Trojans beat Sun Devils 42-25 to improve to 5-0

USC #13 Caleb Williams (QB) threw three touchdowns against the Arizona State Sun Devils’ defense. Photo by Marja Bene/TGSportstv1.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Caleb Williams threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for one. This helped No. 6 USC beat Arizona State 42-25 on Saturday night in Los Angeles and stay unbeaten in coach Lincoln Riley's first season.

Caleb Williams threw touchdown passes to Mario Williams, Malcolm Epps, and Kyron Hudson after laboring in the Trojans' 17-14 victory over Oregon State last weekend. USC's Travis Dye carried for 62 yards and scored twice in the second half USC is now 5-0, 3-0 in the Pac-12 conference.

Arizona State Sun Devils #5 Emory Jones (QB) 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Photo by Marja Bene/TGSportstv1.

Despite making USC's first error of the year with an end-zone interception, Oklahoma transfer Caleb Williams led the Trojans to 485 total yards against Arizona State by showing his elusiveness, accuracy, and playmaking prowess.

Emory Jones threw for 243 yards and Xazavian Valladay raced for two touchdowns for the Sun Devils (1-4, 0-2) in their second game under interim head coach Shaun Aguano after Herm Edwards' dismissal.

USC Trojans #4 Mario Williams (WR) caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from his quarterback Caleb Williams. Photo by Marja Bene/TGSportstv1.

Early touchdowns from Valladay and Jones helped keep the score close for almost three quarters, but USC eventually pulled away as Arizona State's offense stalled on three consecutive possessions. In the second half, the Sun Devils gained only six yards on the ground.

The Trojans are off to their first 5-0 start since 2020 thanks to eight receptions by Jordan Addison for 105 yards. Riley has led USC to a perfect record in the Coliseum, where a raucous crowd showed out to see the Trojans' comeback.

Caleb Williams snuck in for the first touchdown during USC's opening three possessions, which all resulted in touchdowns. The quarterback demonstrated his agility by avoiding multiple attempts to sack him, and his across-the-body touchdown ball to Mario Williams was a standout play.

To keep within 21-17 at halftime, Arizona State's offense put together three consecutive touchdown drives of more than 50 yards each. Jones completed 9 of 11 passes for 117 yards, while Valladay added 57 yards on the ground and a 29-yard touchdown catch.

USC Trojans #26 Travis Dye (RB) 1-yard tochdown run in the fourth quarter. Photo by Marja Bene/TGSPortstv1.

USC's defense, which did not benefit from the offense's large inflow of elite transfer talent, once again failed to make crucial stops. In addition, the Trojans committed six penalties in the first period, one of which resulted in the loss of Mario Williams' TD reception from 82 yards out due to an offensive holding penalty.

With 10:54 remaining, Hudson scored the first touchdown of his career. Valladay responded with 6:16 remaining, but Addison recovered an onside kick before Dye sealed the victory with a series of tenacious runs that culminated in his second touchdown with 3:46 remaining.