USC runs all over Huskers
Well, there’s one check the Nebraska athletic department won’t have to write. The Memorial Stadium goal posts are still a standing. The Huskers were the ones taken apart Saturday night. This was a knockout.
No. 1 Southern Cal is still the bully of college football. Don’t doubt it. Just look at Saturday night’s scoreboard: Trojans 49, Huskers 31.
OK, look away now and take some Tylenol.
No Hollywood slickness was needed to beat Nebraska on this night.
Just muscle — the Trojans had much, much more of it. And other things, plenty of other things, but let’s start with the muscle.
USC simply slammed the ball down the Huskers’ throats, running through holes good enough for Chevys, let alone running backs who run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds.
There was plenty of dancing on tables and hoarse screaming from fans leading up to the game, but all that noise didn’t mean a whole lot when USC ran its first play — a fullback belly run by freshman Stanley Havili that looked ridiculously simple.
It gained 50 yards and served as a warning. USC went 96 yards on that first drive for a touchdown. It took only four plays.
If it wasn’t Havili, it was running backs Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable.
USC quarterback John David Booty’s arm will need no ice. Throwing the ball was hardly necessary, though he did it a few times just to show he could.
After three quarters, with USC leading 42-10, the Trojans had gained 278 yards on the ground, just 84 through the air.
Johnson already had 124 yards on just 10 carries by that point. He made good use of the big holes and made Huskers miss the few times.
It was a bitter pill for Husker fans who looked so forward to a shot at the top-ranked team on national television.
The fans were not without some things to cheer in the first half. Husker senior quarterback Sam Keller looked good then.
He was 16-of-24 for 172 yards. Hitting the Trojans with short, quick passes, Nebraska even took a 10-7 lead.
The game turned on the next kickoff. Vincent Joseph returned the ball to the 26, only to fumble it. The ball bounced right to teammate Malcom Smith, who ran it to the Nebraska 45.
Joseph was hurt on the play and had to be taken off on a stretcher after a 10-minute delay. The Trojans were the aggressors from that point. They scored in five plays and didn’t bother looking back.
Keller threw two costly interceptions in the third quarter. One was off a deflection. The other was just a bad throw. USC scored touchdowns after both turnovers and the drama drained away.
Husker fans dreamed Friday night of rushing the field. By the end of the third quarter Saturday, several thousand had already rushed to the exits.
Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com.
No. 1 Southern Cal is still the bully of college football. Don’t doubt it. Just look at Saturday night’s scoreboard: Trojans 49, Huskers 31.
OK, look away now and take some Tylenol.
No Hollywood slickness was needed to beat Nebraska on this night.
Just muscle — the Trojans had much, much more of it. And other things, plenty of other things, but let’s start with the muscle.
USC simply slammed the ball down the Huskers’ throats, running through holes good enough for Chevys, let alone running backs who run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds.
There was plenty of dancing on tables and hoarse screaming from fans leading up to the game, but all that noise didn’t mean a whole lot when USC ran its first play — a fullback belly run by freshman Stanley Havili that looked ridiculously simple.
It gained 50 yards and served as a warning. USC went 96 yards on that first drive for a touchdown. It took only four plays.
If it wasn’t Havili, it was running backs Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable.
USC quarterback John David Booty’s arm will need no ice. Throwing the ball was hardly necessary, though he did it a few times just to show he could.
After three quarters, with USC leading 42-10, the Trojans had gained 278 yards on the ground, just 84 through the air.
Johnson already had 124 yards on just 10 carries by that point. He made good use of the big holes and made Huskers miss the few times.
It was a bitter pill for Husker fans who looked so forward to a shot at the top-ranked team on national television.
The fans were not without some things to cheer in the first half. Husker senior quarterback Sam Keller looked good then.
He was 16-of-24 for 172 yards. Hitting the Trojans with short, quick passes, Nebraska even took a 10-7 lead.
The game turned on the next kickoff. Vincent Joseph returned the ball to the 26, only to fumble it. The ball bounced right to teammate Malcom Smith, who ran it to the Nebraska 45.
Joseph was hurt on the play and had to be taken off on a stretcher after a 10-minute delay. The Trojans were the aggressors from that point. They scored in five plays and didn’t bother looking back.
Keller threw two costly interceptions in the third quarter. One was off a deflection. The other was just a bad throw. USC scored touchdowns after both turnovers and the drama drained away.
Husker fans dreamed Friday night of rushing the field. By the end of the third quarter Saturday, several thousand had already rushed to the exits.
Reach Brian Christopherson at 473-7439 or bchristopherson@journalstar.com.
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