USC vs Colorado 2016: Who Were the Studs and Duds?

Oct 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans tight end Tyler Petite (82) carries the ball on an 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes during a NCAA football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the close scoreline, USC vs Colorado was a showcase for the Trojans on offense and defense, with plenty of studs to choose between.

USC left the victory until late, but it was clear from the first half that the Trojans were more than capable of hanging with the No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes.

Still, it took some stud performances to get USC back to .500 on the season.

Here’s a look at who stood out in the 21-17 win for all the right reasons and all the wrong reasons:

Who were the studs?

The Tight Ends: With Taylor McNamara sidelined due to a back sprain, Tyler Petite and Daniel Imatorbhebhe stepped into the spotlight and didn’t shy away. Imatorbhebhe proved his ability to contribute offensively with two consecutive catches, including a 32-yard touchdown to open his account at USC.

Petite, meanwhile, seemed to be in the right place in the key moments, catching his first touchdown from a scrambling Sam Darnold, then restoring USC’s lead with a seven-yard score.

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Smith-Schuster led all receivers with 113 yards on the day while also logging tackles to prevent more damage on Justin Davis’ fumble and Darnold’s interception.

All five of Smith-Schuster’s receptions resulted in USC first downs and while he didn’t score a touchdown on the day, he could have. Instead of taking the glory for himself, the junior receiver showed his smarts by going down ahead of the goal line with just over a minute left on the clock, effectively ending the game and ensuring victory for the team by denying Colorado the chance for any more possessions.

Darreus Rogers: Rogers is not the most prolific of USC receivers, but with four receptions for 76 yards, he was as important to the Trojan win as any other player. His most critical contribution was a 46-yard reception over the head of Colorado’s Chidobe Awuzie, who was halfway to securing a devastating interception when Rogers grabbed the ball for himself. USC went on to score the winning points on that drive.

Adoree’ Jackson: That Jackson is the best player on the field for USC each and every week remained readily apparent against the Buffaloes. He returned the second half kickoff 38 yards. He fielded a 44-yard punt and took it 47 yards the other way to restore USC’s field position after the Davis fumble. He intercepted Steven Montez with an acrobatic, toe-tap on a thrown away pass. He stopped Phillip Lindsay short of the goal line on a long rush.

Uchenna Nwosu: The USC defense as a whole deserves recognition for their efforts against Colorado, but Nwosu’s performance was representative of the squad’s success as a whole. Leading the team with ten tackles and breaking up two passes at the line of scrimmage, Nwosu capped his performance by sacking Montez in the fourth quarter, forcing the Buffaloes to settle for a field goal.

Sam Darnold’s First Half: The redshirt freshman was nearly perfect in the first half, completing 14-of-17 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. His second score to Petite was the perfect embodiment of his unique skillset as he picked up a fumbled snap, scrambled away from pressure, spinning back to find the tight end of the touchdown. Unfortunately, the game didn’t end at half time…