USC vs. Arkansas State Post Game Press Conference
The No. 8 USC Trojans opened their season tonight in commanding fashion with a huge win over Arkansas State.
Quarterback Cody Kessler and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster got things started early with a 61-yard touchdown connection, followed shortly with a grab by Steven Mitchell, Jr. in the endzone.
Consistency was the word of the day for the Trojans' offense as they scored two touchdowns in each quarter, pacing the team to a 55-point performance.
Kessler, a preseason frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, finished the day going 19-26 for 236 yards and four touchdown passes. He was knocked around early as USC's offensive line struggled to find its footing, but made several big plays under pressure.
Redshirt senior Tre Madden and true freshman Ronald Jones II led the Trojans' ground attack, rushing for 109 and 86 yards respectively, each tacking on a touchdown.
USC had a first-half scare when standout sophomore Adoree' Jackson was injured during a punt return. Head coach Steve Sarkisian said after the game that he expects it to be a minor injury and hopes for Jackson's return "sooner rather than later."
The Trojans host the Idaho Vandals next Saturday at the Coliseum.