USC vs. ASU: Who Were the Studs and Duds

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Sep 26, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Mike Bercovici (2) dives for yardage in the second quarter against the Southern California Trojans at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Who were the duds?

Mike Bercovici: The Sun Devil quarterback was the star of last year’s contest, with 510 yards and five touchdowns as he generated ASU’s improbable comeback.

There would be no comeback this time around. Especially not with Bercovici playing like he did. On 23-of44 passing with 272 yards, no touchdowns and a bad interception, Bercovici had trouble coping with the Trojan pass rush.

In the first half he had just 77 yards passing, by then the game was over.

Offensive Line Penalties: It’s a good thing USC was able to jump out to such a sizable lead, because in a closer game offensive line penalties like the Trojans racked up would be a major issue.

The men of Troy drew ten flags for 91 yards, the bulk of which were thrown against the offensive line. Consecutive holding and false start penalties derailed one third quarter drive.

Rush Defense: Like Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey was able to rip through the middle of USC’s defense, ASU’s Demario Richard had no trouble gaining yards up the gut against the Trojans.

All told, the Sun Devils were not able to generate much offense, but where they were able to eat up yards was on the ground. Richard had 131 yards along with two touchdowns while ASU as a whole logged a total of 182 yards rushing.

The #FireWilcox Campaign: The “Fire Wilcox” campaign had never been stronger after USC’s defense was manhandled by Stanford. There was little reason to burn the defensive coordinator in effigy this week however. Fans wanted more blitzing? Wilcox brought many and varied blitzes to disrupt Bercovici’s rhythm throughout the night. Though the Trojan defense still had its issues, there seemed to be a clear response to the criticism.

Who were your studs and duds from USC vs. ASU? Sound off in the comments below.

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