USC football: Matt Barkley is Pac-12 offensive player of the week

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After passing for a record-tying five touchdowns and leading USC to victory over Syracuse, Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley on Monday was selected as the Pacific 12 Conference offensive player of the week.

Barkley threw touchdown passes to tight end Rhett Ellison, receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee and tight ends Randall Telfer and Xavier Grimble in the Trojans’ 38-17 victory.

It was the third time that Barkley passed for five touchdowns. He did it last season at Hawaii and against California.

USC Coach Lane Kiffin was low-key on Saturday night, saying Barkley played well.

But upon reviewing the game tape, Kiffin said Barkley was ‘awesome’ against the Orange.

‘I think we have become accustomed around here to seeing those kinds of performances,’ Kiffin said Sunday night. ‘Those types of days don’t happen very often across the country.’

Rodney Peete, Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez also passed for five touchdowns at USC.

Barkley completed 26 of 39 passes for 324 yards, without an interception. He has passed for nine touchdowns, with only one interception, this season.

More later at latimes.com/sports.

--Gary Klein