Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) – Matt Barkley threw for 352 yards and a school record-tying five touchdowns to lead the USC Trojans in a 48-14 rout of the California Golden Bears in a Pac-10 bout at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Barkley completed 25-of-37 passes to pace the Trojans (5-2, 2-2 PAC-10) in the win, with Robert Woods hauling in seven passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Ronald Johnson caught seven passes as well for USC, gaining 45 yards and scoring twice in the process. Marc Tyler produced 79 yards and scored a touchdown on just seven carries to lead the Trojan ground-game, while C.J. Gable added 72 yards on 13 attempts.
Kevin Riley threw for 193 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss for Cal (3-3, 1-2), while Shane Vereen ran for 53 yards to go with three receptions for 45 yards and a score. Keenan Allen grabbed four balls for 61 yards and a score for the Golden Bears in the setback.
The first quarter was all USC, as the Trojans scored 14 unanswered points, beginning with a 16-yard toss from Barkley to Woods early in the frame. Barkley then found David Ausberry with a 22-yard completion late in the stanza.
The second quarter was more of the same, as the Trojans rolled to a 42-0 halftime advantage. Tyler found the end zone following an 11-yard scamper to give USC a 21-0 lead early in the period, while a nine-yard strike from Barkley to Woods midway through the frame made it 28-0. Barkley then found Johnson on scoring strikes of eight and 11 yards with under a minute to go in the half.
A 27-yard Joe Houston field goal gave the Trojans a 45-0 lead late in the third period.
The Golden Bears finally got on the board late in the stanza, as Riley hooked up with Vereen on a 31-yard TD completion.
Houston connected from 27 yards out early in the fourth quarter to give the Trojans a 48-7 lead.
The Golden Bears added another score late in the frame, as Riley found Allen with an eight-yard TD strike, but by then it was too late as the visitors took the 34-point tumble.
The Golden Bears, who converted only 2-of-10 on third down, gained just 245 yards of total offense during the meeting, compared to that of USC which amassed 602 yards on the day.