LOS ANGELES (AP) — Everybody on USC Football’s sideline poured onto the Coliseum field to surround the cart transporting running back Travis Dye, whose collegiate career had just ended with one awkward tackle.
The Trojans then shook off that abrupt heartbreak and kept rolling toward their ultimate goals for a remarkable rebound season in which Dye has been a prime producer and an emotional leader.
“There’s no way we would be sitting here as a football team if it wasn’t for him,” coach Lincoln Riley said.
Caleb Williams passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for two more scores, and No. 8 USC overcame their top ball-carrier’s left leg injury in a 55-17 victory over Colorado on Friday night.
Williams accounted for five total touchdowns in his fourth consecutive outstanding game for the Trojans (9-1, 7-1 Pac-12), who warmed up for season-defining games against No. 9 UCLA and No. 20 Notre Dame in the next two weeks with a slow start followed by a blowout victory over the Buffaloes (1-9, 1-6).
Former Colorado receiver Brenden Rice had 70 yards receiving and a touchdown for the Trojans, while Tahj Washington and Austin Jones caught TD passes from Williams in the third quarter.
.@CalebCSW delivers a STRIKE to @BrendenRice for the touchdown!
📺: @FS1
📱: https://t.co/u7u02qaID8#FightOn | #FYC13 pic.twitter.com/UOZQX8EOU1
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 12, 2022
Jones threw up a 2 and a 6 after his score to honor the jersey number of Dye, the Pac-12′s second-leading rusher with 884 yards.
Dye left the field with an air cast on his left leg after going down awkwardly in the second quarter. The Oregon transfer and Los Angeles-area native has been a key component of the Trojans’ immediate transformation from a four-win program to a College Football Playoff contender.
Riley said he doesn’t expect Dye to play again this season, but the injury shouldn’t cause him long-term damage. Dye flashed USC’s signature “Fight On” to his cheering fans on his way to the Coliseum tunnel before he returned to watch the second half from the sideline on crutches.
“He’ll be playing on an NFL team next year,” Riley said.
The Trojans still scored at least 41 points for the fourth consecutive game with a prolific offense led by Williams, who had another standout game despite throwing only his second interception of the season. Williams has accounted for 37 total touchdowns in…
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