USC Vs. Colorado: Trojans Continue Rout Of Buffs, Lead 40-6 At End Of Third Quarter

Oct 20, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Robert Woods (2) celebrates with receiver Marqise Lee (9) and tailback Silas Redd (25) after scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The Trojans have yet to let up on Colorado, continuing to exploit their weaknesses and showcase their own strengths in the process of their 33-6 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Early in the third, USC CB-turned-LB Tony Burnett straight up ripped the ball out of a Colorado receivers hands just as the Buffs looked like they might do something, and then he took it back over 50 yards before being dragged down. From there, Barkley heaved another bomb to–who else?–Robert Woods to put USC once again in scoring position.

A four-yard dance for Marqise Lee followed, and on that play LT Aundrey Walker went down, clutching at his neck. After a few minutes he sat up and was carter off te field, giving a thumbs up gesture to the crowd. He was moving his head and neck when he left the field. Freshman Max Tuerk took over for him, and depending on how Walker’s injury is diagnosed, could be the starter for the remainder of the season.

Right after that Barkley hit Woods from three yards out for his sixth touchdown pass on the night, extending USC’s lead 40-6. That fourth TD pass marked another record for Woods, who now has the most TD passes caught in a single game. Woods himself held the previous record, with three.

On Colorado’s next drive, they moved down the field easily, courtesy of a 45-yard run from a screen pass that moved them right up to USC’s redzone. In yet another incredible goal line stand, the Trojan D-line suffocated Webb on Third-and-Goal, with pressure brought by DE Kevin Greene who brought Webb down for a sack and forced the fumble, and DE J.R. Tavai recovered it.

Lane Kiffin called off his dogs after that turnover, taking out all of USC’s starting offensive playmakers. Max Wittek took the field for the Trojans and after a quick three-and-out, P Kyle Negrete took the field for his first punt of the night.

With Wittek taking over for Barkley, the seior QB would end the night completing 19 of 20 passes for 298 yards and six TDs, literally one pass shy of having a perfect game.

On Colorado’s next drive, they were greeted by all of USC’s second team defensive plays, as Kiffin also pulled every single defensive starter out of the game. With an entire quarter of garbage time to go, the second teamers effectively kept the Buffs out of the endzone to close out the third quarter.