USC’s top QB suffers seasonending injury

USC quarterback J.T. Daniels will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament and the meniscus in his right knee during the Trojans’ seasonopening win over Fresno State on Saturday night.

Head coach Clay Helton confirmed the severity of his sophomore starter’s injury Sunday.

USC plans to start freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis against Stanford at the Coliseum on Saturday evening.

Daniels will redshirt this season, Helton said. With an estimated nine to 12 months of recovery from surgery, Daniels could be ready for camp next year.

“He will be missed, but we will have to move forward, and we wish him nothing but the best,” Helton said. “We know he’s going to be back.”

Daniels was hurt when his leg twisted while he was being tackled on a blitz with 27 seconds left in the first half of USC’s 3123 victory.

Daniels started 11 games last season for USC’s first losing team since 2000, and he won a fourway competition for the starting job this year.

Daniels was sharp against Fresno State, completing 25 of 34 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

“There were really some glimpses of what this offense can be, and it really excited me and our staff,” Helton said.

Slovis completed one wellthrown 41yard pass in the second half against but he also miscommunicated with a receiver and threw a bad interception on another play. He finished 6for8 for 57 yards.

“I was just doing what I normally do,” Slovis said. “It’s the same as practice every day. It’s just a live environment, and everyone else is watching this time. I don’t think that much changed.”

Northwestern quarterback T.J. Green could miss the rest of the season because of a foot injury he suffered Saturday during a loss to Stanford, ESPN reported. Green will require surgery.

New Mexico head coach Bob Davie, 64, issued a statement saying he expects to make a full recovery after he was hospitalized in Albuquerque on Saturday. The school said Davie suffered “a serious medical incident” moments after his team’s victory over Sam Houston State. #4 Oklahoma 49, Houston 31: ExAlabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, making his debut with the Sooners, passed for three touchdowns and ran for three scores for host Oklahoma.

Playing in front of his predecessor, 2018 Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, Hurts passed for 332 yards and ran for 176. His 508 total yards are the fifth most in school history. It wasn’t enough for Hurts. “I’ve got to go talk to my boys,” he said. “We’ve got to get right. We’ve got to get better.”

Hurts completed 13 of 15 passes for 174 yards and rushed 11 times for 128 yards to help the Sooners lead 2110 at halftime.

Overall, Oklahoma gained 686 yards.

Oklahoma’s defense was sharp too, limiting Houston’s D’Eriq King to 87 yards passing in the first half. King finished with 167 yards passing in former West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen’s debut.