Marc Tyler returned from suspension to score a touchdown in the first quarter to give the USC Trojans a 10-0 lead over the Utah Utes at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the first-ever Pac-12 college football game. Tyler and fellow running back D.J. Morgan have provided the bulk of the offense so far for the Trojans as quarterback Matt Barkley completed just five of nine passes.
The freshman Morgan compiled 33 yards on six carries, including a 12-yarder. Tyler, back from suspension this week, had 19 yards on five carries, and caught a 19-yard pass from Barkley on the second drive, which led to freshman Andre Heidari kicking a 47-yard field goal
USC took the opening kickoff and drove 44 yards to the Utah 32, with the key play a 23-yard pass down the middle to freshman tight end Randall Telfer. The Utes were offside on the play, but the Trojans declined the penalty. USC's drive stalled and Lane Kiffin decided to go for it on 4th-and-3, but Barkley threw incomplete to turn the ball over on downs.
Utah got a first down on their first series, but three consecutive incompletions by Jordan Wynn forced the Utes to punt. Their second series was worse, with one run that lost four yards, followed by another run that lost six yards and ended in a fumble and a turnover.
On their second drive, USC drove 54 yards in 13 plays. They were nearly stopped twice early in the drive, but a pair of quarterback sneaks by Barkley -- one on third and short and the other on fourth and inches from midfield -- kept the drive going.
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