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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.
Oct 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) carries the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes during a NCAA football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated Colorado 21-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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…
October 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is brought down and loses the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Addison Gillam (44) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Who were the duds?
Sam Darnold’s Second Half:
As good as Darnold was in the first half, his second half performance nearly buried the Trojans. The quarterback’s efficiency went off a cliff, completing just 11-of-20 attempts. His fumble led to Colorado’s first touchdown and he followed that up with an inexplicable interception.
Though he led the team down the field for the winning score, his passes were often lobbed into dangerous areas, with the likes of Darreus Rogers bailing him out on the biggest play of the final quarter.
Ball Security:
Reminiscient of the Utah game, USC had four fumbles against Colorado. Except this time there was no bad weather to blame.
More from Reign of Troy
The troubling part of the Trojans’ ball security troubles is that two of the most important ball handlers on the team have been the most guilty of playing loose with the ball. Justin Davis’ fumble was a major mistake, but Darnold was responsible for three, two of which the Trojans lost.
Shay Fields:
Another year, another game in which Fields was a non-factor against the team he had once pledged his signature two. The revenge-game story line fell noticeably short as Fields had just four catches for 32 yards. Unlike years past, when Fields was not the main man for the Buffalo receiving corps, the absence of Colorado’s No. 1 receiver was notable this time around.
Steven Montez:
In the two games since starting quarterback Sefo Liufau went down with injury, Montez was the ideal stand in. He had an average QB rating of 187 in those games, helping the Buffaloes to a tough win at Oregon and a blowout over Oregon State.
Against USC, however, Montez was proven fallible. On 40 pass attempts, the redshirt freshman completed 25 for just 197 yards. He was sacked three times and only did damage with his legs on one long run.
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