Barkley leads Trojans to win over Hawaii in Kiffin's USC debut

NCAA Football Betting Lines

09/03/2010 - Honolulu, HI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Barkley tied a school record by throwing for five touchdowns, as 14th-ranked Southern California beat Hawaii, 49-36, giving Lane Kiffin a victory in his coaching debut with the Trojans.

Ronald Johnson caught three scoring passes and returned a punt 89 yards for another TD for the Trojans, who posted their 13th straight win in a season opener.

Despite being ranked to start the season and with high aspirations, the Trojans won't be going to a bowl game. They were hit with a two-year postseason ban as a result of violations stemming from former USC standout football player Reggie Bush and basketball star O.J. Mayo.

Marc Tyler ran for 154 yards and a touchdown for the Trojans (1-0), who are 7-0 all-time against Hawaii.

Barkley, who led USC to an Emerald Bowl win over Boston College last December, completed 18-of-23 passes for 257 yards.

Kiffin, previously an assistant at USC, left Tennessee unceremoniously after just one year and took over for Pete Carroll who once again has jumped to the NFL, this time with the Seahawks.

Bryant Moniz connected on 18-of-36 passes for 269 yards and a score for the Warriors (0-1), but he left the game in the third quarter after taking a blow to the head on a hit from USC linebacker Michael Morgan.

The Warriors rolled up 588 yards of offense, but couldn't give head coach Greg McMackin a win as he began a third season with Hawaii, which is coming off a 6-7 campaign. Included in the big offensive showing were three receivers going over 100 yards. Greg Salas caught eight balls for 124, Royce Pollard seven for 106, and Kealoha Pilares five for 176 and three touchdowns.

Moniz suffered a cut to his right elbow after being hit hard by Morgan during a 13-yard scramble to the USC five. Brent Rausch replaced Moniz and the Warriors scored on a one-yard run from Alex Green, getting Hawaii within 34-23 with 1:54 left in the quarter.

Barkley, though, quickly struck back, hitting Stanley Havili for 49 yards, and then finding Johnson for a three-yard score with 27 seconds left in the third. Mitch Mustain's run accounted for the two-point conversion.

Shane Austin's 65-yard TD pass to Pilares had Hawaii knocking on the door again with 6:48 left in the game, but just 13 seconds later, Tyler broke off a 44-yard TD run.

Pilares and Austin hooked up from 30 yards away with under four minutes left.

Barkley threw 46 yards to David Ausberry for a TD nearly five minutes into the game. Kiffin brought out an odd formation for a two-point conversion try, but Mustain's pass went awry.

Scott Enos kicked a 24-yard field goal, but Barkley's one-yard TD pass to Johnson and the subsequent two-point conversion by the pair widened USC's lead to 14-3 with 1:38 left in the opening quarter.

It became 20-3 when Barkley passed to Rhett Ellison for a six-yard score early in the second.

Enos kicked a 40-yard field goal and the Warriors made it a seven-point spread after Pilares broke a tackle on the way to a 56-yard catch-and-run for a TD with nearly three minutes left in the half.

Hawaii's defense again failed, though, as Barkley hit Johnson for a 13-yard score with 1:06 remaining.

A big replay with 12 seconds left in the first half was the difference between a touchdown and a field goal for the Warriors. Salas caught a short pass and was tackled by linebacker Malcolm Smith near the goal line. Salas seemed to reach the ball over the plane, but officials ruled the ball short after the replay. The crowd of 44,204 went wild when they thought referee Bill Athan signaled touchdown, but instead he was showing how short the ball was from the goal line. Enos ended up kicking an 18-yard field goal for a 27-16 margin.

Johnson bolted down the right sideline for his TD punt return midway through the third quarter.

Game Notes

USC is 30-1 against current Western Athletic Conference teams...The Trojans have won 17 straight non-conference games...This was the first of a school- record seven road outings for the Trojans this year...Hawaii is 15-35 all-time against members of the Pac-10 Conference...Austin completed 6-of-9 passes for 141 yards...Johnson ended with seven catches for 59 yards.