USC is 9-1 due in no small to the exploits of quarterback Caleb Williams.

The list of quarterbacks in college football playing as well as the second-year Trojan is a short one. Williams was expected to take a huge step forward this season — his first with USC but his second in coach Lincoln Riley’s offense. He was a preseason Heisman Trophy frontrunner, and this week Lincoln Riley made the case for him to be a finalist.

“Up to this point, I don’t think there’s been a better, more valuable player in college football than him,” Riley said in the lead-up to USC’s game against Colorado on Friday.

Riley was asked directly about Williams as a Heisman candidate, and he certainly didn’t shy away from the discussion.

“He’s playing at a really, really high level,” Riley said. “He’s had one turnover, a lot of touchdowns, his team has won a lot of games. He’s done it with different ways. He’s done it here as of late without some really impactful players being able to play, both on the line and obviously at the skill positions. He’s been as valuable as any player in the country, and I think it’s pretty simple.”

And what did Williams do to follow up his coach’s praise?

He went out and totaled another five touchdowns to help lead USC to a 55-17 win over the Buffs.

Williams completed 14 of his 26 pass attempts for 268 yards and three scores. He threw just his second interception of the season, but he added another two rushing scores on the ground.

USC broke the 40-point threshold for the fourth consecutive game in the win. That’s the first time that’s happened in a single season at USC since 2003. With 55 points, USC brought its season total to 424 in 10 games. Not counting the vacated 2005 season, the 424 points are the most through the first 10 games for a Trojan team in program history.

And Williams became the first USC quarterback to have multiple games in a single season with multiple rushing touchdowns.

“I just care about competing and winning,” he said after the game. “If I come out with five (touchdowns), I come out with five. If I come out with one, I come out with one.”

He has 37 now this season, including 31 through the air. And none of Williams’ peers atop the national passing touchdown leaderboard can say they’ve protected the football as well as Williams has.

Williams has the fourth-best Heisman odds in the country. As the touchdowns keep piling up, it’s hard to deny just how special this season has been for him.

And the most important part? USC is winning. A 4-8 team a year ago has risen to 9-1. With Friday night’s win, the Trojans are on the precipice of the Pac-12 title game in Riley’s first season.