USC vs. Cal: Who Were the Studs and Duds

Oct 31, 2015; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff (16) prepares to throw a touchdown to California wide receiver Bryce Treggs (1) against the Southern California Trojans in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Who were the duds?

Clay Helton’s Play Calling: As nice as it was to see USC commit to the run, keeping it on the ground to the tune of 47 rushing attempts, the aforementioned rarity of Ronald Jones II touches remains a mystery. With Tre Madden back in the lineup, there were more mouths to feed, but if any back deserved to a bigger piece of the pie it was Jones. Moreover, obvious bubble screens in the first half were the cause of much frustration.

Jared Goff: Projected as the top quarterback USC would face this season, Goff proved to have a bit too much of Travis Wilson in him, throwing two interceptions. All in all, it was not a terrible outing for the much-hyped pro prospect, but the turnovers were the difference in a game which ultimately came down to one possession.

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USC’s Defensive Line: They received praise for their performance against Utah, but the Trojan defensive line were less-than-stellar performers versus Cal. The line generated no sacks on the day as Jared Goff successfully broke free from pressure to rush for 23 yards. They were also powerless to stop the Bear rushing attack early on. Daniel Lasco finished with 64 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries, but he looked near unstoppable early on in the game.

Team Discipline: Penalties became an issue once again, proving last week’s respite from excessive flagging was not the beginning of something new. USC was penalized six times for 65 yards, including multiple pass interference infractions and a personal foul on Chris Hawkins, who was caught throwing a punch at a Cal player in retaliation for some extracurricular roughness.

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