USC pummels Arizona State, 41-20

USC just needed to win.

Instead the Trojans made it a rout.

JuJu Smith-Schuster returned to form and Sam Darnold proved why he was made starting quarterback after three games.

USC scored 35-unanswered points to dominate Arizona State, 41-20, in the Coliseum on Saturday.

The Trojans improve to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the Pac-12 Conference. The previously unbeaten Sun Devils fall to 4-1, 1-1.

Darnold completed 23 of 33 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for eight yards and a touchdown in three carries.

Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns and Justin Davis rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown in 14 carries.

Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins was knocked out of the game late in the first half when he was sacked by Rasheem Green. Redshirt freshman Brady White, from Hart High in Newhall, took over in the second half.

Wilkins completed 13 of 24 passes. He was intercepted by Jonathan Lockett.

White was five for six for 80 yards and a touchdown.

The Sun Devils were were held to 303 total yards of offense, a deceptively high number given late-game drives against reserves, while the Trojans racked up 523.

USC will play host to Colorado next Saturday.

The Coliseum has emptied and the clock can’t tick fast enough.

Oh, and Arizona State scored again.

Nick Ralston rushed 10 yards for a touchdown, to make the score look a little more respectable, though quite frankly, it isn’t, as USC leads Arizona State, 41-20, with 1:51 to play in the game.

Brady White led a nine-play 66-yard scoring drive. It took 4:08 off the clock.

USC was doing well in the penalty category, but has tacked on a few late. Chris Hawkins and Isaiah Langley were each called for pass interference in the series.

Aca’Cedric Ware rushed for 39 yards to start the series, but the play was called back when Jordan Iosefa was called for holding.

Ware rushed for four yards in consecutive plays and Max Browne completed a 14-yard pass to Jalen Greene, but iw as short of a first down.

USC punted.

Brady White completed a 13-yard pass to Raymond Epps for an Arizona State touchdown, against several USC backups.

It’s the first time the Sun Devils have scored since kicking two field goals in the first quarter.

USC leads, 41-13, with 8:37 to play in the fourth quarter.

The scoring drive covered 80 yards in six plays and took 2:20.

It’s official garbage time, folks.

Matt Boermeester, who made two long field goals in the first half, has now missed two field goals in consecutive drives.

This time, it was a 37-yard miss for Boermeester.

Sam Darnold’s night is over. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for eight yards and a touchdown in three carries.

Max Browne was inserted in the series. He attempted one pass and handed off to Justin Davis for a two-yard gain, which brought up fourth down and the field goal attempt.

These Arizona State three and outs are happening faster than I can even type a headline.

A fourth Sun Devils series in the second half. A fourth three and out.

This game is all but over. USC might get a chance to score once more before the fourth quarter.

Matt Boermeester missed a 53-yard field goal and Arizona State will take over at their 35-yard line.

If ever there was a time for USC coaches to test the leg of Boermeester, it’s when the Trojans are up 41-6 over the Sun Devils.

USC’s defense is making it tough on Brady White and Arizona State’s offense.

The Sun Devils go three and out in their three drives of the second half.

Let’s hope for everyone watching this rout that USC chooses to run the ball for the rest of the game.

Sam Darnold rushed for three yards and a USC touchdown.

Goodnight, Arizona State.

The Trojans have scored 34 unanswered points and lead the Sun Devils, 41-6. The scoring drive covered 67 yards in five plays and took 1:55.

Darnold spread the ball around in the series.

Tyler Petite caught a 27-yard pass, Isaac Whitney was targeted and the pass fell incomplete, but he drew pass interference for a second time, and then Michael Pittman made his first career reception for 10 yards.

Arizona State has started the second half with back-to-back three and outs.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Brady White had to take over for the injured Manny Wilkins.

If USC can score on its next drive, consider this game over.

Hello, JuJu.

JuJu Smith-Schuster caught a short pass, made one guy miss, and then took off the rest of the way for a 67-yard touchdown.

The scoring drive covered 67 yards in two plays. (The first play, an incomplete pass).

USC leads Arizona State, 34-6.

This Trojans team has looked much more impressive than in the previous weeks. Arizona State, while not ranked, was 4-0 coming into tonight’s game.

Brady White, from Hart High in Newhall, started at quarteback in the second half after Manny Wilkins was injured to end the first half when he was sacked by Rasheem Green.

Demario Richard rushed for five yards before N’Keal Henry caught a pass for no gain and then a pass to Henry fell incomplete.

USC received to start the second half, but the offense sputtered and went three and out.

Taylor McNamara caught a five-yard pass, Justin Davis rushed for no gain and Steven Mitchell Jr. caught a four-yard pass, short of the first down.

Brady White, from Hart High in Newhall, will play quarterback for Manny Wilkins, who was injured at the end of the first half when he was sacked by Rasheem Green.

Matt Boermeester kicked a 45-yard field goal and USC leads Arizona State, 27-6, with 20 seconds left in the first half.

The scoring drive covered 42 yards in six plays and took 47 seconds.

