 finish was the second time in three seasons the Cardinal fell out of the bowl picture.

During its sustained run of success beginning in 2009, however, Stanford went 8-4 against USC. Shaw’s record in the series since becoming head coach in 2011 is 7-5. Riley is the fifth Trojans head coach or interim head coach Shaw will face in that time.

“It’s a coaching matchup; just trying to get our team ready,” Riley said. “We’re excited about going and playing on the road (in the) first conference game. As a program, (if) you want to be championship level, you’ve got to embrace going and playing on the road. And these conference road games are like gold.”

Last season, USC won its first two road games, against conference foes Washington State and Colorado. The Trojans lost their next three away from home.

–Field Level Media