By Matthew E. Milliken
MEMwrites.wordpress.com
Sept. 12, 2022
USC scored touchdowns on its first five possessions and held off a second-half rally to claim a 41-28 victory at Stanford Stadium in a nationally televised college football game on Saturday night.
The result was a stark turnaround from last season’s 42-28 Stanford thrashing of USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum, an outcome that prompted the firing of Trojans coach Clay Helton. Using a talented, transfer-heavy roster assembled by new head coach Lincoln Riley, the 10th-ranked Trojans improved to 2-0. Stanford fell to 1-1 in the first Pac-12 conference action of 2022.
Caleb Williams, the sophomore transfer who played under Riley last season at Oklahoma, led the way by completing 20 of 27 throws for 341 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. His favorite target was Pittsburgh transfer Jordan Addison, who caught seven balls for 172 yards and two touchdowns. Former Oregon running back Travis Dye was the game’s leading rusher, carrying 14 times for 105 yards and a score.
Stanford slinger Tanner McKee was more pedestrian, completing 20 of 35 throws for 220 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. The Cardinal’s leading runner, E.J. Smith, gained 88 yards on 19 rushes and scored a touchdown, but he coughed up the ball twice, including once at the USC 2.
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