USC 38, Syracuse 17 (final)

 

USC quarterback Matt Barkley passed for five touchdowns as USC remained unbeaten with the victory over the Orange at the Coliseum.

Barkley connected with fullback Rhett Ellison, receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee and tight ends Randall Telfer and Xavier Grimble to help the Trojans improve their record to 3-0 heading into next week's Pacific 12 Conference game at Arizona State.

Barkley completed 26 of 39 passes for 324 yards, without an interception.

The Trojans led 17-3 at halftime and blitzed to a 38-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib completed 25 of 37 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown for the Orange (2-1).

MORE:

Photos: USC vs. Syracuse

USC 38, Syracuse 17 (6:34 left in the fourth quarter)

Syracuse scored, but the real drama involves whether USC quarterback Matt Barkley will come back onto the field in a blowout to attempt to break the school record of five touchdown passes in a game.

The Orange might have helped Barkley's bid to make history by cutting into the Trojans' lead on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Nassib to Alec Lemon.

USC 38, Syracuse 10 (11:51 left in the fourth quarter)

Matt Barkley is on the verge of a record-breaking day.

The USC quarterback just tied a school single-game record by completing his fifth touchdown pass, a nine-yard connection with tight end Xavier Grimble that has given the Trojans an insurmountable lead. Barkley was the last USC quarterback to pass for as many scores, doing it last season against Hawaii and California.

Barkley has completed 27 of 40 passes for 326 yards without an interception, and there's still nearly 12 minutes to play. Will we see the likes of Jon Manoogian, Cody Kessler or Max Wittek the rest of the way, or will Coach Lane Kiffin allow Barkley to go for the record?

USC 31, Syracuse 10 (2:54 left in the third quarter)

It's another big game for the receivers from Gardena Serra High.

Marqise Lee just hauled in a perfectly thrown 43-yard touchdown pass from Matt Barkley, the quarterback's fourth scoring pass of the game.

Robert Woods has eight catches for 82 yards and a touchdown and Lee has two catches for 63 yards. Barkley has completed 24 of 35 passes for 309 yards and has not had a pass intercepted.

USC 24, Syracuse 10 (10:43 left in the third quarter)

Syracuse isn't going to roll over.