USC scored an expected easy victory over Colorado on Friday night, but it came at a heavy cost.

Star running back Travis Dye appeared to suffer a serious knee injury in the 55-17 win, an injury that severely hampers USC’s Pac-12 title chances.

In an otherwise impressive win, Dye’s injury was a stain.

Here are 3 takeaways from a no-fun Friday night for the Trojans.

Do or Dye for USC with running back out

Dye’s injury, coming late in the second quarter with the Trojans driving, was a gutshot.

On third-and-2 from the Colorado 45-yard line with just under three minutes remaining in the half, Dye ran 4 yards and then fell. He immediately looked injured as he fell to the ground, clutching his leg.

He knew in an instant that it was bad, and so too did his teammates. Dye writhed around in pain for several minutes before his fellow Trojans — and even a handful of Buffaloes — surrounded him. An air cast was placed on his leg and he was carted off the field, flashing a thumbs-up sign and a ‘V for Victory’ as the USC crowd celebrated him.

The loss of Dye will make an immediate impact on the Trojans’ offense. Although USC has a terrific backup in former Stanford back Austin Jones, he lacks the consistency that became Dye’s hallmark this year. Exciting freshman Raleek Brown will be expected to take on a bigger role, but Jones will move into the driver’s seat. The two Trojan backs scored on back-to-back drives in the second half and Jones finished with 11 carries for 74 yards.

Dye had five 100-yard games and nearly a sixth, and he was arguably the Trojans’ most consistent offensive player.

Trojans get off to a slow start against the league’s worst

The first quarter of Friday’s matchup was more a baseball game than a football foray, a start that no one saw coming.

The Buffaloes surpassingly led 3-2 after the quarter with USC’s offense coming out flat. The Trojans managed 7 yards on their first 10 plays with an interception, just Caleb Williams’ second of the season.

This didn’t last long, of course.

Williams scored on touchdown runs on consecutive possessions to open the second, and then he found Brenden Rice for a 32-yard touchdown pass on the same drive Dye went down.

Williams would finish with three touchdown passes on 14-of-26 passing for 268 yards.

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Addison does little in return

USC got one star wide receiver back on Friday, even though he didn’t do much.

Both Jordan Addison and Mario Williams were expected to return for the Trojans against the Buffaloes, but only Addison actually made it onto the field. Williams was seen during warmups getting some work in, but he eventually made it onto the sidelines in street clothes.

Addison, though, was able to play in his first game since getting injured in a 43-42 loss to Utah in Week 7.

Not that anyone noticed.

The reigning Biletnikoff Award winner had just one catch for 2 yards on two targets. Rice, Kyle Ford, and Tahj Washington continue to shine in Addison and Williams’ stead. Ford had three grabs for 73 yards, Rice had three for 70 with the touchdown, and Washington added two grabs for 66 yards — including a 61-yard touchdown.