Unable to stop the steam train that is Matt Barkley, Colorado lost 50-6 on the road Saturday night at No. 11 Southern California.
The Buffaloes (1-6, 1-3 Pac-12) won at Washington State to open league play on Sept. 22, but since have lost the past three games by a combined 143-37.
Colorado hoped to fare better against the USC quarterback Barkley, but didn’t. He finished Saturday 19-of-20 passing for 298 yards and six touchdown passes. Last season in Boulder, Barkley threw for 318 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in USC’s 42-17 win.
Colorado’s next game is Oct. 27 at No. 2 Oregon.
USC ahead 40-6
USC teammates Matt Barkley and Robert Woods connected for their fourth TD play of the day, taking a 40-6 lead four minutes into the second half.
Barkley, who is 19-of-20 for 298 yards and six TD passes, started on the CU 38-yard line after Tony Burnett intercepted Jordan Webb’s pass at the USC 17 and returned it 54 yards.
Trojans up 33-6
USC’s offense continues to work through the Colorado defense as the Trojans claimed a 33-6 lead with nearly 7 minutes left in the first half.
Matt Barkley threw his fifth TD pass of the day, this one for 17 yards to Robert Woods. It is Woods’ third TD catch of the day and capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive that took just 2 minutes, 58 seconds.
USC has 286 yards on 23 plays, and Barkley is 13-of-14 for 254 yards.
Barkley sets record
Matt Barkley set the Pac-12 record for touchdown passes with 100 when he connected with Robert Woods for a 26-6 lead with 12:15 left in the second quarter. The previous record was held by USC quarterback Matt Leinart (99 from 2003-05).
On third-and-4 at the CU 29, Barkley found Woods down the right sideline. Barkley is 8-of-9 passing for 183 yards and four touchdowns against the Buffs.
Buffs down 19-6
Coming off a Matt Barkley fumble, Colorado pulled within 19-6 early in the second quarter on Will Oliver’s 37-yard field goal.
Late in the first quarter, Colorado’s defense sacked Barkley, who fumbled before he could get off the pass, and the Buffs recovered at the USC 42. The Buffs scored six plays later.
Buffs hit FG
Colorado is on the board, having to settle for Will Oliver’s 27-yard field goal to pull within 19-3 with 2:10 left in the first quarter.
The Buffs appeared to score on a first-down play from the USC 15, but receiver Gerald Thomas’ foot was out of bounds in the back corner of the end zone. The play was initially called a TD but overturned upon review.
Colorado’s offense got its momentum, including a flea-flicker play on a pass from receiver Nelson Spruce back to QB Jordan Webb for 14 yards to the USC 15.
USC scores again
Trying to get back into the game, the Buffaloes’ Christian Powell fumbled on the first play of CU’s second possession, USC recovered at the CU 17 and scored two plays later for a 19-0 lead.
Matt Barkley connected with Xavier Brimble for an 8-yard TD pass after Barkley completed a 9-yard pass to Marqise Lee for nine yards on first down. USC went for two but was short on a run play.
USC has three touchdowns on eight plays.
USC ahead 13-0 early
Capitalizing on a Colorado turnover, USC jumped to a 13-0 lead with 9:44 left in the first quarter when Matt Barkley connected with Robert Woods for a 39-yard TD pass. The point-after kick failed.
Two CU defenders had a shot to knock Woods out of bounds as he tip-toed down the sideline, but Woods pushed them away.
Barkley is 5-of-5 for 141 yards in the Trojans’ first two drives.
Colorado was driving on its first possession, getting to the USC 22, but quarterback Jordan Webb was under pressure and threw the ball to the end zone, where it was intercepted by Drew McAllister.
USC out early
It didn’t take long for Matt Barkley to pick apart the CU defense as the USC quarterback hooked up with Marqise Lee for a 55-yard pass play and a 7-0 lead on the game’s second play.
On the Trojans’ first play, Barkley completed an 11 yard pass to Robert Woods to the USC 45.
