USC's Zachariah Branch has 2 TDs in debut as Trojans roll - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — For about one half of football, the 2023 version of USC looked like a lot like the 2022 version.

In its season opener against San Jose State on Saturday night, the No. 6-ranked Trojans scored plenty of points but also struggled at times to keep their opponents from doing the same.

Quarterback Caleb Williams began his repeat Heisman campaign by picking up where he left off, throwing for 278 yards and four touchdowns in a 56-28 win. But the new-look defense was once again shaky, showing flashes of the team's added talent but struggling to contain a mobile quarterback.

«No matter what the score was, if this was a three-point game, if it was a 28-point game, if it was a 50-point game, there's gonna be that climb to the next step,» head coach Lincoln Riley said postgame. «And that's where our focus is gonna stay. A lot of work to do, and we're the right people to get it done.»

Last season, Williams often rendered inconsistent defensive performances moot by himself. He got some help Saturday, when another star emerged in the form of true freshman receiver Zachariah Branch. The No. 7 recruit in the 2023 ESPN 300, Branch took over the third quarter and zoomed his way to 232 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns on just nine touches, including a dazzling 96-yard kickoff return for a score that helped cement the result.

Branch, who arrived on campus in the spring, had attracted rave reviews from his teammates throughout fall camp, but it was unclear how much playing time or impact he would have. After just one game, Branch can lay claim to one of the most electric debuts in USC football history and a role that should continue to grow.

«He made an impact on offense, he made an impact on special teams. He earned it,»