Los Angeles • Steven Mitchell and Deontay Burnett caught two touchdown passes apiece from Sam Darnold, and No. 6 Southern California extended its winning streak to 11 games with a bruising 42-24 victory over No. 14 Stanford on Saturday night.
Darnold went 21 of 26 with 316 yards passing for the Trojans (2-0, 1-0 Pac-12), who snapped their three-game losing streak in this California private-school rivalry. USC racked up 623 total yards and won the first Pac-12 game of the new season by beating the hard-nosed Cardinal (1-1, 0-1) at their own physical game.
Ronald Jones II rushed for 116 yards and scored a touchdown in his ninth consecutive game as USC excelled at Stanford’s traditional strengths, running the ball for 307 yards and controlling both lines of scrimmage. Turnovers and penalties by the Trojans kept it fairly close, but freshman Stephen Carr added 119 yards rushing, and Jones cartwheeled into the end zone with a clinching 23-yard TD run with 4:15 to play.
Keller Chryst passed for 172 yards and two touchdowns, while Bryce Love had a 75-yard TD run among his 160 yards rushing for the Cardinal, who hadn’t played since their season-opening win over Rice in Australia last month.
After a scoreless third quarter, USC made a 90-yard scoring drive capped by Mitchell’s second TD on a feathery 11-yard TD pass by Darnold with 9:42 to play. Stanford stayed close with J.J. Arcega-Whiteside’s TD catch with 6:41 to play, but Jones’ incredible second TD run capped a smooth 75-yard drive in USC’s 11th consecutive win at the Coliseum.
Stanford had won eight of its last 11 meetings with USC in a dominant stretch that began with its historic 2007 upset victory at the Coliseum.
After USC scored 49 points in its season opener, Darnold’s offense again was in fine form from the start. USC scored four touchdowns on five lengthy drives in the first half, with Darnold hitting Burnett for two of his three TD passes.
USC moved 74 yards on two plays late in the half to take a 28-17 lead on Burnett’s leaping 25-yard TD grab.
THE TAKEAWAY
Stanford: That 62-point performance in the season opener Down Under was impossible to replicate against a top Pac-12 defense, and the Cardinal’s offense will know it must add versatility to the attack. Stanford’s defense also had big problems at the line of scrimmage, and that isn’t a problem with which the Cardinal have much experience.
USC: This talent-laden offense has appeared to have the makings of a juggernaut so far. Darnold returned to 2016 form with a smooth, poised performance against a vaunted conference opponent, while the Trojans’ receivers appear to be much more reliable than coach Clay Helton feared. USC’s defense also stepped up after halftime and shut down one of the Pac-12′s best.
UP NEXT
Stanford: The Cardinal’s three-game stretch away from home to open the season concludes at San Diego State.
USC: The Trojans welcome Texas to the Coliseum for a meeting of two powerhouse programs.