One of the nation’s top teams, the 7th-ranked USC Trojans, played host to the Fresno State Bulldogs. In what was a somewhat close game at the half, the Trojans led 21-10, the second half saw USC dominate and win the game 45-17. In the second half, it was clear that USC was more talented and had way more depth, which allowed them to flex their muscle en route to the blowout win. Even in a lopsided victory for USC, Fresno State also had some ballers. Let's take a closer look at the stars of the game.
The USC offense was led by their star QB, Caleb Williams, and what a game he had. For the game, he was 25 of 37 passing for 284 yards and two touchdowns, while adding two rushing touchdowns. Williams only had one rushing yard on 12 carries but we’ll get to that later. He spread the ball around to ten different receivers, led by WRs Mario Williams (6 rec, 77 yards) and Jordan Addison (6 rec, 69 yards, 1 TD). Where the Trojans really shined was in the run game, where they had two one hundred-yard rushers in Austin Jones (12 carries, 110 yards & 1 TD) and Travis Dye (11 carries, 102 yards & 1 TD). In what was a semi-close game at the half, USC went to the run game in the 3rd quarter, where they got touchdowns from both Jones and Dye to blow the game open.
Fresno State hung tough for a half, but that changed when star QB Jake Haener left the game in the 3rd quarter with a high ankle sprain. Before he departed, he was 10 of 18 for 117 yards, one TD, and one interception. His top targets of the night were WRs Erik Brooks (6 rec, 89 yds, 1 TD) and Jalen Moreno-Cropper (8 rec, 52 yards). Senior RB Jordan Mims had a very nice performance (15 carries, 114 yards) that kept the defense honest and opened up things for Haener. The loss of Haener really hurt the Bulldog offense and they were never quite the same after that.
Now let’s look at the defenses. For USC, they were led by their stud linebackers, Eric Gentry and Shane Lee. Gentry a sophomore led the way with seven tackles (five solos) and one PBU. Lee a portal transfer from Alabama was right behind him with six tackles. USC had five sacks on the evening led by their two defensive line stars Tuli Tuipulotu (4 tackles, all solos, 2 TFLs, & 2 sacks) and Solomon Byrd (4 tackles, all solos, 2 TFLs, & 1 sack), who is a Wyoming transfer. The entire defense harassed the Fresno State offense all game long and once USC got a big lead, they really turned it on.
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While the end result was far from what the Bulldogs wanted, they never gave up. Speaking of not giving up, defensive end David Perales gave USC fits all game long. He was a disruptive force that had USC’s attention. For the game, he recorded three tackles, all solos, with two TFLs and two sacks. What you don’t see in the box score is the numerous behind-the-line-of scrimmage plays and QB pressures he had. If you play IDP devy and looking for DL help, Perales is a must-roster. Star cornerback Evan Williams (5 tackles, 4 solos) was having quite the start to the game before he too left with an injury. The Bulldog's other starting corner Bralyn Lux, really upped his game after Willaims left. He finished with six tackles, all solos, and one PBU. Linebacker Levelle Bailey led the team in tackles with seven.
This was not a close game at the final horn but Fresno State gave 100% effort. They have some nice pieces overall, but just weren’t a match for USC. The Trojans on the other hand looked really good, especially once they took control of the game. If they continue to play that way, they will be a contender for the college football playoffs. Be sure you take notes of the players highlighted in the recaps and see how they can help your devy fantasy teams.
Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy.
