Plaschke: The Trojans are back and could be the nation's greatest workforce

Caleb Williams heaved a ball high by the thick air and into the arms of Jordan Addison, who spun out of a Stanford defender’s grasp and sprinted to the close zone and ...

Yeah, it’s actual.

Mekhi Blackmon leaped and stole a Stanford pass in the back again of the close zone, then dove and pounced on a fumble in entrance of the conclude zone and ...

Yeah, it is on.

USC confirmed up at The Farm and in front of a nationwide tv audience Saturday in the first actual exam of the Lincoln Riley period, a battle from stubborn outdated rival Stanford, a game that would different fact from fiction.

Following a amazing 41-28 Trojans victory, the truths were being evident.

Truth: USC may well be the ideal workforce in the nation.

Reality: Quarterback Williams could possibly be the most effective player in the nation.

Truth: No person ought to be surprised if the Trojans qualify for the School Football Playoff and Williams wins the Heisman and ...

Yeah, this is going on.

“I like what I’m seeing,” tweeted Reggie Bush all through the sport at Stanford Stadium, and he was not by itself.

Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison makes a 22-yard, initial-quarter landing get. He completed with 7 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Involved Push)

Whilst the Trojans’ opener towards overmatched Rice was about developing nearby enjoyment, this sport was about forging national trustworthiness. Executing in front of ABC’s No. 1 saying group of Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit, the Trojans did specifically that.

They took a fast 14- lead, blew it out to a 35-14 halftime guide, led 41-14 after a few quarters, and then held on to a victory that didn’t really feel approximately as near as the final rating indicated. They acquired 505 yards, had four takeaways irrespective of letting 441 yards, fully commited no turnovers, and received right here for the initially time in eight years.

Not to point out, they avenged very last year’s 42-28 defeat to Stanford that price tag Clay Helton his position.

“Look at 12 months in the past … a lot’s changed,” explained Riley afterward close to a locker place the place his gamers had been singing the college fight song.

That alter was obvious fewer than a few minutes into the sport, when Max Williams intercepted a pass from Stanford’s Tanner McKee and, 4 plays afterwards, Caleb Williams hit Lake McRee on a lovely participate in-action move for a 5-property landing.

Then, following Blackmon’s conclusion-zone interception, it grew to become more obvious when Caleb Williams finished a drive with a display go that curling Addison turned into a 22-yard landing.

USC linebacker Eric Gentry (18) rejoices after Trojans defensive back Mekhi Blackmon intercepted a go.

(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)

The most electrifying sign of the change transpired in the ultimate times of the first quarter when Caleb Williams threw that floater that Addison caught at the 15-garden line ahead of spinning out of the grasp of Kyu Blu Kelly and raced in to finish a 75-property touchdown.

For the USC supporters who loaded a lot more than fifty percent of the seats, it was stirring. For Stanford followers, it was silencing. For everyone watching wherever, it was revealing.

Reality: When the Trojans are on offense, you simply cannot seem away.

Point: When the Trojans are on defense, you also can’t glimpse absent, as they finished 3 Stanford first-fifty percent drives with remarkable takeaways, two on the intention line.

Reality: If the Trojans are not the finest staff in the state, they are certainly the most thrilling.

“We’re very good, and we need to demonstrate the earth that we’re seriously superior,” reported operating back again Travis Dye. “I’ve been on some definitely great groups, and this is the best group I have ever been on.”

It starts off with Caleb Williams. Arriving in Los Angeles as a transfer from Oklahoma with stars in his eyes and endorsements in his wallet, he started the season underneath as a lot pressure as any one in the country.

He’s taken care of it. He’s verified it. He’s superior than marketed. He’s bigger than the buzz.

For a next consecutive activity he was in the vicinity of great, finishing 20 of 27 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions.

For the season, he is 39 of 49 for 590 yards and 6 landing and no interceptions, and he’s even improved than that.

He operates. He adjusts. He improvises. Just one instant he is flinging a pass downfield. The next moment he is finessing a pass to the sideline. The following moment he is running and juking and stiff-arming, and it is contagious.

About that prolonged move to Addison that will guide the highlight movies, Caleb Williams shared the credit score.

“We all executed all as just one at 1 time and it worked out beautifully,” he stated.

Whilst the play was an audible, Caleb Williams gave Riley credit score.

“I seemed more than at him … so that was on the large doggy,” he mentioned.

The activity was basically clinched quickly thereafter with two a lot more compelling performs.

Caleb Williams threw a deep ball that Mario Williams caught for a 43-lawn completion followed quickly by a display screen move that Mario Williams ran for a touchdown soon after breaking three tackles.

Caleb Williams invigorates, evokes and flat-out prospects like maybe no USC quarterback has definitely led considering the fact that Matt Leinart.

It assists that he has Addison, the Pitt transfer who was voted the country’s most effective receiver previous yr and is only getting better.

Addison has velocity, arms, and labored his way driving Stanford defenders Saturday for 7 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

“You place two ballers with each other, they just make performs naturally,” claimed managing again Austin Jones of the Caleb Williams-Addison duo.

USC, consider it or not, also has a running match. It was undoubtedly not lost on old-college Trojans that they took a 35-14 halftime direct when Dye ran through a gaping gap up the center for 27 yards and a landing.

Dye, a celebrated transfer from Oregon, rushed for 105 yards in 14 carries when primary a dashing assault that gained 164 yards.

But it’s not all offense. Even though the Trojans will deservedly be criticized for offering up large chunks of yardage to the usual rumbling Stanford offense — for a second consecutive 7 days they built the major performs when important.

A Stanford 73-lawn drive was stopped by Blackmon’s interception. A further Stanford 73-property drive was stopped by Blackmon’s fumble restoration soon after Max Williams popped the ball out of the fingers of Stanford’s E.J. Smith. The Trojans have 8 takeaways in two video games, and each of them seemingly filled with drama.

USC mentor Lincoln Riley seems on from the sideline through the 1st 50 %.

(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Affiliated Press)

“We’ve acquired to thoroughly clean up the mental execution,” explained Riley.

USC got sloppy with 9 penalties for 104 yards — brings back some poor reminiscences, appropriate? — but without a doubt, this was a different evening when it felt like all the things was distinct.

The night ended with the USC marching band commanding Stanford Stadium with the familiar triumphant chant.

“We are … SC … We are … SC!”

And, male, are they back.