USC football vs. Stanford: Live score updates, game highlights from Trojans' Pac-12 opener
The USC Trojans face their first real test under Lincoln Riley on Saturday in their Pac-12 opener on the road at Stanford.
The Trojans looked explosive in their 66-14 victory over Rice last week, but Stanford will pose a much bigger challenge. The Cardinal have a pro-style quarterback in Tanner McKee and the son of NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith at running back.
Because of the shortened Covid season in 2020, USC has not played at Stanford since 2018 - and that game ended in a 17-3 loss to the Cardinal.
How will USC fare on Saturday? Stay with us for all of the big play and scoring highlights:
FOURTH QUARTER UPDATES
FINAL: USC 41, STANFORD 28: The Trojans are 1-0 in the Pac-12.
USC 41, STANFORD 28, 5:03 LEFT: The second half is dragggginnnng on. Stanford scored its second touchdown of the fourth quarter on a 2-yard keeper by quarterback Tanner McKee. USC will now try to kill the clock.
USC 41, STANFORD 21, 10:21 LEFT: Casey Filkins scored on a 2-yard run to cut USC's lead to three scores early in the fourth quarter.
THIRD QUARTER UPDATES
USC 41, STANFORD 14, 0:55 LEFT: Denis Lynch kicked a 42-yard field goal, his second of the game, to extend USC's lead.
FUMBLE! USC comes up with another turnover, their fourth of the game. Tuli Tuipulotu forced the fumble and Jacobe Covington recovered it. USC has the ball on Stanford's 32-yard line with 3:09 left in the quarter.
USC 38, STANFORD 14, 13:49 LEFT: Denis Lynch booted a 45-yard field to open the second half scoring for USC.
HALFTIME: USC 35, STANFORD 14
Caleb Williams was 13-of-15 for 244. yards and four touchdown passes in the first half.
SECOND QUARTER UPDATES
USC 35, STANFORD 14, 2:33 LEFT: Travis Dye capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a 27-yard touchdown run up the middle to extend USC's lead before halftime.
USC 28, STANFORD 14, 6:13 LEFT: E.J. Smith - Emmitt Smith's son - scored on a 5-yard run to cut USC's lead to 14 points. The touchdown capped an eight-play, 67-yard drive.
USC 28, STANFORD 7, 9:02 LEFT: Mario Williams just made Stanford's defense look silly. Williams took a screen pass, shook a tackle and blew past three defenders on a 15-yard touchdown catch to give USC a 21-point lead.
FUMBLE! USC comes up with its third turnover of the game on their own 2-yard line, thwarting another long Stanford drive. Max Williams came up to force the fumble with a big hit on E.J. Smith, and Mekhi Blackmon recovered the fumble. USC still leads 21-7.
FIRST QUARTER UPDATES
USC 21, STANFORD 7, 0:46 LEFT: WOW! On their first play after the Stanford touchdown, Caleb Williams connected with Jordan Addison on a 75-yard touchdown pass. Addison had one-on-one coverage and Williams put it on him in stride.
USC 14, STANFORD 7, 0:57 LEFT: Tanner McKee connected with E.J. Smith on a 3-yard TD pass to get Stanford right back in the game.
USC 14, STANFORD 0, 4:03 LEFT: The Trojans are rolling. Caleb Williams connected with Jordan Addison on a 22-yard screen that Addison took to the house to give USC a 14-0 lead. Williams is 5-of-6 for 67 yards and two TDs.
ANOTHER INTERCEPTION BY USC! This is getting ridiculous. The Trojans now have six interceptions in less than five quarters. This one came from CB Mekhi Blackmon in the end zone to thwart a 13-play Stanford drive. Blackmon returned it to USC's 18-yard line and the Trojans are back in business, still leading 7-0.
USC 7, STANFORD 0, 12:38 LEFT: Well that didn't take long. Max Williams picked off Stanford QB Tanner McKee on the opening series, giving USC's offense a short field. Caleb Williams quickly capitalized, finding tight end Lake McRee on a five-yard touchdown pass to give USC the early lead.
