Nelson Agholor Shows He's Ready for UCLA Game, Cements Place Among Trojan Greats

LOS ANGELES — Wide receiver Nelson Agholor added another chapter to one of the most special individual seasons in USC football history Thursday, leading the Trojans in a 38-30 win over Cal.

“He continued to show that he is, in my opinion, one of the best receivers in the country,” quarterback Cody Kessler said. “If not the best.” Agholor and Kessler hooked up 16 times, a career high for the standout junior, which produced 216 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, he has 82 receptions for 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“It’s my job to get open,” Agholor said. “[Head] coach [Steve Sarkisian] called great plays, and Cody gave me opportunities.”

The duo of Agholor and Kessler would have connected for an additional 78 yards and a third score had it not been for a holding penalty negating a big Agholor run after a screen pass in the third quarter.

Even without that play, Agholor is riding quite the wave heading into USC’s annual rivalry tilt with crosstown foe UCLA. On Thursday, he became the first player in Trojans history to record consecutive games of 200-plus yards receiving (he registered 220 yards at Washington State on Nov. 1).

Considering the predecessors to come through USC before Agholor (Keyshawn Johnson, Lynn Swann, Dwayne Jarrett, Marqise Lee, Robert Woods, etc.), that’s a particularly noteworthy feat. But the achievement was of no concern to the wide receiver—not immediately after the game, anyway.

“I really can’t think about [the record] right now,” Agholor said. “I’m still thinking about the third-down conversion I didn’t catch. That’s what’s on my mind.”

It’s that kind of single-minded pursuit of perfection that allowed Agholor to make Trojans history and help keep USC in the hunt for the Pac-12 South’s berth into the conference championship game.

The Trojans return to action Nov. 22 for their league finale. While a win over No. 11-ranked UCLA doesn’t guarantee USC’s divisional fate, it does keep hope alive for another week. The Trojans need South-leading Arizona State to lose to Arizona on Nov. 28, thus forcing a three-way tie at the top. They also require UCLA to finish in fourth place, ahead of Utah.

Whether that unfolds is beyond USC’s control. But one thing very much in control heading into the critical rivalry showdown is the Kessler-Agholor connection, fine-tuned over several years.

Receptions	Receiving Yards	Receiving TD	Punt Return	PR TD
82	1,079	10	15	2

“Having that connection for three years now, being able to work together…I think it has a lot to do with me and Nelson [having] the same work ethic,” Kessler said. That work ethic means Agholor won’t be basking in his milestone for the next 24 hours, as Sarkisian explained.

“After the Washington State game, [Agholor] has a great game and the next day…he’s the first guy on the [practice] field,” Sarkisian said. “When you prepare yourself in practice, and you practice hard, the results show up on game day,” Sarkisian added. “And this guy practices his tail off every time we go out.”

The game-day results are there for Agholor, and the USC record books will now reflect it.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics via the USC athletic department.