USC is 8-1, now up to No. 8 in the AP poll, with its Pac-12 championship and College Football Playoff goals still intact (especially with Clemson and Alabama losing over the weekend), it's Heisman-caliber quarterback is playing the best football of his life, new game-breaking wide receivers seem to emerge every week and the Trojans may have found their left tackle of the future.

It's a good time to be a USC football fan.

But that doesn't mean the Trojans are without warts -- concerning ones reinforced again in the team's 41-35 win over Cal on Saturday.

As we do each week, we break down the good (or great) and bad in the First-and-10 -- the 10 most significant takeaways and critiques from the Trojans' performance.

Caleb Williams continued his streak of exceptional play Saturday, turning in his third straight performance at the highest level and third straight game with 5 touchdowns (4 passing, 1 rushing this time) and 0 turnovers. These three games have been the best of the sophomore’s season and maybe his career as he’s consistently made good decisions, thrown the ball precisely and hit the big plays with frequency. Against Cal, Williams posted 360 passing yards, adding another 38 yards with his legs. Once again, he appeared entirely in control of the offense from the first quarter onward, retaining his trademark composure in the pocket and getting the football where his receivers needed it to be. Williams’ uncanny elusiveness is on display in every game he plays but it was masterful in this game as he maneuvered the pocket with ease, effortlessly sliding up and spinning away from pressure without ever taking his eyes off his targets downfield.

Missing his top two receivers in Jordan Addison and Mario Williams for the second straight week, Williams didn’t miss a beat, spreading the ball around efficiently to get his remaining playmakers involved. He hit a number of the 'wow' throws he’s good for in every game, showcasing his raw arm talent as he fired footballs accurately while off-platform and using difficult arm angles. His best play of the night came on a fourth quarter drive, as Williams deftly escaped a pocket that seemed to be collapsing on him from multiple sides before scrambling to his right. With defenders closing in on him near the line of scrimmage, Williams abruptly hit the brakes and pulled up to avoid a hit before firing the football down the sideline, mid-air with neither of his feet set. The throw zipped 28-yards down the field straight into the arms of a diving Michael Jackson III, placed with perfect accuracy to jump-start a touchdown drive.

Williams used his legs to move the chains for USC all night, most impressively to ice the game on a critical late third-and-5. With Cal threatening to get the ball back down only 6, Williams took matters into his own hands as he put on a burst of speed right up the middle to secure the clinching yardage for his team.

We’ve now seen the sophomore shoulder the burden of closing out tough games squarely by himself multiple times, delivering the clutch plays every time so far. He’s clearly got the fire in him to want to take over in critical junctures -- that’s the unteachable element every big-time quarterback needs. On a night where the defense didn’t pull its weight, USC needed every bit of Williams’ dominance in order to escape with the win. Right now, he’s playing at the highest level of just about any quarterback in the country; he should be right at the top of the running for the Heisman Trophy.

The Trojan’s have needed Tahj Washington to step up in the absence of Jordan Addison and Mario Williams and he’s now delivered big in consecutive games. Washington was highly-capable as Caleb Williams’ top receiver in this game, starting out hot as he reeled in 6 catches for 104 yards in just the first half. Washington had a bad drop to kill a budding drive later in the third quarter but redeemed himself by juking past a defender for a 6-yard touchdown on a screen pass. He finished the night as the team leader in reception with 7 for 112 yards and that touchdown. Washington’s dynamism with the ball in his hands is special, especially the fact that he brings legitimate physicality to the table in addition to the speed and agility you’d expect. Though he’s just listed at 175 pounds, Washington often finds ways to break tackles upon contact, angling his body just right to absorb the hit and redirect his momentum. The confidence in his physicality manifests in his play as a blocker as well, as you’ll often see him driving defenders cleanly out of the running lane despite his diminutive stature. The only real issue in Washington’s game right now is his penchant for one bad drop per contest despite otherwise displaying good hands.

As a whole, he’s been a big-time contributor to this offense all season, especially after stepping into a bigger role over these past two weeks due to injuries. In those two games, Washington has racked up 14 receptions for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns -- true No. 1 receiver numbers. He may not be that for the USC offense going forward, but he’s proven himself deserving of an important role.

Michael Jackson III had been something of a forgotten man in the Trojans’ wide receiver group for much of the year, missing much of the early season thanks to an injury. On his return to action against Utah, Jackson reminded everyone of his explosive ability on his lone touch of the game as he bolted for a 20-yard touchdown on a late third down. His dynamism with the football in his possession has led the coaching staff to look for more ways to get it in his hands, giving him a series of screens and a reverse for 72 total yards against Arizona. After two weeks of gently increasing his workload, Jackson broke out for the best performance of his career against Cal, posting a team-leading 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on 5 receptions while adding 19 rushing yards on another reverse.

The enlarged role envisioned for Jackson was evident in this game as he began it as a starter, seeing the field on a majority of USC’s offensive snaps. Jackson got going in the closing moments of the second quarter as he easily created separation on a 9-yard out route for a touchdown. He had himself a sensational “middle eight”, bookending halftime with scores on each end as he ripped off another touchdown early in the third quarter. Jackson made the play of the game on that snap, taking a screen pass 59-yards as he ducked past a tackler and outran the entirety of the Bears’ defense on his way into the endzone. Jackson’s obvious YAC skills showed up time and again as he took short completions for longer gains, almost housing his lone carry on the reverse for what ended up as a 19-yard gain. He showed strong hands consistently through the game, hauling in every pass that hit his mitts. Most impressive was his diving reception coming back to the ball on the scrambling throw mentioned earlier, a highly difficult catch that Jackson executed expertly.

Jackson’s breakout has been a revelation for this team- - he’s sure now to factor in heavily to the Trojans’ gameplan in the coming weeks.