The Sooners were destroyed by the Tigers 40-6 last year in the Russell Athletic Bowl, but got not only the benefit of last year’s snub of the Big XII conference, but also the attempt of the committee to create what would be the best ratings driving matchup in the championship game, which would be Alabama-Oklahoma.
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McCaffrey accounts for three touchdowns – one rushing, one passing and one receiving – in a 41-22 victory over USC and a berth in the Rose Bowl.
On same night Helton and USC announced the decision to part ways with most of the Trojans’ defensive staff, the new head coach confirmed that there will also be changes on the offensive side of things. In the first year, it was the Big XII; this year, its the Pac-12, and Stanford. The Trojans will have plenty to learn from once again as they were outmatched, outcoached, and out-played by Shaw and company. The USC Trojans fell to Christian McCaffrey and the Cardinal 41-22 in Levi Stadium to take the Pac-12 championship and advance to the Rose Bowl.
McCaffrey, a sophomore running back, rushed for 207 yards on 32 carries, ran for a touchdown, threw a touchdown pass, caught a touchdown pass, and had a 31-yard punt return. “I saw the quarterback still had the ball and I was like, “All right, time to make a play.’ When I saw the ball on the ground, I was like, “Pick it up, pick it up.’ I saw Solly pick it up and I was like, ‘Yes!’ He scored and it was incredible”. He’s just a special guy. I pray he wins the Heisman. As of now, it seems Henry clinched the Heisman Trophy. USC Adoree Jackson made a great block on a deep pass from Hogan to McCaffrey on opening drive which forced the field goal.
Stanford dominated the first half. USC won five of its last six regular-season games including a beating of UCLA, and probably will be favored against whoever they face in Las Vegas, San Diego, El Paso or wherever its bowl bid takes it. Saturday night against USC, playing in the Pac-12 championship game, McCaffrey broke the record for the most all-purpose yards in a single season set by the player he grew up idolizing.
McCaffrey eclipsed the record of 3,250 yards on a 2-yard plunge, concluding a pursuit that has included 10 games of more than 200 all-purpose yards this season and four of more than 300. Peter Gustin sacked Hogan giving the Trojans back the ball.
USC still held the Cardinal to one touchdown and two field goals in the first half and trailed only 13-3. It’s a huge honor, ‘ McCaffery said of breaking Sanders record. “It’s been an extremely exciting season for me”.
“What I take away from it is as a bunch of players coming together as a team, coming together as a family”, said Helton. It takes all 11 guys on the field doing their job on the field to make it happen.
“I feel really the same way”, Ferentz said. They played their first five games without a healthy coach who was eventually fired, in late October they were 3-3 with an interim coach, by the end of autumn they had lost two centers and two starting linebackers… the place was a mess. First, Cody Kessler hit fullback Jahleel Pinner for a 1-yard touchdown. Wood missed the extra point.
Trojans players insisted it would be different the second time around against Stanford.
All season long, Stanford has leaned on its sophomore running back.
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“We knew it was going to be a battle”, Stanford coach David Shaw said. “You know JuJu, we know he’s not one hundred percent”.
