USC 44, Washington State 17: Cody Kessler passed for a career-high 400 yards and five touchdowns as the visiting Trojans defeated the Cougars, who lost national passing leader Connor Halliday.

Nelson Agholor had a career-high 220 yards on eight receptions and also returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown. JuJu Smith had three touchdown catches and Javorius “Buck” Allen rushed for 114 yards as USC (6-3, 5-2 Pac-12) won for the third time in four games while sending Washington State to its fourth straight loss.

Halliday broke the fibula in his lower right leg about six minutes into the first quarter after throwing a pass and having USC’s Leonard Williams roll on to the leg. He was carted off the field and taken to the hospital to undergo surgery and was replaced by Luke Falk, who went 38-for-57 for 370 yards for the Cougars (2-7, 1-5).

The Trojans scored the first 24 points, led by Agholor’s punt return and Kessler’s two TD throws to Smith. The Cougars got on the board on Falk’s 9-yard scoring pass to Robert Lewis with 1:33 left in the half and later pulled within 24-10 on a 27-yard field goal by Quentin Breshears with 6:10 left in the third quarter.

Kessler teamed up with Agholor on an 87-yard scoring pass just 19 seconds later and Smith corralled his third scoring reception late in the quarter to make it 37-10. Kessler hit Steven Mitchell with a 5-yard TD pass early in the fourth to stretch the lead to 34 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The 87-yard scoring pass from Kessler to Agholor is USC’s longest since Carson Palmer threw a 93-yard TD pass to Kareem Kelly in 2001. … Washington State WRs Tyler Baker (nine receptions, 89 yards) and Vince Mayle (nine for 83 yards) and RB Theron West (seven for 91) combined for 25 catches. … USC S Su’a Cravens left in the first half with a knee injury.