Top-ranked Trojans start off in style, overwhelm Hawaii
LOS ANGELES – Although Matt Barkley and Marqise Lee laughed it off, the symbolism was tough to miss. On the first play of No. 1 Southern California’s first game after its postseason ban ended, the veteran quarterback hit his speedy receiver for an electrifying 75-yard touchdown.
Barkley, Lee and their talented teammates have been waiting two years for the chance to play for championships, and USC wouldn’t postpone the chase even a minute longer.
Lee caught 10 passes for 197 yards and returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score, and the top-ranked Trojans rolled to a 49-10 victory over Hawaii on Saturday.
Barkley kicked off his Heisman Trophy campaign with 372 yards passing and four touchdowns for the Trojans (1-0), whose offensive stars were every bit as impressive as expected.
"We’re just excited to play football again," said Barkley, who passed on the NFL to return for his senior season. "There’s so much talk, especially this year with all the rankings and the hype. This was just a good way to kick off the season and really find that rhythm and that flow."
Robert Woods caught six passes for 42 yards and two TDs, and tight end Xavier Grimble, a former Bishop Gorman High standout, caught Barkley’s final scoring throw in the fourth quarter.
"If we can get the ball to (Woods) and (Lee) in space we can be pretty good," USC coach Lane Kiffin said. "We’re not going to win a ton of games if we’re not balanced. … I thought Matt did really well. He’s a couple of drops away from some big-time numbers."
Silas Redd rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on a team-leading nine carries in the Penn State transfer’s debut at USC, which coasted to its 15th consecutive season-opening victory.
Hayes Pullard returned an interception 27 yards for a first-quarter score for the Trojans, who outgained Hawaii, 481-264 yards.
Duke transfer Sean Schroeder passed for 208 yards and a score in his first start for Hawaii (0-1), which realized it had a rough assignment for coach Norm Chow’s debut.
The former USC offensive coordinator is a head coach for the first time after 40 years in the profession, but his Warriors couldn’t keep up in the opener of their first season since moving to the Mountain West Conference after 33 years in the Western Athletic Conference.
"We thought we would give them a better battle," Chow said. "We made too many mistakes, but we didn’t quit, and USC knew they were in a game."
Schroeder hit Scott Harding with an 18-yard TD pass on the first series after halftime, but Lee replied with his TD kickoff return.