USC's win over Arizona State last weekend featured all the usual stars in leading roles, of course.
Quarterback Caleb Williams accounted for four total touchdowns and 392 combined passing/rushing yards, Travis Dye scored two more touchdowns on the ground, Jordan Addison had another 100-yard receiving game, etc.
But Saturday night also spotlighted the depth of USC's talented receiving corps, as Brenden Rice had 3 catches for a season-high 72 yards (including 43 yards after the catch) and Kyron Hudson had 3 catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Rice hadn't totaled more than 28 receiving yards in any game this season, while Hudson had just 1 catch over the previous three games.
More than just the stats and involvement, though, both made highly-impressive and impactful receptions.
Starting with Rice, on USC's fourth play of the game he turned a short reception into a 27-yard gain down the left sideline. Most of that was open space, but he accelerated well after the catch to maximize the available yards. Ditto on his reception in the second quarter, which he caught 10 yards downfield but turned into a 31-yard pickup to midfield.
Despite the significant yards after the catch, he wanted more.
"Coming in, if I get the opportunity, make the most of the opportunity. Tonight, I could have done a little bit better on some of my opportunities. Man, I've got to break some of those for touchdowns," Rice said after the game.
His best catch was still to come, though.
Toward the latter part of the third quarter, after Williams took a sack to set up third-and-14 from the Arizona State 42, the QB whistled a pass to the sticks on the left sideline that Rice jump up to grab with no issue for the first down on what ended up as a touchdown drive.
"Brenden Rice had three explosive plays -- two down the sideline and obviously the huge catch on the third-and-long. He's doing some really nice things on tape, he is. I feel he's right on the verge of a breakout game for us," coach Lincoln Riley said Monday night on Trojans Live.
Watch Rice's three catches here:
