USC Football: 5 game balls for Trojans’ Week 4 victory over Cal

Deontay Burnett snatched nine receptions for 76 yards and a score on Saturday against Cal. He probably could have caught several more if Sam Darnold had been more on target. The quarterback missed him on a handful of errant throws, and Burnett made Darnold look good as he plucked some tough balls out of the sky.

In his third season as a Trojans receiver, Burnett has already caught five touchdown passes in his first four games of 2017. He is on pace to blow his previous season highs out of the water as he develops into the next great USC receiver. Burnett has developed a strong rapport with Darnold, and the two connected repeatedly on Saturday as the Pac-12 South leaders eventually pulled away in Berkeley.

The fact that it could have been an even bigger day cannot be held against the receiver when the ball fails to come his way. Burnett did everything he could to boost Darnold’s production in the interdivisional showdown. His numbers helped the Trojans move to 4-0 and stay in the College Football Playoff race, and for that Burnett merits another of this week’s USC game balls.