There’s no stopping USC as the Trojans roll by California, 45-24
Tailbacks Ronald Jones II and Aca’Cedric Ware had career performances in USC’s 45-24 victory over California.
In retrospect, the most surprising part of USC’s first offensive play in a 45-24 win over California on Thursday evening, a 61-yard Ronald Jones II run, was that the Golden Bears stopped him at all.
Jones had scythed inside left tackle Chad Wheeler, breezed past a linebacker grasping at air and flummoxed two defensive backs so thoroughly that they tripped over each other. By the time he ripped a tackler off his back and hightailed down the sideline, a final straggler could just manage to flush him out of bounds which, on Thursday, could almost count as a defensive highlight for the Bears.
“I’m still upset about that run because I should’ve cut it back. We could’ve had 400 yards. Instead we had 398,” Jones said. “It kind of bothered me for the rest of the game.”
He smiled. It hadn’t spoiled his night. Jones rushed for 223 yards, tied for the most by a USC player since Reggie Bush ran for 260 and 294 in 2005.
The performance propelled USC to its fourth victory in a row. After an ignominious start, USC (5-3, 4-2) has reasserted itself as a factor in the Pac-12 South Division race, behind Utah and Colorado.
USC has steadied its season by brutalizing inferior teams, with a quality win over Colorado in between. On Thursday, the Trojans did what they were supposed to with the nation’s third-worst rushing defense.
It mattered little that Jones had sputtered in the first half this season. Nor did it make a difference that the starter, Justin Davis, was not in uniform as he recovered from a high ankle sprain. Each time Jones left the playing field, Davis updated him on his quickly ballooning rushing total: 100 yards for the first time this season by the second quarter; 200 yards for the first time in his career by the third.
“You know as a coach that there’s that ticking time bomb, and you know that it’s getting ready to go off,” USC Coach Clay Helton said of Jones.
It probably didn’t help California that it was playing on five days’ rest, while USC had 11.
“We looked like a tired, beat-up football team and we were,” California Coach Sonny Dykes said. “I think it’s a travesty for whoever scheduled this football game.”
But full rest would not have been enough to close USC’s yardage edge: 629 to 475, the Trojans’ most prolific offensive game of the season. California’s 24 points were also a season low. And the Bears capitalized on another USC game loaded with turnovers.
USC led 28-10 at halftime, and the Trojans were overwhelming California. Quarterback Sam Darnold had carved up its spacious secondary with four touchdown passes in the first half — two to Darreus Rogers, one to Jones and one to Deontay Burnett. (He’d throw one more, in the second half, to Daniel Imatorbhebhe, the tight end’s third in three games.)
Yet when Helton jogged to the sideline at halftime, his face looked half amused, half pained.
“We should be up more than we are right now,” he said.
The refrain has become familiar since Darnold became the starting quarterback, evidence of both his proficiency and his biggest weakness. USC committed three turnovers — one a Darnold fumble — in a loss to Utah. Three more turnovers — two credited to Darnold — made a win over Colorado more tense than it needed to be.
Against California, Darnold threw for 231 yards and five touchdowns but endured his highest turnover total yet, with three. A blindside sack by former Trojan DaVante Wilson jarred the ball loose in the first half. Darnold fumbled on the next possession too. The Bears converted those turnovers into 10 points. He also lobbed an interception into double coverage in the fourth quarter.
The turnovers manufactured some momentary drama. To open the second half, California quarterback Davis Webb, who finished with 333 yards, orchestrated a 10-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, capped by a quarterback keeper for a touchdown, to pull California within 11 points.
Jones stunted the rally with a 37-yard touchdown run on the very next drive, as if offended that Webb had beaten him to a rushing score.
Somehow, it was USC’s only rushing touchdown of the night, even though it had produced two 100-yard rushers. Aca’Cedric Ware totaled 130.
“Easily one of our best games, if not our best,” right tackle Zach Banner said of the offensive line.
Jones needed only 18 carries to get his yards. He also caught a screen pass in the first quarter and nearly walked into the end zone.
Ware has also blossomed in Davis’ absence. He also rushed for more than 100 yards last game, against Arizona.
He and Jones were part of the same recruiting class. They grew up an hour apart in Texas and became friends during their recruitment. They met when Ware attended a track meet and saw Jones running.
At USC, the two have grown close. They’ve made a friendly wager this season.
“I owe him $10,” Ware said. “We said whoever gets to 200 [yards] first gets $10.”
Ware probably wasn’t supposed to reveal that anecdote in front of reporters, even if he was half joking, and Jones gave him a look.
Then Jones brightened.
With the money, he mused, “I might go to Fatburger. I would go to Whataburger. Actually, we’ve got Friday off, so I might drive to Arizona.”
Jones was notably homesick early last season, when he missed practice because he felt dizzy for several days. He later concluded that he was missing Whataburger, the fast-food chain popular in Texas. Ware said he too misses his Whataburger
Jones turned back toward Ware.
“Hey Ced!” Jones said. “You trying to drive to Arizona, get Whataburger tomorrow?”
There were 383,680 yards between them and the Arizona border, which after Thursday didn’t feel that far.
Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand
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