Football | August 28, 2023
100 YEARS...
*No. 6 USC stays at home for a second week in a row to challenge Nevada from the Mountain West Conference in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The game will air nationally on the Pac-12 Network.
*It has been 94 years since the last meeting between the two teams on Nov. 9, 1929. The 2023 Trojan-Wolf Pack matchup will mark the 100th anniversary of the teams' 1923 meeting in the second-ever collegiate varsity football game played in the then-new Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 13, 1923.
SAN JOSÉ STATE GAME RECAP
*Defending Heisman Trophy winner QB Caleb Williams went 18-of-25 (.720) for 278 yards and 4 TDs to lead the Trojans to the first victory of the season over San Jose State in the Coliseum. •It was his sixth game as a Trojan with 4 or more TD passes (3 games with 5 TD passes, 3 games with 4 TD passes).
*The 56 points USC scored vs. San Jose State tonight matched the most the Trojans have ever scored in a game against the Spartans (won 56-3 in the 2009 season opener). USC scored 66 points in its opener vs. Rice last season, but prior to that, the last time USC scored 56 or more points in the opener was the San Jose State game in 2009.
*10 of USC's 22 starters tonight were making their first start as Trojans.
*3 of USC's 22 starters tonight were true freshmen. •USC opened the game by scoring a touchdown on its first drive (10 plays for 80 yards, taking 3:41). USC scored a touchdown on 9 of its first drives in games last season.
*USC had 501 total yards of offense. USC had 500 or more total yards in 9 of 14 games last season. •His 76-yard TD pass to WR Tahj Washington in the second quarter was the longest of Williams' career. It was also the longest touchdown throw by a USC quarterback since Kedon Slovis in 2019, who threw a 95- yard touchdown pass against Arizona State on Nov. 9.
*QB Miller Moss also saw action, going 5-of-7 (.714) and rushed for 4 yards on 1 carry to scoring the first rushing TD of his career.
*Freshman QB Malachi Nelson made his Trojan debut and went 1-of-3 (.333) for 0 yards.
*WR Zachariah Branch had a dazzling freshman debut with 4 receptions for 58 yards and 1 TD. •Branch also lit up the Coliseum with an electric 96-yard kickoff return for a TD reminiscent of former Trojan kickoff returner Adoree' Jackson.
*In fact, the last USC true freshman to return a kickoff for a touchdown was Adoree' Jackson vs. Nebraska (98 yards) in the 2014 Holiday Bowl (Jackson also had a scoring kickoff return earlier in the season vs. Utah for 100 yards).
*The last Trojan to have a scoring kickoff return and a receiving TD in a game was Adoree' Jackson against Notre Dame in 2016 (He also had a scoring punt return in that same game).
*The last Trojan to return a kickoff for a touchdown was Velus Jones Jr. (100 yards) vs. Fresno State on Aug. 31, 2019.
*WR Tahj Washington had 2 receptions for a team-leading 85 yards. The 76-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was his longest as a Trojan. He had a 92-yard reception while at Memphis in 2020. Washington also led USC in the 2022 season opener with 65 receiving yards.
*Ten different Trojan receivers caught passes against the Spartans, including 4 true freshmen.
*RB Austin Jones led USC with 54 rushing yards and 2 TD runs. He also scored 2TDs in the opener last season vs. Rice.
*LG Alani Noa became the first USC true freshman to start at left guard in a season opener since Toa Lobendahn started the opener at left guard in 2014 vs. Fresno State on Aug. 30. The last true freshman to start any game at left guard for USC was Courtland Ford in 2020 vs. Washington State on Dec. 6 .
*13 Trojan offensive linemen saw action against the Spartans.
*Defensively, S Jaylin Smith led the team with 8 tackles.
*ILB Mason Cobb and DL Anthony Lucas each had 2.0 TFLs, Cobb for 7 yards and Lucas for 5.
*RUSH Solomon Byrd and DL Bear Alexander split the 1 sack of the night for 22 yards.
*CB Domani Jackson, RUSH Jamil Muhammad, CB Christian Roland-Wallace and DL Bear Alexander each recorded 1 PBU.
*ILB Tackett Curtis' start at middle linebacker marks the first time a USC true freshman has started at middle linebacker in the season opener since Cameron Smith started in the 2015 season opener against Arkansas State on Sept. 9, 2015. Curtis finished with two tackles.
*PK Denis Lynch went 8-for-8 in PATs.
