USC Football overcomes dreadful first quarter to earn blowout PAC-12 W

USC Football played what was likely their worst quarter of the season in the first quarter of Friday night's clash against the PAC-12's Colorado. They were losing 3-2 after the quarter, as they had only mustered up a safety in order to put any points on the board at all. The defense was playing very well, but the offense and special teams looked awful.

Even some of the best players for SC had lousy quarters. Caleb Williams even started the game one for six with two passing yards and an interception. Travis Dye couldn't get anything going on the ground. This team took that first quarter personally, however. The Trojans ended up notching their third straight win by a final score of 55-17.

It happened through a variety of reasons. Williams certainly picked up his game; finishing with 268 passing yards on 26 attempts and three passing touchdowns to just one pick. He also had two rushing scores.

Austin Jones dominated after Travis Dye went down (to what may be a serious lower body injury); rushing the ball 11 times for 74 yards, and catching four passes for 39 receiving yards and a touchdown catch. Tuli Tuipulotu was a menace on defense; recording 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble that was recovered by USC DL Stanley Ta'ufo'ou, and a PD.

He did this while playing some middle linebacker too, in Eric Gentry's roll. He was everywhere for the defense, and a major part as to why the D only allowed 259 total yards. Kyle Ford had 73 yards receiving. Brenden Rice had 70 and a touchdown. Tahj Washington had 66 and a touchdown. The whole team went crazy after that terrible first quarter.

USC Football is now 9-1 on the season.

USC Football was still likely to win the football game after that lackluster first quarter, but they were likely not to play inspiring football on the day. That was especially the case when Dye went down. They went crazy ever since they got back from that abysmal first quarter, though, and ended up emptying the bench on offense during the fourth quarter.

Speaking of the bench, many backups played well when they were inserted in the game. Backup QB Miller Moss completed six out of seven passes for 78 passing yards and a touchdown, and Raleek Brown ran it seven times for 52 yards. He also had two receptions for 38 receiving yards and a touchdown. Darwin Barlow had five carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. He added on two receptions for 31 receiving yards.

SC hadn't put a hurting on anybody since Arizona State in Week 5. To have them put together a true, dominant, blue blood whooping on Colorado was important to see as they enter their hardest two-game stretch of the season. That stretch starts next week with a monumental challenge at No. 12 UCLA.