USC’s Marqise Lee tops receiving yardage list, goes out with injury

TEMPE, Ariz. — USC receiver Marqise Lee became the Trojans’ all-time receiving yardage leader with a 51-yard reception on the second play of the third quarter of Saturday night’s game against Arizona State at Sun Devil Stadium.

Lee caught seven passes for 92 yards in the game before sustaining an injury to his left knee on a punt return in the fourth quarter. He was carted off the field.

He has 3,249 career yards, surpassing Johnnie Morton’s 3,210 set in 1990-92.

Lee, a junior who won the Biletnikoff Award last season, also moved into second place on USC’s career receptions list. His seven receptions increased his total to 221.

Lee moved ahead of Dwayne Jarrett, who caught 216 passes from 2004 to 2006. Robert Woods is USC’s all-time leader with 252.

Kessler’s ups and downs

Trojans quarterback Cody Kessler, who had struggled in the second half against Utah State because of a hand injury, looked sharp in the first half against Arizona State despite an interception.

The sophomore completed his first 10 passes for 79 yards and threw a touchdown pass to running back Tre Madden.

However, it quickly turned in the third quarter, when Kessler threw a horrible pass that was picked off by Alden Darby and returned 46 yards for a touchdown.

Kessler finished 20 for 29 for 280 yards.

Darby’s night

Darby had another big game against USC.

The senior from Long Beach Millikan made two interceptions against USC. The first, early in the third quarter, he took back 46 yards for a touchdown that put Arizona State up, 34-21. He picked off another pass in the same quarter that set up a Sun Devils touchdown. Darby also had a pick-six against USC last season.

On the run

Freshman running back Justin Davis had a huge game, with three touchdowns, a 58-yarder, a 26-yarder and a 15-yarder. He rushed for 122 yards in 10 carries.

Madden rushed for 128 yards in 20 carries in the game.

The sophomore also scored on a six-yard screen pass from Kessler. He also had two receptions for touchdowns.

Local product

Arizona State hurt USC early with the help of tight end Chris Coyle. Coyle, a fifth-year senior who played at Westlake Village Oaks Christian, caught passes of 21 and 35 yards on the Sun Devils’ first possession, setting up a touchdown. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Coyle had come into the game averaging 21 yards per reception.

He finished with five catches for 87 yards.

Quick hits

USC entered the game with a 19-10 record in its series against the Sun Devils…. USC coaches and their colleagues nationwide wore “Coach to Cure MD” logo patches to raise awareness and funding for Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. Donations can be made at https://www.CoachtoCureMD.org.

A $5 donation can be made by texting CURE to 90999.

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