If you’re wondering how the visiting USC Trojans’ win over Cal on Saturday turned into such a blowout, look no further than special teams.
The Trojans tied an NCAA record by scoring on three punt returns, and they did it all in the first half. As you can see in the video, Nelson Agholor scored twice on punt returns — once for 75 yards and the other for 93 yards. The Trojans also scored on a blocked punt returned by Josh Shaw 14 yards for a TD in the second quarter. Their efforts tied a record set by Oklahoma’s Antonio Perkins, who returned three punts for touchdowns in a 2003 win over UCLA.
USC won the game 62-28 and is now 7-3, while Cal drops to an ugly 1-9. Take away two of those touchdowns, and the difference in score is much closer to the 18-point line the Trojans were favored by.
It’s been a long, disappointing season in Berkeley.