Sam Darnold put together another impressive drive, though it didn’t result in a touchdown.

Darnold completed a six-yard pass to Deontay Burnett and Darreus Rogers caught a 28-yard pass.

Darnold has completed 14 of 21 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns.

JuJu Smith-Schuster has caught six passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Deontay Burnett has caught five passes for 90 yards.

USC has 306 yards of total offense to Arizona State’s 169.

Both teams have two penalties.

Rasheem Green sacked Manny Wilkins on third down and Arizona State punted.

Wilkins was slow to get up and it looks questionable whether he will return.

Wilkins has taken a pounding. USC has three sacks tonight, after not recording a sack in three games.

Stevie Tu’ikolovatu also made a nice play in the series, nearly tipping a pass that could have been intercepted as Porter Gustin hit Wilkins.

USC’s defense... where has it been all season.

Justin Davis. Have yourself a game, kid.

A week after rushing for more than 100 yards in the first half of USC’s loss to Utah, Davis has put the Trojans on his back.

Davis rushed 37 yards for a touchdown. USC leads Arizona State, 24-6, in the second quarter.

The scoring drive took just that one play after Adoree’ Jackson returned a punt 14 yards.

Davis has rushed for 84 yards in eight carries.

USC’s defense is playing its most aggressive ball of the season.

Uchenna Nwosu sacked Manny Wilkins on third and long. Porter Gustin dropped Kallen Ballage for a loss of three yards on the previous play.

The Sun Devils’ offense is known to be high-powered, high-scoring, but they’re looking rather pedestrian against tonight’s USC scheme, which has included a lot more pressure.

Remember the last time Clancy Pendergast schemed against Arizona State? Trojans gave up 62 points.

And Lane Kiffin got fired.

Matt Boermeester kicked a 49-yard field goal, a season long, and USC leads Arizona State, 17-6, in the second quarter.

The scoring drive covered 27 yards in six plays and took 1:46.

Isaac Whitney, who we’ve seldom seen this season, made the biggest play of the drive when he drew pass interference on a deep throw from Sam Darnold.

Then, Steven Mitchell Jr. rushed for two yards before the drive stalled. Neverthless, Mitchell’s two yards put USC within field goal distance.

Clay Helton looks pleased on the sideline.

Jonathan Lockett broke up Manny Wilkins fourth-and two pass and USC took over on downs on their 42-yard line.

Before Lockett, it was Leon McQuay III who broke up Wilkins third-down pass in one-on-one coverag and Arizona State punted.

The Sun Devils’ offense has not had much success moving the football outside of their first series of the game.

Sam Darnold was patient. He waited. And no one was near JuJu Smith-Schuster as Darnold completed a three-yard pass for a touchdown.

USC leads Arizona State, 14-6, in the second quarter.

The scoring drive covered 66 yards in nine plays and took 2:51.

Darnold, in his two touchdown drives, has looked fantastic, making plays when everything appeared to be breaking down.

Justin Davis caught two passes in the series and turned them into gains for 17 yards and 22 yards. Trojans fans better hope that’s enough to keep Davis in the fourth-quarter tailback rotation, unlike last week.

Darnold has completed 11 of 15 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

USC’s defense forced Arizona State into a three and out, but had to call a timeout before the Sun Devils punted because they only had 10 players on the field.

At least 10 is better than eight.

Kalen Ballage rushed for two yards, Manny Wilkins pass attempt fell incomplete and Tim White caught a six-yard pass, short of a first down.

The Trojans look more inspired than they have in previous weeks.

Sam Darnold’s third-down pass flew high off the hands of Jalen Green and USC punted.

The drive started in the most, and promising, of ways when Justin Davis fumbled a pitch that Darnold picked up and managed to fling 40-yards down field to Deontay Burnett, who made an impressive catch.

But the drive stalled after Ronald Jones II rushed for three yars in two consecutive carries.

USC sacked a quarterback for the first time in three games. Chris Hawkins blitzed and took down Manny Wilkins to put Arizona State in a third-and-long situation that they could not convert.

The Sun Devils kicked a 34-yard field goal, and USC leads, 7-6, in the first quarter.

Wilkins completed a 49-yard pass to Jalen Harvey behind Iman Marshall to start the series, but the drive stalled after Hawkins made the second-down sack.

JuJu Smith-Schuster caught a five-yard pass for a USC touchdown and the Trojans lead Arizona State, 7-3, with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter.

That was one of the more impressive offensive drives by the Trojans this season. It covered 95 yards in eight plays and took 2:30.

Sam Darnold completed a 15-yard pass to Smith-Schuster on third down and then two passes for 17-yards and five-yards to Deontay Burnett.

Justin Davis finally broke free for a big 49-yard gain to put USC inside Arizona State’s 10-yard line and two plays later, it was a Trojans touchdown.

