Kessler receives Pac-12 Player of the Week honor
For the second straight week, a USC football player was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. Redshirt junior running back Javorius “Buck” Allen took home the honor last week, and redshirt junior quarterback Cody Kessler received the award Monday after his record-breaking performance against Colorado on Saturday.
Move over, Matt · Redshirt junior quarterback Cody Kessler broke former teammate Matt Barkley’s passing touchdown record on Saturday. – Mariya Dondonyan | Daily Trojan
Kessler led the team to victory behind his seven passing touchdowns, setting a new school record, one that had previously been held by former USC quarterback Matt Barkley. Barkley threw six touchdowns on four separate occasions. Kessler’s seven touchdowns also tied the Pac-12 record for most touchdowns in a game. Kessler threw for 319 yards while efficiently completing 19-26 passes — all in just three quarters of work.
Kessler could have exited after the first quarter and still had an impressive day. He led the Trojans to a 28-0 lead after 15 minutes, throwing two touchdowns to junior wide receiver Nelson Agholor and one each to freshman receiver JuJu Smith and freshman tight end Bryce Dixon.
He also tied a school record with five first-half touchdown passes, adding another one to Dixon.
The onslaught through the air did not stop at halftime, as USC came out firing to add to Kessler’s big day. Early in the second half, Kessler threw his sixth touchdown on a 75-yard score to Agholor who finished the day with 128 yards along with his three scores.
Kessler finished his day in the third quarter after his seventh touchdown pass to redshirt freshman receiver Steven Mitchell. His completion percentage of 69.5 percent currently ranks ahead of Barkley’s all-time USC season record of 69.1 percent. This percentage also has Kessler ranked sixth in the nation.
This is Kessler’s third career Pac-12 Player of the Week award. His first came following last season’s upset against Stanford and his second was earlier this year against Fresno State when he threw for a career-high 394 yards in a 52-13 rout.
Kessler and the Trojans face the 19th-ranked Utah Utes on Saturday.