USC vs. Oregon Video: Watch De'Anthony Thomas Stun Trojans with Electric Return

There weren't many highlights for the No. 4 Oregon Ducks on Saturday against USC late in the third quarter, attempting to come back from a 38-14 deficit with their title game hopes on the line in what turned out to be a 38-35 home loss.

But just after USC quarterback Matt Barkley connected on his fourth touchdown pass late in the third quarter, freshman running back De'Anthony Thomas gave Oregon a spark on an electric 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Thomas, as you may remember, was heavily recruited by USC before deciding to go to Oregon. He was considered the top athlete of the 2011 class by most recruiting experts.

Well, he not only showed USC let a big-time player get away, he also showed why he was the top athlete of the class on Saturday.

On the return, Thomas took the ball then faked a lateral, disorienting the defense. From there, he sprinted up the right sideline, making a cutback at the 50-yard line before sprinting up the middle and trailing off to the right for the touchdown.

On the play, Thomas showed the speed, vision and agility that have made him a threat as a running back and receiver this season for the Ducks.

Thomas has made the most of his limited opportunities this year behind star running back LaMichael James. Headed into Saturday's clash, he had rushed for 366 yards and five touchdowns on just 46 carries, good for 8.0 yards per carry.

On top of that, Thomas has been a dynamic receiver out of the backfield, hauling in 27 passes for 423 yards and seven touchdowns.

There were a lot of rumors going around when Thomas spurned USC for Oregon that he did so because USC head coach Lane Kiffin wanted to start him at cornerback (where he excelled in high school) instead of on offense.

Kiffin denied the rumors, but I think we can all agree at this point that Thomas can certainly make an impact on the offensive side of the ball.

It's going to be fun to see what Thomas can do with more touches when James leaves Oregon.

He's already shown us flashes of brilliance.