USC
Washington
Players Mentioned
No. 24 USC Football Hosts No. 5 Washington For Primetime Pac-12 Matchup On Homecoming/Reunion Weekend
October 31, 2023 | Football
SOLD OUT SATURDAY
*USC returns home to challenge No. 5 Washington in front of a sold-out crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
*The game will be shown live nationally on ABC.
*USC is ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll and No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
*Saturday's game is also USC's 100th Homecoming Weekend, welcoming back Trojan alumni to campus.
CALEB BY THE NUMBERS
*Defending Heisman Trophy winner QB Caleb Williams is currently No. 1 in the nation in points responsible for (208), points responsible for per game (23.1), tied for No. 1 in the nation in passing touchdowns (25), No. 2 in the nation in passing yards (2,646), No. 7 in the nation in passing efficiency (175.4), No. 9 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.55), No. 9 in the nation in total offense (309.1) and No. 10 in the nation in passing yards per game (294.0).
*He is also tied for No. 1 in the Conference in rushing touchdowns (9).
*He is the first FBS player in the last 25 years to throw for 6 passing TDs in a game for multiple schools.
COUNT WITH CALEB
| Total Yards | Passing TDs | Rushing TDs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. SJSU* | 276 | 4 | 0 |
| vs. Nevada* | 361 | 5 | 0 |
| vs. Stanford# | 302 | 3 | 1 |
| at Arizona State | 332 | 3 | 2 |
| at Colorado | 415 | 6 | 0 |
| vs. Arizona | 260 | 1 | 3 |
| at Notre Dame | 197 | 1 | 0 |
| vs. Utah | 283 | 0 | 1 |
| at California | 356 | 2 | 2 |
*played 3 quarters
#played 2 quarters
RILEY'S ELECTRIC OFFENSE
*The Trojan offense is No. 2 in the nation for scoring offense (45.9), No. 3 in the nation for first downs offense (212), No. 7 in the nation for passing offense (328.3) and No. 8 in the nation for team passing efficiency (172.21).
BREATHTAKING BRANCH
*WR Zachariah Branch continues to impress the college football world with his shifty moves and electric returns. Against Stanford, he returned a punt for a 75-yard TD in the second quarter . He had a 96- yard kickoff return for a TD vs. San Jose State on Aug. 26.
*He also has 2 TD receptions this season and is the first Trojan since Adoree' Jackson in 2016 to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least one receiving TD in the same season. Jackson had 2 punt returns and 2 kickoff returns for TDs and 1 TD reception during the 2016 season.
*Since 1971 (when records are available) Branch is one of just 3 USC players to accomplish the feat, joining Jackson and Curtis Conway (1992 – 1 kickoff return TD, 1 punt return TD, 5 rec TD). He also had 4 receptions for 30 yards and 1 carry for 2 rushing yards against Stanford.
*He also has a rushing TD this season (against Utah).
*Branch is currently No. 1 in the nation in combined kick returns (641) and No. 2 in the nation in punt returns (20.6), kickoff return TDs (1) and punt return TDs (1).
CAN'T BRING DOWN LLOYD
*RB MarShawn Lloyd leads the nation in rush yards per carry (7.74).
WASHINGTON SCOUTING REPORT
*The Washington Huskies are 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Pac-12 Conference play.
*They are coming off a close 42-33 win over Stanford in Palo Alto.
*QB Michael Penix Jr. is 203-of-295 for 2,945 yards and 24 TDs and 6 INTs.
*He is ranked No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (2,945), passing yards per game (368.1), No. 2 in the nation in total offense (367.0), No. 3 in the nation in passing TDs (24), No. 5 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.98) and No. 6 in the nation in passing efficiency (175.5).
*RB Dillon Johnson (87 carries for 456 yards and 6 TDs) is Washington's top back.
*The Huskies have an aggressive aerial attack with 8 receivers having scored TDs.
*WR Rome Odunze and WR Ja'Lynn Polk each have scored 7 TDs and are both averaging over 100 yards per game.
*LB Edefuan Ulofoshio leads the team with 57 tackles.
*Seven players have recorded interceptions this season CB Mishael Powell (2), Husky (hybrid safety/ linebacker) Kamren Fabiculanan (2), LB Edefuan Ulofoshio (1), CB Jabbar Muhammad (1), Husky (hybrid safety/linebacker) Dominique Hampton (1), LB Carson Bruener (1) and S Vincent Nunley (1).
*PK Grady Gross is 7-of-8 on field goals this season with a long of 47.
RANKINGS
*USC is ranked No. 24 in the latest AP Poll and 22nd in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
*Washington is ranked No. 5 in the latest AP Poll and 5th in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
SERIES
*USC holds a 51-30-4 lead in its series with Washington, (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 52-30-4).
VERSUS PAC-12 CONFERENCE
*USC has won 69.9% (494-205-29) of its games against current Pac-12 opponents (does not include 9 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 503-205-29, 70.2%).
IN NOVEMBER
*USC has a 270-136-20 (.657) all-time record while playing in the month of November (not including 3 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 273-136-20, .660).
HOMECOMING
*USC has a 67-27-4 record in its Homecoming games, dating back to the first such event in 1924 (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 68-27-4).
IN COLISEUM
*USC has a 464-147-27 (.748) all-time record in the Coliseum since the stadium opened in 1923 (not including 6 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 470-147-27, .751). USC's 643 games played in the Coliseum (including the 6 vacated wins) is the third most that any school has played in its home stadium (behind Georgia Tech's 722 in Bobby Dodd Stadium and Tennessee's 647 in Neyland Stadium).