1 - Davis no gain

2 - incomplete to Smith-Schuster

3 - Completed a 15-yard pass to Smith-Schuster

1 - Deontay Burnett caught a 13-yard pass

1 - Davis rushed for 49 yards

Manny Wilkins was trying to throw deep on third down, but he found Jonathan Lockett instead of a Sun Devil.

Lockett intercepted Wilkins at USC’s three-yard line.

USC needed a strong series from its defense after the offense turned the ball over on downs. Still wondering why Clay Helton elected to go for it on fourth and two after two of the plays were stopped at the line of scrimmage or for a loss.

Clay Helton elected to go for it on fourth and two, but Justin Davis was tackled for a four-yard loss.

Arizona State will take over on downs at USC’s 38-yard line.

Helton must have heard the screams from the last few weeks and punting the football.

The offensive series wasn’t great for the Trojans.

Steven Mitchell Jr. was tackled for a five-yard loss on the first play before JuJu Smith-Schuster caught a 13-yard pass, but was tackled short of a first down.

Davis was tackled at the line of scrimmage on third down.

Jordan Simmons, who has spent much of his time at USC injured, started at right tackle in place of Zach Banner, who was slowed this week because of an injury.

Zane Gonzalez kicked a 40-yard field goal and Arizona State leads USC, 3-0, with 9:50 to play in the first quarter.

The scoring drive covered 59 yards in 12 plays and took 5:09.

Manny Wilkins completed six of seven passes for 47 yards.

The Sun Devils were two of three on third down.

USC has announced its starting lineups.

Offense: Quarterback Sam Darnold, tailback Justin Davis, fullback Reuben Peters, tight end Taylor McNamara, receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steven Mitchell Jr. and Darreus Rogers and linemen Zach Banner, Viane Talamaivao, Nico Falah, Damian Mama and Chad Wheeler.

Defense: Linemen Malik Dorton, Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and Rasheem Green, linebackers Porter Gustin, Michael Hutchings, Cameron Smith and Uchenna Nwosu, cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Iman Marshall and safeties Marvell Tell III and Leon McQuay III.

USC and Arizona State will now kickoff at 5:45 on FOX with the Oklahoma and Texas Christian game running long.

USC must win.

It’s that simple for the 1-3 Trojans, who will need to pull out victories in five of their final eight games to become bowl eligible.

It was no secret that USC’s schedule this season was among the most difficult in college football. But a 1-3 start wasn’t expected. It was the worst-case scenario.

So here the Trojans are.

Three losses, all to ranked teams - Alabama, Stanford and Utah - and now warming up to play Arizona State, who is 4-0, with victories over Texas Tech and California.

Clay Helton is 1-5 since he was named permanent coach last season, before losses to Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship game and Wisconsin in the Holiday Bowl.

The month of October could provide the Trojans a bit of reprieve with home games against Arizona State, Colorado and California and a road game at Arizona, or it could make it increasingly difficult for first-year Athletic Director Lynn Swann to stand by Helton.

USC Coach Clay Helton looks on during the Trojans’ 31-27 loss to Utah on Sept. 23.

(Gene Sweeney Jr. / Getty Images)

Most intriguing story line: USC must win six of its final eight games to climb above .500 by the end of the regular season. USC will be favored against Arizona State, which presents Coach Clay Helton an opportunity for his first victory over a Power Five conference opponent since being named the full-time head coach.

USC pass offense vs. Arizona State pass defense: Arizona State is the not-so-proud owner of the worst pass defense in major college football, allowing an average of 404 yards per game. USC’s offense barely manages half of that on average, and doesn’t even come very close to that in total offense. Sam Darnold completed 18 of 26 passes for 253 yards last week against Utah, performing well in his first college start. He also seemed to reignite receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who neared 100 yards for the first time this season. Arizona State will bring pressure, but USC should be able to handle it. EDGE: USC.

USC run offense vs. Arizona State run defense: USC will probably have to pass well against Arizona State, because the Sun Devils are stout against the run. Tackle Tashon Smallwood and end JoJo Wicker, a freshman from Long Beach Poly High, anchor a unit that has held opponents to less than 100 rushing yards per game. Arizona State is 16th nationally in rushing defense. USC has had trouble figuring out its running back rotation. Justin Davis ran for 102 yards in the first half against Utah, but didn’t get a carry in the fourth quarter. In an ideal game, Helton said, he’d get Davis 20 to 25 touches. His season high is 16. EDGE: Arizona State.

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Less than a year ago, Keyshawn Johnson stood before USC’s football players, an emissary of sorts from the Trojans’ glorious past.

USC had just fired its coach, Steve Sarkisian, and chosen Clay Helton as the interim leader. Among fans and pundits, names of possible permanent replacements swirled. But players on the team, and many former players, thought they already had their man: Helton.

“All you’re gonna hear, ‘Well, he’s not the guy. Get him out of here. Why don’t we go get Chip Kelly?’ ” Johnson, a former USC receiver, said as he stood in a semicircle of players. “Enough of that. It’s your opportunity to make him the head coach.”

Pat Haden, then USC’s athletic director, obliged. He removed Helton’s interim tag late last season.