SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 14, 2014
USC 38, California 30: Cody Kessler threw for 372 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Nelson Agholor, and the Trojans continued their dominance over the visiting Golden Bears.
Kessler was 31-of-42 with one interception and Agholor had a career-high 16 receptions for 214 yards to lead USC (7-3, 6-2 Pac-12 South) to its 11th consecutive win against Cal. George Farmer added a 32-yard TD catch for the Trojans, who outgained the Golden Bears by 202 yards in the first half and led 31-9 at the break.
Californiaกฏs Daniel Lasco rushed for 86 yards and a score while Jared Goff was 29-of-47 for 279 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the final 6:36. Chris Harper, Bryce Treggs and Stephen Anderson each caught TD passes for Cal (5-5, 3-5), which converted only 3-of-14 third-down chances and lost for the fourth time in its last five games.
Agholor, who returned two punts for touchdowns in last seasonกฏs 62-28 victory over the Golden Bears, ended the first half with 13 receptions for 177 yards and two scores. Cal failed to convert a fake punt on 4th-and-12 from its own 31-yard line midway through the second quarter and finished the first half with a season-low 125 yards.
Lasco scored on a 5-yard run late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 31-16 before USC answered with a 16-play, 78-yard drive, capped by Kesslerกฏs 16-yard TD pass to Randall Telfer. The Golden Bears pulled within 38-23 with just under seven minutes left on Treggs' 5-yard score and added Anderson's 29-yard TD with 1:36 to play before failing to recover the ensuing onside kick.
GAME NOTEBOOK: USC RB Javorius Allen rushed 21 times for 60 yards, ending his streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games at six. กญ Agholor, who came within one reception of tying the school single-game record, became the first player in school history to record back-to-back 200-yard receiving games. กญ USC has outscored its opponents in the first quarter 129-22.