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BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 30: USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) breaks the pocket during the college football game between the USC Trojans and the Colorado Buffaloes. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOULDER, Colorado (CC) - Led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams passing and Brenden Rice receiving, the undefeated USC Trojans beat the CU Buffaloes, 48-41, today in a highly-anticipated, electrifying PAC-12 game at Folsom Field.
CU clawed back from a huge halftime deficit but their defense, missing its best defensive backs Shilo Sanders and Travis Henry, wilted under pressure from USC's warp speed offense in the face-to-face first half.
Facing their second AP Top 10 team, and second Heisman Trophy quarterback candidate in two weeks, the Buffaloes (3-2, 0-2) drew over 50,000 fans for today's game against the No. 8 Trojans (5-0, 2-0).
Attendees included former superstar pro athletes Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Terrell Owens, C.C. Sabathia, plus entertainers Symba and Da Baby.
Williams had babied the pigskin, by not throwing an interception this season, before sophomore Cam'Ron Silmon picked him off during a valiant CU fourth quarter comeback.
His first pass of a 403-yard game today secured a first down, boosting an under three-minute Trojan march to the end zone.
In those opening minutes, CU's fans could not contain their excitement. They stayed extremely loud even after USC's junior running back Marshawn Lloyd rushed to his left, reversed field, dashed past containment and laced a 27-yard touchdown with 12:39 left in the first quarter.
So this game started for CU just like last week's road game in Oregon. The Buffaloes could not convert a first down on their first drive, after allowing a game-opening TD.
But USC made critical mistakes in the first stanza that kept the Buffs in contention, including a fumbled snap and a personal foul that forced a punt and gifted CU an automatic first down at jmidfield.
The Buffaloes kept possession for 17 plays on an impressive drive, keeping Williams off the field, but missed a field goal.
Then scrambling, rolling left, firing right across his body, Williams tossed a magnificent 71-yard TD to high-speed Tahj Washington.
USC's Christian Roland-Wallace then intercepted Sanders deep in CU territory with 1:14 to go in the first. It was only his second interception thrown this season. But it led to another seven for USC.
The Buffs were losing 21-0 early in the second, for the second week in a row, after Dorian Singer caught an 8-yard yank from Williams.
The Buffaloes bounced right back and scored on a perfectly-thrown 30-yard yelp from Sanders to Jimmy Horn Jr.
But the Buffs later suffered self-inflicted mistakes on offense, including a blocked punt that gifted USC possession at CU's 23-yard line.
Williams then hooked-up with Mario Williams on a 24-yard TD hammer throw.
Continuing the air raid, Rice, the son of the NFL's all-time leading receiver Jerry Rice, caught a 26-yard TD pass from Williams.
Rice, who is a senior and a former CU player, began this game as the PAC-12's leader in TD passes received. His sixth made it 34-7 USC. In the second half, he caught his seventh.
But before then, Sanders scored on a 25-yard sprint late in the first half.
34-14 USC at the break.
The second half started the same as CU's previous two games. An entertaining, garbage time contest in pursuit of a Cinderella-like comeback story.
Yet, whereas most blowouts can't hold your attention, CU's recent games do because they continue to fight extremely hard.
After describing CU's play as "hot garbage" last week, Coach Prime, Deion Sanders was asked how his team would bounce back this week.
"Admit it, forget it and quit it. Let's move on," the devout Christian said this morning before the game. He has also told his opponents to beat him now before the Buffs get really good.
They got really good in the fourth quarter and cut the lead to 14 after Sanders threw a poison dart that emerging star freshman Omarion Miller caught. No weapons formed against him shall prosper, apparently.
48-34 USC early in the fourth.
With 10:29 left in the game, there was a sense that momentum was swinging to CU. Miller almost broke for a long TD reception but was tripped by an ankle tackle. CU could not take advantage, though, because Sanders was sacked on fourth down.
But the Buffs would not quit. They outscored USC 21-14 in the second half.
With 5:58 to play in the fourth, after USC missed a field goal, another Sanders TD pass to Horn Jr. set the score at 48-41.
The youngest Sanders threw for 371 yards, four TDs and one interception today.
But the Buffaloes wasted too much time at the end of the game by running the ball, a lot, when every play call should have been a pass.
They were obviously hoping to catch USC sleeping, and depending on recovering an onside kick.
After the onside failed, then USC ran out the clock in victory formation.
GAME PADS:
Caleb Williams has clocked three or more TD passes in seven-straight games.
Coach Prime's team displayed their tremendous talent and the program's vast improvement. USC routed Colorado last season, 55-17.
5-star CB Carmani McClain saved a TD pass midway through the third quarter, after finding himself in Coach Prime's doghouse much of the season.
Today's performance could help Williams win his second Heisman in consecutive years, making him only the second player in history to do so. Ohio State's Archie Griffin stands alone in that category.
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