Christian McCaffrey, Stanford Take Down USC in Pac-12 Championship

The Trojans’ overall talent was not enough to counter the Heisman hopeful

Throughout this season, a question about USC directed at any Pac-12 coach likely resulted in the same answer: The Trojans were the most talented team in the conference.

Jim Mora. David Shaw. Todd Graham. Kyle Whittingham. At some point during this season, they all reiterated the same remark in different forms: Nobody had the amount of talent USC had.

In an ironic, twisted turn of events during Saturday’s Pac-12 Championship, USC’s overall talent was rendered meaningless by the talent of one Christian McCaffrey, whose 461 all-purpose yards on the night led Stanford to a 41–22 victory and a conference championship.

After recording 249 all-purpose yards against the Trojans when the teams met earlier this season, McCaffrey nearly doubled that total on an even bigger stage.

“In my opinion, he should win the Heisman.” — Su’a Cravens

Since that Week 3 game, USC has changed dramatically. Yet despite changes to their style, lineups and coaching staff, the Trojans still had no corresponding answer to the domination that McCaffrey unleashed in every facet of the game.

In the first half alone, McCaffrey had 245 all-purpose yards. USC could only muster up 80 total offensive yards on their own, a stark contrast that made the 13–3 halftime score even more puzzling.

It was yet again another defensive front-fueled resistance that kept the Trojans in the game, as despite Stanford having more plays in the red zone than USC had in the entire field through one half, the defense forced two field goals and only one touchdown.

The diminutive lead fueled the team as they headed into the locker room and, especially so, when they emerged to score 13 unanswered in the 3rd quarter to take the lead.

“The kids were great at halftime,” Helton said. “We started making our plays and doing things right.”

It appeared USC went back to relying on the run game, and it worked, as the constant force of Justin Davis had a productive 99 yards on the ground. Afterward, however, the tailback did not feel accomplished, but rather resigned to the reality that has held back this team in their losses.

“I hate to say it, but being a second half team is our weakness,” said Davis.

Truer words could not be said, as the Trojans had relied on resurgence and turnover-fueled comebacks to cover up their deficiencies and manufacture rallies.

Yet on Saturday night, when the game demanded a game-changing play, USC instead gave up a turnover of their own: a sack, strip and fumble that Stanford returned for a touchdown. It was the first time since the game against Notre Dame that the team had lost the turnover battle, and after owning the top spot in the conference in turnover margin, USC could not counter with one of their own.

“Stanford just beat us,” Cravens said. “You can’t do much else about it.”

Inevitably, the lack of offensive firepower was exposed, as the defense could only do so much to contain an uncontainable one-man offense that was the McCaffrey-led unit.

“He’s one of the more special players in the country” — Clay Helton

Taking the Trojans’ talent at face value would be to undermine the context of a tumultous season. Smith-Schuster himself compared it to the video game “Flappy Bird” after the game wherein a cartoon bird goes travels up and down repeatedly.

The Trojans’ star wideout then emphasized the importance of starting strong in games, something they have been unable to do under Helton. In his first game as head coach, USC showed glimpses of that touted talent: A 27-yard touchdown run by Ronald Jones II, a 27-yard run by Adoree’ Jackson, a couple of explosive sacks by Cravens and Porter Gustin. In the end, the lack of consistency was again their downfall.

A somber locker room post-game was the polar opposite of what was said to be an electric pre-game scene when former USC running back Reggie Bush entered the room and saluted the players.

“He’s our ‘Superman’” said Darreus Rogers. “It got us even more pumped to play.”

With Bush in attendance, the conference’s most explosive player delivered; the only problem being that he was on the opposite side of the Cardinal and Gold.

“I hope he wins the Heisman.” — Juju Smith-Schuster

McCaffrey’s output on the night was enough to break Barry Sander’s record for most all-purpose yards in a season. His ability to run undeterred disallowed USC to play their game, as the Cardinal controlled the ball for more than 34 minutes on the night.

On a night where USC’s season concluded with a loss at the hands of the team that had handed them their first defeat of the season, that was essentially the tale of tape.

“I reminded them in that locker room, ‘Remember what this pain feels like,’” Helton said. “We plan on being back here next year.”

The full circle now completed—for better or for worse—the Trojans turn to a bowl game victory looking for a high-note conclusion to their 2015 campaign. No longer under the uncertainty of who will be their head coach, USC will hope to come back next season and do their abundance of talent justice—not with sporadic flashes of greatness, but rather with a record that accurately represents the potential they possess.