NEVADA SCOUTING REPORT
*Coach Ken Wilson enters his second season with the Wolf Pack.
*The team went 2-10 in 2022.
*In 2022, the Wolf Pack averaged just 18.8 points per game, its second fewest in 31 seasons at the FBS level. Nevada ranked bottom 10 in the nation in pass efficiency and bottom 15 in rushing yards per attempt.
*Nevada averaged 304.7 yards per game, ranking 122 in the nation.
*Colorado transfer dual-threat QB Brandon Lewis is the frontrunner for the quarterback job.
*He looks to turnaround a program that threw more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (7) last season. •Two Pac-12 RB transfers look to make an impact: Sean Dollars from Oregon (316 yards [6.4 yards per carry] and 18 catches for 144 yards in 2022) and Ashton Hayes from California (1 attempt for 14 yards in 2022).
*Trojan fans will see a familiar face on the opposing side in WR John Jackson III (4 receptions for 39 yards as a Trojan).
*In 2022, Nevada allowed 6.85 tackles for loss per game.
*In total, Nevada's offensive line returns players with only 37 career starts total. They also allowed 34 sacks and limited the rushing game to 3.3 yards per carry.
*The offensive line is inexperienced with sophomore Isaiah World having the most career starts with 10.
*Defensively, LB Dion Washington had 21 tackles, including 5 for loss with 2 sacks, and a forced fumble in 2022.
*DB Tre Weed transferred from Eastern Washington and had 3 INTs and 30 tackles (24 solo), with 1 for loss in 2022.
RANKINGS
*USC is still ranked No. 6 in the latest AP Poll and 6th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Nevada is not ranked.
SERIES
*USC is 5-0 all-time against Nevada, with all of the games held at the Coliseum.
VERSUS MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
*USC is 35-1-1 (.960) against Mountain West opponents (does not include 2 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 37-1-1, .962)
IN SEPTEMBER
*USC has a 193-55-8 (.770) all-time record while playing in the month of September (does not include 3 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 196-55-8, .772).
IN COLISEUM
*USC has a 462-146-27 (.749) all-time record in the Coliseum since the stadium opened in 1923 (not including 6 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 468-146-27, .751). USC's 641 games played in the Coliseum (including the 6 vacated wins) is the third most that any school has played in its home stadium (behind Georgia Tech's 718 in Bobby Dodd Stadium and Tennessee's 643 in Neyland Stadium).
USC-NEVADA CONNECTIONS
*USC has five players from Nevada - WR Zachariah Branch, S Zion Branch, WR Michael Jackson III, CB Fabian Ross and RUSH Garrett Pomerantz, while Nevada has 47 players from California.
*USC ILB Eric Gentry and P/PK Eddie Czaplicki and Nevada OL Jacob Nunez previously played together at Arizona State.
*USC WR Brenden Rice and Nevada QB Brendon Lewis previously played together at Colorado.
*USC RUSH DJ Peevy and Nevada OL Isaiah World previously played together at Lincoln High School (San Diego).
*USC ILB Carson Tabaracci and Nevada DB Caine Savage previously played together at Utah. USC RB's coach Kiel McDonald held a similar role at Utah while Savage was a Ute.
*Nevada WR John Jackson III previously played 4 seasons at USC (2019-22). His sister Simone is a sophomore on the USC women's soccer team. His father, John Jr., set USC's career pass receptions record (163 catches) as a 4-year (1986-89) wide receiver. His grandfather, John Sr., was USC's running backs coach and offensive coordinator for 6 seasons (1976-81), helping Charles White (1979) and Marcus Allen (1981) win Heisman Trophies as the Trojans won 3 Rose Bowls. His aunt, Tracie, was employed at USC.
*Nevada LB Eli'jah Winston previously played at USC from 2018-2021.
*Nevada WR Nate Burleson II's father, Nate Burleson is a co-host of "CBS Mornings" and a studio analyst for "The NFL Today" and has interviewed Trojan players throughout the years.
*Nevada's defensive analyst, Jeff Magdaleno, used to work at USC in game operations.
LOS ANGELES COLISEUM CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
*The USC Football games continue to play a pivotal role in the 'Coliseum Forever' celebration at the historic LA Memorial Coliseum. This year, the Coliseum commemorates its centennial anniversary—a significant achievement resonating with sports enthusiasts, history aficionados, and the entire Los Angeles community.
*To commemorate the centennial celebration, the Trojan football players will wear a "100" sticker on their helmets during the 2023 season.
0 Comments