LOS ANGELES (AP) — Caleb Williams passed for 278 yards and four touchdowns in his return from his Heisman Trophy season, and freshman Zachariah Branch made an electrifying debut with a 96-yard kickoff return and a 25-yard reception for touchdowns in No. 6 Southern California’s 56-28 victory over San Jose State on Saturday night.
Dorian Singer, Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice also caught TD passes and Austin Jones rushed for two more scores as USC opened its second season under Lincoln Riley with another impressive offensive performance that easily covered the Trojans’ persistent defensive flaws.
Williams won USC’s eighth Heisman last season, and he looked typically smooth and elusive as he began what’s likely to be his final collegiate season by leading six TD drives in eight series. Williams was 18 of 25 without an interception.
Branch was an immediate phenomenon in his first game out of Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School, making four catches for 58 yards — none better than his athletic catch-and-run for a score on a drive set up by his 35-yard punt return. Branch then broke it open with his kickoff return down the Spartans’ sideline in the third quarter, dodging tackles all the way home.
San Jose State’s Nick Nash caught three touchdown passes from Chevan Cordeiro, who passed for 198 yards and rushed for 52 more.
NO. 13 NOTRE DAME 42, NAVY 3
DUBLIN (AP) — Sam Hartman threw four touchdown passes in his Notre Dame debut and the Fighting Irish routed Navy in a season-opening victory in Ireland’s capital.
Notre Dame scored at will by air and on the ground against the Midshipmen, improving to 3-0 against Navy in Dublin games.
Hartman, a grad transfer who set ACC records at Wake Forest, completed 19 of 23 passes for 251 yards. He connected with Jaden Greathouse on two scoring strikes, the second a 20-yarder that made it 35-0 early in the third quarter and kept the Irish offense perfect at that point, with touchdowns on their first five possessions.
Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie also had touchdown receptions. Audric Estimé and Jadarian Price scored on the ground. Estimé ran for 95 yards on 16 carries.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
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