Los Angeles, CA— USC quarterback Caleb Williams passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score while playing half football, Zachariah Branch returned a punt 75 yards for a score, and No. 6 USC annihilated Stanford 56-10 on Saturday night.
It was the largest margin of defeat in the series since a 42-0 beating in 2006. Bolting for the Big Ten next season, the Trojans (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12 Conference) had their best scoring night in the rivalry since scoring 51 on Stanford in 2005.
It was the most points USC has scored against Stanford and the 46-point difference marked USC’s largest victory over Stanford since 1977 (49-0).
“That was one of our more complete halves, where guys were firing on all cylinders,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “All three sides of the ball just surged and got the momentum and kept it. It’s fun to see the team really playing there at a high level together for a sustained period.”
USC amassed 433 yards of offense and put up seven touchdowns by seven players while building a 49-3 at the break — the third-largest in Pac-12 history — in the conference’s final opening contest.
This was the last scheduled meeting between USC and its oldest rival in a series that began in 1905, although the private schools could resume it in the future.
“We’re proud of taking advantage of the moment, in that this is potentially the last SC-Stanford game for a while,” said Riley, who won at Stanford last year in his first road game at USC. “This was a series that we talked with the team a lot last year. This was a series that in recent years had went a little bit of a different way. I’m really, big-picture, proud to be able to get the final last two meetings here. It was important for us to seize the moment and opportunity.”
Williams only played seven offensive series and used backups in the second half of their blowout of Stanford (1-1, 0-1).
“Not pacing myself at all,” Williams said. “I’m going out there trying to kill. That’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to make everybody feel our pain and play on our own terms, like Coach said. Take that identity of ourselves and figure that out.”
Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels got injured while getting sacked early in the second quarter of his second career start for the Cardinals. Backup Justin Lamson tossed for 121 yards and rushed for the Cardinal’s only score with 3:35 left in the game.
USC’s defense played very well in the first half, forcing two turnovers and holding Stanford to 146 yards after having bouts of inconsistency in the Trojans’ first two blowout wins this season.
“We’re a young team, we knew that,” Taylor said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be a really good team, so we’re going to continue to work, and I can promise you that those guys will not go in the tank. They’ll be ready to move on.”
UP NEXT:
Stanford: Hosts Sacramento State on Saturday, Sept. 16.
USC: At Arizona State on Saturday, Sept. 23.
