USC Trojans vs Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors Match Player Stats On Aug 29, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 30, 2013

No. 24 Southern California 30, Hawaii 13: Josh Shaw returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown and Andre Heidari kicked three field goals as the Trojans defeated the host Warriors in the season-opening contest for both teams.

Cody Kessler threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Nelson Agholor in the second quarter and Justin Davis added a late scoring run for USC’s only offensive touchdowns. The Trojans’ defense tormented Hawaii quarterback Taylor Graham into four interceptions and sacked the Ohio State transfer seven times.

Kessler drew the start ahead of Max Wittek and produced only a 20-yard Heidari field goal over the first 25-plus minutes. Hawaii led 5-3 after Art Laurel sacked Kessler in the end zone for a safety 54 seconds into the second quarter and Tyler Hadden’s 42-yard field goal 2:23 later.

Agholor’s touchdown reception put USC ahead with 4:18 left in the first half and Shaw scored on his interception return 89 seconds later to make it 17-5. Heidari booted a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the half and added a 22-yarder with 13:10 remaining before Davis scored on a 3-yard run with 42 seconds left.

George Uko and Lawrence Williams each recorded two sacks for the Trojans, while Dion Bailey, Su’a Cravens and Hayes Pullard joined Shaw with interceptions. Hawaii’s touchdown came on Graham’s 60-yard pass to Keith Kirkwood with 30 seconds left.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Kessler was 10-of-19 passing for 95 yards and was intercepted once before leaving after the first drive of the third quarter. Wittek replaced him and was 5-for-10 for 77 yards. … Graham was 16-for-41 for 209 yards in his first college start. … Both teams were without their starting tailbacks – USC’s Silas Redd (knee) and Hawaii’s Joey Iosefa (foot) – and Trojans sophomore Tre Madden rushed for a game-high 109 yards.