USC-WASHINGTON CONNECTIONS
*USC has two players from the state of Washington - OL Micah Banuelos (Auburn, Wash.) and TE Kade Eldridge (Lynden, Wash.), while the Huskies have 40 Californians on their roster.
*USC's Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen previously served as the Athletic Director at Washington (2016-23).
*USC's Deputy Athletic Director/Chief of Staff Jay Hilbrands joined Cohen at USC after working at Washington in a similar role (2018-23).
*USC Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Operating Officer Jason Cappadoro joined Cohen at USC after working at Washington in a similar role since June of 2023.
*USC inside receivers coach Luke Huard is a native of Redmond, Wash. His brothers, Damon and Brock, were quarterbacks at Washington and in the NFL. Damon played at Washington (1991-95), including on UW's 1991 national champions, and then with the Miami Dolphins (1997-2000), New England Patriots (2001-2003, including on the Super Bowl XXXVI and XXXVIII champs), and Kansas City Chiefs (2004-08), and now is director of community and external engagement at Washington as well as an analyst on Husky football radio broadcasts. Brock played at Washington (1995-98), then with the Seattle Seahawks (1999- 2001, 2004) and Indianapolis Colts (2002-03) and now is a college football analyst for FOX Sports and a sports radio host in Seattle. His father, Mike, was inducted into the Washington State Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Pacific Northwest Football Hall of Fame in 2011 after 17 seasons as the head coach at Puyallup High, winning the state title in 1987. His sister-in-law, Molly (Brock's wife), played basketball at Washington (1995-99).
*USC Associate Director of Operations and Student Services for Football Cheryl Taplin previously held a similar role at Washington (2007-2013) She is also a native of Seattle, Wash.
*USC ILB Mason Cobb and Washington CB Jabbar Muhammad previously played together at Oklahoma State (2020-22).
*USC CB Jacobe Covington played one season at Washington (2021), appearing in all 12 games. He and Washington OL Parker Brailsford both prepped at Saguaro High School in Mesa, Ariz.
*USC ILB Eric Gentry and Washington RB Daniyel Ngata previously played together at Arizona State (2021).
*USC DL Tyrone Taleni and Washington OL Jalen Klemm previously played at Kansas State.
*USC TE CJ Woods and Washington TE Josh Cuevas played together at Cal Poly (2021).
*USC TE Jude Wolfe, RB Matt Colombo, P Will Rose, DL Kobe Pepe and Washington LB Ralen Goforth and LB Deven Bryant all prepped at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, Calif.
*USC's WR Zachariah Branch, S Zion Branch, CB Fabian Ross, RUSH Garrett Pomerantz and Washington WR Rome Odunze and LB Edefuan Ulofoshio all prepped at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev.
*USC CB Domani Jackson, ILB Raesjon Davis, WR Kyron Hudson, WR Raleek Brown, WR Josiah Zamora, WR Corey Nerhus, DL Solomon Tuliaupupu and Washington CB Darren Barkins all prepped at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.
*USC OL Gino Quinones and Washington DL Faatui Tuitele prepped at Saint Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii.
*Washington LB Ralen Goforth played four seasons at USC (2019-22), starting in 17 games for the Trojans.
*Washington WR Camden Sirmon is the nephew of former USC assistant coach Peter Sirmon (2014-15)
*Washington's Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Jeff Bechtold is a graduate of USC earning his bachelor's degree in sports information in 1990 and interned in the USC sports information department as an undergrad.
*Washington's Director of Football Operations Deborah Goldstein is a USC graduate.
*USC's Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Operations Joseph Wood earned his bachelor's degree in economics and political science from Washington in 2010 and was previously an assistant in the football equipment room.
*Laura Freimuth, Director of Administration for Washington women's basketball, held various staff positions with USC women's basketball (2006-09).
*USC Director of Football Communications Katie Ryan and Washington's Director of Football Technology Jake Otten both attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
CAL GAME RECAP
*Defending Heisman Trophy winner QB Caleb Williams went 23-for-40 for 369 yards and 2 TDs and rushed for 2 more TDs in USC's thrilling 50-49 victory over California in Berkeley.
*USC's 50 points were the most points the Trojans had scored against Cal since 2013 when they scored 62.
*Cal's 49 points were the most points the Bears had scored versus USC since 1991 when they scored 52 points.
*This ties USC's opponent record for highest losing score, which was also 49 by Penn State in the 2017 Rose Bowl.
*RB MarShawn Lloyd scored 2 rushing TDs and recorded 115 rushing yards on 17 carries.
*RB Austin Jones also scored a rushing and receiving TD.
*WR Brenden Rice also caught a TD pass from Williams.
*ILB Mason Cobb led the team with 15 tackles.
*ILB Eric Gentry intercepted Cal's QB Francisco Mendoza. It was the second INT of his career.
*Gentry also decorated his stat sheet with 6 tackles, including 1 for loss of 4 yards, 2 PBUs, 1 forced fumble.
*DL Bear Alexander was a dominant force on the Trojan defensive line. He put pressure on the Bear offense in the second half of play after having to sit out the first half due to a targeting penalty in USC's game versus Utah. He was impactful against the run and limited Cal's rushing yardage. USC allowed 177 rushing yards in the first half, but when Alexander came into the game, Cal only rushed for 62 yards.
*PK Denis Lynch was 1-of-2 on FGs (making a 23-yarder and missing a 33-yarder) and was 5-of-6 on PATs.
